Source for stainless headers/sidepipes
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 184
Likes: 2
From: FL
Headers
http://www.obxracingsports.com/
I bought mine from the bay. OBX Racing advertises on the bay so you should find what you are looking for. Shipping is a little steep in my opinion but everything is boxed (1 box) very well.
I'm not going to bash OBX but be forwarned that the driver's side may give you issues. I swapped them out from a set of Headman side headers that I was using. No concerns with the headman's but they are a different header and collector setup.
I have read that OBX makes a very nice header for the C5 and no issues about install other than getting a longer wire o2 sensor.
As for experience, well lets just say I am not a novice by any means and have delt with these cars for a long time. As for the headers, well they either go in without problems or they don't, experience has little to do with it in my humble opinion. The set I received just happen to have issues with the drivers side.
Good luck and let us know how it turns out for you.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 954
Likes: 2
From: San Jose CA
OBX headers are stainless steel and almost exactly like hookers. I recommend polishing the welds with a metal polish. Took less than one hour and looked great afterwards.
Fit perfectly. Took me about 5 hours to install. Dropped right in. If you have a 4-sp you need to R&R the z-bar. Downside is no install hardware. But it uses the Hooker sidepipe hardware that I purchased at Summit. Likewise I bought the Hooker A/C bracket from Summit. Upside is that the mufflers/resonators (unlike Hooker) are already installed and sound great. Saved $200+. But just like the Hookers, you can install any of the mufflers that fit in the 4 inch hooker pipes. OBX makes really high quality pipes. Easily equal to Hooker. Snobs are willing to pay more. But all headers and sidepipes are all just standard stainless steel pipes welded together.
Bought from this eBay seller. I don't see any side pipes now but he can get them. Ask for a "non-eBay" price. I paid $600. No shipping because I picked them up (local SF Bay Area).
He charges $125 to ship anywhere in the country.
http://stores.ebay.com/DaiLoD
Below is their webpage:
http://www.sparktecmotorsports.com
Below is my car side sheilds installed (Cobrastuff shields... best looking).
[IMG]
[/IMG]
Fit perfectly. Took me about 5 hours to install. Dropped right in. If you have a 4-sp you need to R&R the z-bar. Downside is no install hardware. But it uses the Hooker sidepipe hardware that I purchased at Summit. Likewise I bought the Hooker A/C bracket from Summit. Upside is that the mufflers/resonators (unlike Hooker) are already installed and sound great. Saved $200+. But just like the Hookers, you can install any of the mufflers that fit in the 4 inch hooker pipes. OBX makes really high quality pipes. Easily equal to Hooker. Snobs are willing to pay more. But all headers and sidepipes are all just standard stainless steel pipes welded together.
Bought from this eBay seller. I don't see any side pipes now but he can get them. Ask for a "non-eBay" price. I paid $600. No shipping because I picked them up (local SF Bay Area).
He charges $125 to ship anywhere in the country.
http://stores.ebay.com/DaiLoD
Below is their webpage:
http://www.sparktecmotorsports.com
Below is my car side sheilds installed (Cobrastuff shields... best looking).
[IMG]
[/IMG]
Last edited by Clubby99; May 9, 2011 at 10:39 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 184
Likes: 2
From: FL
Agree
OBX headers are stainless steel and almost exactly like hookers. I recommend polishing the welds with a metal polish. Took less than one hour and looked great afterwards.
Fit perfectly. Took me about 5 hours to install. Dropped right in. If you have a 4-sp you need to R&R the z-bar. Downside is no install hardware. But it uses the Hooker sidepipe hardware that I purchased at Summit. Likewise I bought the Hooker A/C bracket from Summit. Upside is that the mufflers/resonators (unlike Hooker) are already installed and sound great. Saved $200+. But just like the Hookers, you can install any of the mufflers that fit in the 4 inch hooker pipes. OBX makes really high quality pipes. Easily equal to Hooker. Snobs are willing to pay more. But all headers and sidepipes are all just standard stainless steel pipes welded together.
Bought from this eBay seller. I don't see any side pipes now but he can get them. Ask for a "non-eBay" price. I paid $600. No shipping because I picked them up (local SF Bay Area).
He charges $125 to ship anywhere in the country.
http://stores.ebay.com/DaiLoD
Below is their webpage:
http://www.sparktecmotorsports.com
Below is my car side sheilds installed (Cobrastuff shields... best looking).
[IMG][/IMG]
Fit perfectly. Took me about 5 hours to install. Dropped right in. If you have a 4-sp you need to R&R the z-bar. Downside is no install hardware. But it uses the Hooker sidepipe hardware that I purchased at Summit. Likewise I bought the Hooker A/C bracket from Summit. Upside is that the mufflers/resonators (unlike Hooker) are already installed and sound great. Saved $200+. But just like the Hookers, you can install any of the mufflers that fit in the 4 inch hooker pipes. OBX makes really high quality pipes. Easily equal to Hooker. Snobs are willing to pay more. But all headers and sidepipes are all just standard stainless steel pipes welded together.
Bought from this eBay seller. I don't see any side pipes now but he can get them. Ask for a "non-eBay" price. I paid $600. No shipping because I picked them up (local SF Bay Area).
He charges $125 to ship anywhere in the country.
http://stores.ebay.com/DaiLoD
Below is their webpage:
http://www.sparktecmotorsports.com
Below is my car side sheilds installed (Cobrastuff shields... best looking).
[IMG]
[/IMG]I agree with you. I went with the OBX because they were a lot less expensive than HKR's. I spent an additional $130 to have the drivers side fixed but that was all. I had to use the long header to head bolts as the short ones I had with the Headman headers were to short. The OBX header flange to cylinder head is thick and so needs the long bolts.
I like the quality of the stainless steel and I found if the weld marks are an eye sore then they polish out rather quickly. I had to purchase my inserts separate as they did not come with the headers. The HKR inserts work just fine. They only go in one way (at least on mine) so did not have to figure out which way the baffles go in the tubes.
With my cam and motor they sound great. Next is the shields. That will be money well spent regardless of manufacturer.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 13,300
Likes: 16
From: TX
St. Jude Donor '12-'13
Thanks for the info Condor and Clubby, however, I could not find C3 sidepipes on any of the links you guys provided (perhaps they are sold out). I went ahead and ordered a set of Hookers, but I can still cancel the order if I find some OBX in the next couple of days.
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: Bartlesville Oklahoma
Stay with the Hookers. No welds, very nice looking. I installed them on my 79 with no problems whatsoever and I didn't have to trim anything. Consider installing some style of baffels. I didn't on mine because I wanted it to be obnoxious, but if you drive it much it is mind numbing.
