TJM

True enough. You get what you pay for.

Melrose fit perfectly, nothing in the way.

You pay for that $600, un-coated is pricey.

Another thing with OBX that folks need to consider, is that theses could be made by three or four different factories. Most Oriental parts organizations are structured to have more than one " supplier".

OBX is this: They are big into Honda, Subaru, etc. More of a marketing firm than anything else. Like Harbor Freight... lots of stuff that works ok, especially with the price. .

That does not make it junk, just know what your buying... great sets for a while then One Hung Low sends a batch that are a bit "off"...??


TJM

jimmymack

Nobody was questioning your mechanical skills, having someone put them on...just your common sense in paying $800 to a "mechanic" to do it.

c4speed

So then tell me what I should of paid, could you do it in your driveway in less than 3 hours too ? If so let me know because I and my friends would love to meet you, we are at some of the shows you are through out the year. I will meet you at County Corvette Saturday I know you will be there is in your back yard, I'll look you up.

Eakster

OK thanks. I asked as I saw a mechanic do this on a car show, different kind of car, different country No LT's for me then

jimmymack

No way for me in 3 hours, but based on some of LT1*C4's other mods, I have no reason to doubt he was able to do it. As far as pricing, a mechanic at $100 hr took 8 hrs to install headers? That didn't give you pause?
I've done 3 header installs in my time, all SB chevy's, two on my back, one on a lift, and only one (Hooker), ever took 8 hours, even with having to dimple a few tubes and running out to get some flange and bracket spacers. Just saying....see ya Saturday at County Corvette

Alan777

Don't mechanics get paid by the book, not by what it actually takes them?

c4speed

Thats what I am talking aboutJust like under three hours, same thing a joke. Got nothing to do with me what I paid for install, or for that matter my common sense Jimmy see you Saturday.

96GS#007

Just to add a realistic data point. I can pull the engine out of a C4 and have it on the stand in 7 hours...working alone. It's like anything else, experience breeds speed. For me to do a cam swap with the engine in the car....from pull it in the garage to wheels on the ground and running again...a good day of work, depending on what kind of surprises I come across along the way, yet we see people post on this Forum that it took them weeks to swap a cam. 3 hours for headers is pretty reasonable for an experienced mechanic.

Frankly, it doesn't matter. Something is worth whatever someone will pay. If a shop is not charging by book time, any reasonable business will pad the hours to ensure they don't get burned. If a Dodge Challenger rolled into my garage and wanted headers...you can bet the price would be on the high side. If it's too high, the person will go elsewhere. If it's not too high, then the person will willingly pay for peace of mind, avoiding the hassle of something they are not familiar with, and/or don't have the time for.

It's just like people that go pay "X" times over MSRP to have the first ZR1 or the first Z06 or the first whatever. Seems silly to me, but if they can afford it and enjoy it then more power to them.

c4speed

with you 100% but for somebody to say a saturday shade tree mechanic can do it in there driveway who has never done it before in 3 hours is a joke. My guy is honest and he never put headers on a LT1 before, I paid him for what it took him to do the job and it is done right he welded to my X pipe and he takes care of me on the whole familys cars.
The problem sometimes with this forum is that some guys like to brag about there expertise, this is not what it is all about here,if you want to bash people and act like an expert take it too OT, most here are not experts.

motor city dave

I have a set of KYB shocks "not installed yet" that are made in Japan,China and Spain. Damn i hope i didn't get a bad batch.

Mr. Peabody

See, in these pics the collectors sit right where the stock cats used to be. That's generally why on these cars if you are installing LT headers you need to go with aftermarket cats such as RT.

Pictured below are Stainless Works headers on an LT1. Note that when you buy the "kit" from Stainless works they want to know if your car is an auto or a stick as the conector pipes that they will provide you with have a different bend if you have an auto trans.

1963SS

Now children....play nice. LT1*C4, I'm glad you got your headers on. You did what you felt was necessary and that worked for you. Good on ya'. If you don't feel ripped off then what business is it of anyone else? I'm certain that the answer should be...........it's no ones business but yours.

c4speed, he's happy with the job that was done and the price he paid. Why not just let him live with that. It's too late to do anything about it, it over and done. Any disparaging remarks are just putting salt on the wound. If he's happy then you should be tickled to death. I can see no point whatsoever in insulting his decisions or intelligence.

I've just bought a set of the OBX headers for my 1995 Vert and I can say that the quality is outstanding. The cost is in line with what most headers should cost. This is only my opinion and not a rip on our supporting vendors. The amount of money made on a product is between the vendor and the IRS. I'm not in the equation. If I think the price is too high, I'll exercise the free market approach and buy elsewhere........I did.

What's not to like about the OBX headers. They're as good looking as any and better than most.



The welds are first class and they shine like chrome.



All the parts are included for about five hundred bucks. Such a deal!!

dogfish246

I am kind of confused. So what needs to be done to our LT1s to run these headers? Why wont the brackets work that connect to the AC and Altenator? I keep reading this over and over and still cant get it thru my head lol

Is there anything else besides brackets that is problematic with these headers?

Mr. Peabody

Actually (at least on my 95) all of the brackets DO work. Its just that you need several spacers for everything to line up properly. In the package that I purchased these spacers were included.

You asked about other "problem areas" .... on mine the dipstick tube was a bit of a problem but was finally worked out.

There are loads of threads on long tube headers. Using the search function you can find dozens of very informative ones over the past 5 years.

Not only that but at least half of them are devoted to why my 1 5/8" primaries are better than your 1 3/4"

littlesk8cracker

i believe lt1*c4. hes put up some of the best most informative threads this forum has ever seen, so if he says he can do something with his car i believe it. i also have to agree that its a little crazy to pay $800 to install headers, but if you got the money i guess its yours to spend

c4speed

This is the way I feel about it. My point from the begining was to tell the OP to do what I did pay somebody to do the job because it seemed he was in over his head. It seems if you bought OBX headers you are going to be attacked by some and we know the reasons why. I was also told I had no common sense for what I paid, well I am going to address that live . If not for health reasons I could of tackled the job in my driveway and I know it would take me forever.

TJM

Four shocks and there are three countries involved?

Hmmmmmmmmm.. Can you return them for Bilsteins?

TJM

motor city dave

I guess i could but what if i get them from 1 of the 2 factory's the Germans shut down in spain?.....Theres Spain again,who would have thought?

TJM

POINT!!!! The customer service from Bilstein is "poor" now.

The Germans are going to end up owning it all soon anyway!?!?

Imagine how it will be to deal with them then??

Ironic Huh???

dogfish246

So can you install obx with the stock accessory brackets without denting the tubes?