OK - it's been far too long for these to get done. I've stopped all my other projects to get the 4 remaining headers done in the next few weeks. So let's get some progress photo's up.

Here's how I started. Put the mock-up header in the jig and add in the hard brackets to position all the tubes.



Muffler clamps of the correct dimension work wonders.



Not the best photo - but you can see the various angles. Some have been further tweaked in the first production unit to make everything perfect.

Then I cut up all the transitions and polished the tubes again with a fancy 3M belt on the giant grinder. Works very well.



Then it was time to tack them all up. Nice tight gaps.



Easier when you're not making it all for the first time.

First branches going together. I'm not able to put much time in the garage right now - so updates will be slow. I can't wait to put this project to bed.

Shiny!!

Ok - so we're chugging like a train to get these done. The eagle-eye'ed among you will have noted that the 45 degree bends are clearly not coming in at the same angle. That meant I had to adjust the jig, fix, fiddle and basically kill a day. I wish my mock up header was a little more accurate. I can't build things in a production mode if everything is a little off here and there.

So with that done (no pics - I'm getting lazy) - I cranked out the 1-4 branches.



That was the rest of the week. Not too bad once I had a process all down.

Today saw the 2-3 branch get sorted out. Same deal - scrap the jig, rebuild, then work out all the angles, test fit, modify jig until it was perfect and we arrive at this.

Everything nice and straight.



Just have to break it all apart for welding now.

Got the rest of the headers tacked up today. Once you get the jig working and dimensions sorted out then it goes a little easier. It's still takes quite a long time to get the fits nice and I'm still worried about how they will all turn out, but it's on to the next phase. Welding.

Almost time to wrap this thread up...here's the mock up header all cleaned up, welded and ready to ship.



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Carbs and heat shield fit perfectly.



Unfortunately it takes me a full 8 hour day to weld these up. I'm working as fast as I know how to go...it's just taking that much time. So there are now 3, and will be 5 by next week.

That's a shiny pile of quality, right there. Great work Craig!

What Matt said, those look stunning, probably flow pretty good too...

One last header needed to get built. The rest were done a few weeks ago and just need to have the flanges flattened before putting them up for sale. This header was the original conception for my planned special B20. The engine will have my rather unique B20 head with the welded up exhaust ports, 44/38 valves and the usual porting tricks. My previous calculations indicated that the port size was too large and the only solution was either to weld up the port or build a header with tongues that block off the bottom of the port (I've done one of these as well).

Here's the head.



The special flange.



Sized to fit the 1.5" tube when installed.



Starter tubes taking shape. Just hammered them on 4 sides to make them square.





A little polish...you know this had to happen some time.



A lot of polishing on the tubes.



The 2-3 branch was designed to come straight out...the car will be fuel injected and won't need to clear the carbs...it will also improve the tuning a little.



The merges are very hard to get nice welds on. Practice makes for pretty close to perfect.



Flanges are also difficult. This one welded up very nicely.



All done. Will make noise some day!





Done - that's it for now. I'll return with a turbo manifold build in a while.

Fantastic result, makes me wish I had an engine to put it on!

Works of art for sure. You mention a header for the "special B20", any hints on a destination??

I've lusted after the local 1800ES for years...informing the owner that he's only taking care of my car until he want's to sell it to me. The B20 that was in my 122 with the 11:1 compression head and bigger cam and EFI conversion are going to eventually make it into an ES of some sort. I'm thinking that's the next project as 911's are just priced too hight for the junk that I've seen. I am making a car already that will scare the crap out of me...I may want a real GT for touring. I also think that restoring a car instead of re-engineering a car has a built in intelligence that heretofore I've missed, and now appreciate.

I seldom see another Volvo around town, but see John in his ES a couple of times a year? That will be a nice little motor in that car if/when it happens.