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The car community will always be divided unfortunately. There's built not bought, and bought not built. and apparently somewhere in between lol.
I've never had a lot of money so I fit into the category of figure it out.
I stand on my words. Just because something isn't as expensive doesn't mean it doesn't fit well.
Also I question the comment of Kooks being thicker. I've owned a couple sets of Kooks headers before and I don't think that is the case. but I could be wrong.
Since the C5 came out in 1997 how many other platforms were launched where Kooks developed headers? Their entire business isn't based on one platform, they obviously aren't keeping the lights one solely by selling headers for a 25+ year old platform. You aren't getting $1,600 more quality by buying a Kooks header over a Speed Engineering in 2024 for a C5 Corvette, I guarantee you that. I have bought expensive headers and I have bought cheaper headers. If Kooks or ARH sold their C5 headers for $1k, I would buy them over SE. They'd make less profit but would still be making money and probably be selling more. $1600 more? 5x the cost? Seems like greed to me.
I always wonder who is dropping that kind of money on a car this old and cheap? By the time you've done that a couple times you could have just bought a faster corvette. The expensive ones are going to be super stock.
@EVL JAKE Any chance you have a picture of where you put the SE cats at?
Or; are they before the X or afterwards? Did you have them welded in place? Are you using 4 O2 sensors or just 2?
SE headers is also where my budget is.
I just had it on the lift for the cat back swap but I did not take any pics. They are before the X, welded in. I had Speed Inc in Schaumburg do the work. I only use the front 2 O2's. I added them to decrease the fumes, not for emissions reasons.
I like it. I think I would have the cats welded-in place as well; the less band clamps the better! As I am not a welder, would have to have it done, what is required to weld stainless steel? Is this something an exhaust shop can do?
I like it. I think I would have the cats welded-in place as well; the less band clamps the better! As I am not a welder, would have to have it done, what is required to weld stainless steel? Is this something an exhaust shop can do?
I like it. I think I would have the cats welded-in place as well; the less band clamps the better! As I am not a welder, would have to have it done, what is required to weld stainless steel? Is this something an exhaust shop can do?
The biggest downfall of the Speed Engineering exhaust is that the clamps are horrible. By having the X-pipe all welded up it made everything rock solid. Any reputable exhaust shop could handle it. I had Speed Inc. do it since I bought the cats from them and had the tune adjusted.
