Yesterday I received an mass e-mail from jbrady saying that the shop is ready to take payment for orders. And he wrote a little summary of what has to be done to have it fit into pre 98 SC/LS cars, and the list is long. I talked to a local muffler shop and I was quoted $2000 dollars to get the damn thing done. If.... and that his a big IF, i am able to squeeeze 20 hp out of headers, that's 100 dollars / hp.

I was wondering if anybody is planning to purchasing a set, and if you are, how are you going to approach installing this.

 

I'm on the mail list also and am seriously considering purchasing the headers. No matter what it wont be a cheap install. That said, look around and you should be able to find cheaper than $2000. Myself, I haven't ruled out doing the work myself. I am also shopping around (ALOT) to see what offers come down the pike. My thoughts are that if I don't buy the headers now, I may miss them completely! I'd rather have the headers and hold them for 6-12 months while finding the best wau to install than miss the ability to purchase altogether.

 

how much are they going for, why is it so hard to install them are they bolt on or is fabracation needed to instal them.

 

$600 for jet hot coated. They do bolt on but additonal flanges are required for us with SC's. The install is labor intensive, therefore the high cost of install from a shop. But some people have gotten quotes for install well below $1000!

 

If you look in the header thread, there definitely are already buyers. I think they are up to 15 or 16 when I checked last night. From some of the quotes in the thread, $2k is definitely way too high unless you are talking about all the exhaust back end custom work too.

 

$2,000 sounds absolutely ridiculous to charge for installing these headers, unless there is a lot of additional fabrication needed to fit them...Probably the toughest thing is the EGR flange that will need to be on the passenger side. But still, $2 k is alot. It is my belief that you definitely do not have to pull the engine to install the headers, simply loosen the 2 engine mounts, and jack the engine up enough to get to the existing headers and heat shields. This will be your toughest part. Once that is done, installing them should be quite easy. As far as the EGR is concerned, if the headers do not come with this mounting flange, then you will need someone to fab it. Perhaps it is possible to have them cut off the existing one and weld it to the header? I do not know. I do know that my headers are being built for my TT V8 project, and that is much harder than mounting the JB Headers...We do not have to pull the engine...

Good Luck guys...

Ryan

 

Will these headers be only made for a certain amount of time or certain number of headers fabbed?

 

Yup! Check the sticky on V8 Headers

 

I am aware of that. I was referring to pre 98 vehicles.

 

I live in a very mod-unfriendly place. There is virtually no shop that does fab work dedicated to spo-com. The only place I can get this done is your typical granny-junk-car-handling muffler shop. Not a performance shop. I have so far visited 4 shops, and 3 of them want nothing to do with this. And one, as I posted, wanted 2000.

Well, I don't have much of a choice here. I guess I will take myself off the list.

And these are the things that are needed for the installation of header. Personally...too much headache for me. I wish there was enough demand from pre 98 owners so they can design a simple bolt on specifically for pre 98s.


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I am sending this slightly modified email to the 1990-1997 SC400 and LS400 owners on the committed list. Since there are a handful of each of you guys it is not cost effective or practical to test fit these headers on these cars. They should fit but without actually bolting them on to an SC or LS we will have to try it to have positive proof. We DO know that you will either need to delete the EGR or install the EGR in the passenger side downpipe that you will need to make or have made. Downpipes are required because the headers exit farther from the engine and have a different catalyst flange size than the 1998-2000 cars. You will most likely want to order an extra set of catalyst outlet 3 bolt flanges from S&S. These will be bolted to the headers and be used to fabricate the downpipes. S&S may already have a flange suitable to install for the EGR valve. This is something the builder of your exhaust will need to add. I would suggest that you have your exhaust guy cut the 3 bolt flange off of you catalysts and weld or swage the downpipes onto the cats. From there you will need to fabricate a Y or X pipe. I suggest 2.25" pipe. Because of all this I will not blame anyone for not buying a set. That said I expect the demand will be there for additional sales and if by chance you do not actually install your set you should be able to sell them easily.

 

If I have a copy of a header I cand bring it to shop in Bangkok and get the header make for about fraction of that $2,000 quote.

 

You mean you're going to get some of your Bangkok buddies to ship themselves over in the US and install the header for a fraction of that $2,000 quote ? Because the headers including the Jet Hot coat are only $600.

The install estimate some folks are getting is the $2k number you're quoting .

 

I went with the auzie headders because of the length of the runners. Jbrady headders are shorties and I preferred the long versions. In any case the price for the install was $800 to wrap them (i provided the wraps) and make provision for the EGR system and putting them on the car.

 

Oh, you mean $600 for the header and $2,000 for the install.

Why is it so damn expensive. I thought he refer to the price of fabricating the entire header plus installation. I think that with correct fitment, header installation should be a DIY.

BTW: Is it worth to drive from Michigan to Boston and find a shop that know about stuff.

 

sorry if this is a stupid question but what is the EGR?? and apparently the headers are not direct bolt ons from what i have read so far. but i am still considering ordering a set.