Best side pipes?
09-02-2015, 01:50 PM
#41
Team Owner
I don't think they lied to me and are built in China.
Give them a call if you'd like.
FlowTech / Hooker
704 Highway 25 South
Aberdeen, MS 39730
662 369-6153 (Tel)
Found this resume online from someone who apparently works there building headers.
https://www.ziprecruiter.com/resume/preview/51673143
Give them a call if you'd like.
FlowTech / Hooker
704 Highway 25 South
Aberdeen, MS 39730
662 369-6153 (Tel)
Found this resume online from someone who apparently works there building headers.
https://www.ziprecruiter.com/resume/preview/51673143
I don't really care enough to research.. I had several sets of HOOKER side pipes over the years.. Had chrome Hooker Side pipes on one of my '68 Convertibles and a black set on another '68 Convertible and another set of chrome ones on a '69 Convertible that I owned.. Now I got Maximizers on my '68 Vert which are stainless.. I would have paid up to $200 more for US made but not $700 more.. That's just too much difference..
09-02-2015, 01:56 PM
#42
Safety Car
I'm sure that Hooker makes exhaust systems in the USA but the question if if ALL of their exhaust systems are made here??
I don't really care enough to research.. I had several sets of HOOKER side pipes over the years.. Had chrome Hooker Side pipes on one of my '68 Convertibles and a black set on another '68 Convertible and another set of chrome ones on a '69 Convertible that I owned.. Now I got Maximizers on my '68 Vert which are stainless.. I would have paid up to $200 more for US made but not $700 more.. That's just too much difference..
I don't really care enough to research.. I had several sets of HOOKER side pipes over the years.. Had chrome Hooker Side pipes on one of my '68 Convertibles and a black set on another '68 Convertible and another set of chrome ones on a '69 Convertible that I owned.. Now I got Maximizers on my '68 Vert which are stainless.. I would have paid up to $200 more for US made but not $700 more.. That's just too much difference..
09-02-2015, 01:59 PM
#43
Safety Car
XS Power website says 304 grade stainless steel and the retailers website claims 321 stainless steel for the same pipes.. Hmmmmm... I think that I'll go with the manufacturers claim. The XS Power Pipes are "supposed' to be made in the US but there are plenty of claims that they also come from China.. Who knows..
I really don't care where they come from. If the difference was not too big, I would go with the US made pipes but $700 vs. $1400 is just too big of a difference to pass on the deal for the cheaper pipes. The maximizers are not all that thin.. Looks like good quality steel to me but I'm not an expert. If I would give away all the things I own that are made in China, half my house would be empty and I would have to close to zero tools. Even the Black&Decker cordless drill is made in China.. and I'm one of Harbor Freight's best customers..
I really don't care where they come from. If the difference was not too big, I would go with the US made pipes but $700 vs. $1400 is just too big of a difference to pass on the deal for the cheaper pipes. The maximizers are not all that thin.. Looks like good quality steel to me but I'm not an expert. If I would give away all the things I own that are made in China, half my house would be empty and I would have to close to zero tools. Even the Black&Decker cordless drill is made in China.. and I'm one of Harbor Freight's best customers..
Last edited by augiedoggy; 09-02-2015 at 02:04 PM.
09-02-2015, 02:06 PM
#44
Team Owner
craftsmen tools and most of the parts in a Harley are now made in china as well.... just saying... I do believe like 95% of all the oem steel crankshafts are made there as well including GM and bmw if I remember correctly... the enviromental laws make it too expensive to process the required grade of hardened heat treated steel used or so I've read. Hell chevy is having whole cars like the aveo and spark made in Korea by deawoo now and others made by isuzu until bigger things like this are addressed our little nickel and dime purchases are just a drop in the bucket.
It's just not cost efficient to produce certain things in this country. It's sad but that's the unfortunate truth.
It could also be that the pipes come from china but they are welded together in the US.. Not sure...
09-02-2015, 02:09 PM
#45
Drifting
I'm sure that Hooker makes exhaust systems in the USA but the question if if ALL of their exhaust systems are made here??
I don't really care enough to research.. I had several sets of HOOKER side pipes over the years.. Had chrome Hooker Side pipes on one of my '68 Convertibles and a black set on another '68 Convertible and another set of chrome ones on a '69 Convertible that I owned.. Now I got Maximizers on my '68 Vert which are stainless.. I would have paid up to $200 more for US made but not $700 more.. That's just too much difference..
I don't really care enough to research.. I had several sets of HOOKER side pipes over the years.. Had chrome Hooker Side pipes on one of my '68 Convertibles and a black set on another '68 Convertible and another set of chrome ones on a '69 Convertible that I owned.. Now I got Maximizers on my '68 Vert which are stainless.. I would have paid up to $200 more for US made but not $700 more.. That's just too much difference..
This is why I went with Hooker stainless and stayed away from OBX or similar stainless sidepipes.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ng-this-2.html
09-02-2015, 02:14 PM
#46
Team Owner
This is why I went with Hooker stainless and stayed away from OBX or similar stainless sidepipes.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ng-this-2.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ng-this-2.html
09-02-2015, 02:19 PM
#47
Safety Car
a little barkeepers friend I keep on hand to passivate the stainless in my brewery from the same thing and good to go... the welds polished up in less than 20 minutes... all and all an extra 45 minutes of time on them was woth saving $700 especially after reading and discovering the hookers had the same fitment and quality issues in many cases..
Last edited by augiedoggy; 09-02-2015 at 02:21 PM.
09-02-2015, 02:22 PM
#48
Burning Brakes
Globalization is here and it isn't going away. China can pop out parts so quickly that as more and more product suppliers go to them and drive prices down, made in USA shops are more difficult to stay afloat unless they have something really special.
Speedhut Gauges, ARP Bolts, and Dewitt's Radiators come to mind as domestic shops that have something special, and we all know how cheap chinese radiators have caused some drama for Dewitt. The much lower cost is hard to ignore, although there is no question that he has something special and of high quality.
If Hooker is owned by Holley, which is owned by Jeg's which is large enough to care about cost savings of just one of their many products, it should come to no surprise if some of the parts come from China IMO
Speedhut Gauges, ARP Bolts, and Dewitt's Radiators come to mind as domestic shops that have something special, and we all know how cheap chinese radiators have caused some drama for Dewitt. The much lower cost is hard to ignore, although there is no question that he has something special and of high quality.
If Hooker is owned by Holley, which is owned by Jeg's which is large enough to care about cost savings of just one of their many products, it should come to no surprise if some of the parts come from China IMO
Last edited by AboveTheLogic; 09-02-2015 at 02:25 PM.
09-02-2015, 02:24 PM
#49
Safety Car
This is why I went with Hooker stainless and stayed away from OBX or similar stainless sidepipes.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ng-this-2.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ng-this-2.html
09-02-2015, 02:32 PM
#50
Safety Car
Globalization is here and it isn't going away. China can pop out parts so quickly that as more and more product suppliers go to them and drive prices down, made in USA shops are more difficult to stay afloat unless they have something really special.
Speedhut Gauges, ARP Bolts, and Dewitt's Radiators come to mind as domestic shops that have something special, and we all know how cheap chinese radiators have caused some drama for Dewitt. The much lower cost is hard to ignore, although there is no question that he has something special and of high quality.
If Hooker is owned by Holley, which is owned by Jeg's which is large enough to care about cost savings of just one of their many products, it should come to no surprise if some of the parts come from China IMO
Speedhut Gauges, ARP Bolts, and Dewitt's Radiators come to mind as domestic shops that have something special, and we all know how cheap chinese radiators have caused some drama for Dewitt. The much lower cost is hard to ignore, although there is no question that he has something special and of high quality.
If Hooker is owned by Holley, which is owned by Jeg's which is large enough to care about cost savings of just one of their many products, it should come to no surprise if some of the parts come from China IMO
Bottom line is I try to shop by being an educated consumer and ignore the brand names.
Last edited by augiedoggy; 09-02-2015 at 02:36 PM.
09-02-2015, 02:35 PM
#52
Drifting
09-02-2015, 02:43 PM
#53
Team Owner
same here 2 years now and they look great.... Like I said I had a couple small spots that turned brown which was likely contamination from polishing metal working or brushing with componentss that where also used on regular steel.
a little barkeepers friend I keep on hand to passivate the stainless in my brewery from the same thing and good to go... the welds polished up in less than 20 minutes... all and all an extra 45 minutes of time on them was woth saving $700 especially after reading and discovering the hookers had the same fitment and quality issues in many cases..
a little barkeepers friend I keep on hand to passivate the stainless in my brewery from the same thing and good to go... the welds polished up in less than 20 minutes... all and all an extra 45 minutes of time on them was woth saving $700 especially after reading and discovering the hookers had the same fitment and quality issues in many cases..
09-02-2015, 02:46 PM
#54
Team Owner
09-02-2015, 03:14 PM
#55
Team Owner
Let's assume that hooker assembles all their exhaust systems in the US.. That still does not answer the question on if they use Chinese or US made steel pipes? What if they pipes are made in China but welded together in the US. Can this be considered "MADE IN THE USA"?? I think that the expensive part is making the steel due to EPA regulations. The welding part is not really the expensive part of making headers..
I remember that chrome plating used to be super cheap... until the EPA changed their rules and prices went sky high. That's why many manufactorers have their components made in China.
09-02-2015, 03:39 PM
#56
Safety Car
It opens up the question...
Let's assume that hooker assembles all their exhaust systems in the US.. That still does not answer the question on if they use Chinese or US made steel pipes? What if they pipes are made in China but welded together in the US. Can this be considered "MADE IN THE USA"?? I think that the expensive part is making the steel due to EPA regulations. The welding part is not really the expensive part of making headers..
I remember that chrome plating used to be super cheap... until the EPA changed their rules and prices went sky high. That's why many manufactorers have their components made in China.
Let's assume that hooker assembles all their exhaust systems in the US.. That still does not answer the question on if they use Chinese or US made steel pipes? What if they pipes are made in China but welded together in the US. Can this be considered "MADE IN THE USA"?? I think that the expensive part is making the steel due to EPA regulations. The welding part is not really the expensive part of making headers..
I remember that chrome plating used to be super cheap... until the EPA changed their rules and prices went sky high. That's why many manufactorers have their components made in China.
Last edited by augiedoggy; 09-02-2015 at 03:47 PM.
09-02-2015, 03:43 PM
#57
Safety Car
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...eered_vehicles
from the research I did the sidepipes are all made the same way and due to common variences in the cars from old/new body/engine mounts and such. they all have the same fitment issues that vary from car to car or pipes to pipes. from jigs used.
Last edited by augiedoggy; 09-02-2015 at 03:52 PM.
09-02-2015, 06:28 PM
#58
Advanced
Member Since: Mar 2012
Location: South Daytona Florida
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Steel tubing is dirt cheap from China or the USA. The most expensive part of producing a set of headers is the bending, fixturing and welding. These three things are done by human hands even today, although the bending is accomplished with a CNC bender, loaded and trimmed by a person. I can tell you that there is little difference in quality between steel from China and the US. It all depends on the grade ordered by the company. China produces aerospace quality stainless and other alloys now. They aren't the same China that they were 30 years ago. They have moved upward technologically. Remember, that they make all of the cell phones including the high-end $800 ones. The quality all depends on the specifications called for by the American company ordering the product. I'm not trying to be a promoter of Chinese merchandise by any means. I go out of my way to buy American made stuff whenever I can. But I'm not as worried about quality differences between Chinese and US goods as I used to be. The onus is on the buyer to determine the quality of the items they buy before paying for them. This is one reason I read the buyer feedback on websites so often. I try to learn from other's experience before I plunk down my hard-earned money for something.
09-02-2015, 06:43 PM
#59
Team Owner
Steel tubing is dirt cheap from China or the USA. The most expensive part of producing a set of headers is the bending, fixturing and welding. These three things are done by human hands even today, although the bending is accomplished with a CNC bender, loaded and trimmed by a person. I can tell you that there is little difference in quality between steel from China and the US. It all depends on the grade ordered by the company. China produces aerospace quality stainless and other alloys now. They aren't the same China that they were 30 years ago. They have moved upward technologically. Remember, that they make all of the cell phones including the high-end $800 ones. The quality all depends on the specifications called for by the American company ordering the product. I'm not trying to be a promoter of Chinese merchandise by any means. I go out of my way to buy American made stuff whenever I can. But I'm not as worried about quality differences between Chinese and US goods as I used to be. The onus is on the buyer to determine the quality of the items they buy before paying for them. This is one reason I read the buyer feedback on websites so often. I try to learn from other's experience before I plunk down my hard-earned money for something.
09-02-2015, 06:44 PM
#60
Advanced
Member Since: Mar 2012
Location: South Daytona Florida
Posts: 68
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This aint no Toyota!
I've told this story a few times but At one point the chevy nova and toyota corolla where built in the same factory just different emblems and interior packages.... toyotas were selling so quickly because of all the "superior" build quality hype at the time that they were actually buying the unsold chevy nova and replacing the interiors and emblems and reselling them a toyotas... probably a real collectors item now..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...eered_vehicles
from the research I did the sidepipes are all made the same way and due to common variences in the cars from old/new body/engine mounts and such. they all have the same fitment issues that vary from car to car or pipes to pipes. from jigs used.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...eered_vehicles
from the research I did the sidepipes are all made the same way and due to common variences in the cars from old/new body/engine mounts and such. they all have the same fitment issues that vary from car to car or pipes to pipes. from jigs used.
