OBX headers..Can't believe I'm starting this thread.
04-01-2009, 05:08 PM
#101
Racer
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813C3 Suggest you read ENTIRE post with attention to detail,then make comments that are accurate.I am not interested in a pizzing contest so lets start fresh.I actually have sentiments exactly like you most certainly want to buy and help my neighbor down the street or Ohio or anywhere else to help my country but times change and as I said in a prior post it is now a world economy we don't shop in the little hardware store on Main St.we go to Home Depot at the strip mall.The world is the store and free enterprise is king .Free enterprise is what made America great and what caused the fall of the U.S.S.R.. I don't buy strictly on the basis of country of orgin but on the basis of quality and price and I WILL and HAVE compromised on both to buy American made.We have to compete on the world stage, competition is good will make for a better less expensive product.Chevy Ford and Chrysler sat on their azzes while Toyota and Honda were scrambling around like a busy ant colony winning over the American public (no I'm not waving the Honda or Toyota flag) (nor have I ever owned a foreign car) well guess what Toyota is #1 in the US what did it do to Chevys? COMPETITION has made them better, better trhan they have ever been from the cracked cap connecting rods to the five computers and 90 micro processors and the coil on plug ignition system.Want to help our country get all the facts learn the rules and play the game on the world stage.To get back to the original OP OBX headers are they better/ not yet, would I buy ,probably yes quality is down but from input from other forum members only slightly but the price difference is so large it makes sense plus as I stated prior the money left over I can spend on additional mods and if possible U.S.A. made that have quality and price
well said
04-01-2009, 05:41 PM
#103
Former Vendor
No wonder the pride of the country is out the window.
Too many young people with out pride of their country are here. It seems they simply want to own what they always wanted right now. They no longer believe in working hard for anything and if someone is going to make it happen for them that is all that matters to them they wont think twice of the consequences in the long run.
Once the corvette became "cheaper" generation Y invaded.
I dont know about anybody else but the Corvette once was a status symbol of pride of hard work. I am beginning to see the change. Less and less wave or respect each other for their achievements.
Good luck noobs you are going to need it.
Too many young people with out pride of their country are here. It seems they simply want to own what they always wanted right now. They no longer believe in working hard for anything and if someone is going to make it happen for them that is all that matters to them they wont think twice of the consequences in the long run.
Once the corvette became "cheaper" generation Y invaded.
I dont know about anybody else but the Corvette once was a status symbol of pride of hard work. I am beginning to see the change. Less and less wave or respect each other for their achievements.
Good luck noobs you are going to need it.
04-02-2009, 08:10 AM
#105
Instructor
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I had OBX pipes for a turbo system on another car a while back. Only issues I had with them was that the down pipe from the turbo had to have changes made to it and that the pipes while nice and polished were very thin walled. The Welds were very good and over all fitment was great. Now understand this was for a different car completely and not my Z06, but Atleast I feel it is constructive thoughts on OBX pipes.
04-02-2009, 01:06 PM
#107
Le Mans Master
nobody who owns them will say they are inferior. I have compared these side by side w/ my dynamaxx headers and have seen every manufacturer under the sun in my mustang days and these are top notch. Welds, materials, fit and finish are better than many others. I've probably dealt w/ 7 different manufactures of long tubes now. Hooker, hedman, Mac, dynamaxx, etc.
Dave
Dave
04-02-2009, 06:36 PM
#108
Le Mans Master
nobody who owns them will say they are inferior. I have compared these side by side w/ my dynamaxx headers and have seen every manufacturer under the sun in my mustang days and these are top notch. Welds, materials, fit and finish are better than many others. I've probably dealt w/ 7 different manufactures of long tubes now. Hooker, hedman, Mac, dynamaxx, etc.
Dave
Dave
04-02-2009, 07:15 PM
#109
Race Director
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CI 6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03
For those serious about maximizing performance....price, and ease of installation are probably the LAST two variables that should be considered.
How about primary diameter?
Primary same dia throughout or stepped? two steps? Length between steps?
Primary overall length?
Are the primaries of equal length?
Tri-Y or 4>1?
Collector design?
Collector length?
Integration with X-pipe?
Distance from collector outlet to X-pipe?
Midsection tube dia?
Midsection dia the same or stepped?
Material?
Coating?
Flange thickness?
Clamp style/sealing integrity?
Can be built w/o AIR flanges?
Ask half the people that posted in this thread for a good cam recommendation....and you will hear that an "off the shelf" one is not good enough, you NEED a custom one ground to your exact specs.
But yet the worksheet for proper header design might be even more thorough than that for a cam.
Yeah,the popular opinion will likely forever remain, "they're all just long tubes. Buy the cheap ones that fit good".
How about primary diameter?
Primary same dia throughout or stepped? two steps? Length between steps?
Primary overall length?
Are the primaries of equal length?
Tri-Y or 4>1?
Collector design?
Collector length?
Integration with X-pipe?
Distance from collector outlet to X-pipe?
Midsection tube dia?
Midsection dia the same or stepped?
Material?
Coating?
Flange thickness?
Clamp style/sealing integrity?
Can be built w/o AIR flanges?
Ask half the people that posted in this thread for a good cam recommendation....and you will hear that an "off the shelf" one is not good enough, you NEED a custom one ground to your exact specs.
But yet the worksheet for proper header design might be even more thorough than that for a cam.
Yeah,the popular opinion will likely forever remain, "they're all just long tubes. Buy the cheap ones that fit good".
04-02-2009, 07:24 PM
#111
Instructor
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Well everyone has a opinion to these headers and that is fine , but the money saved will allow for me to get a tune and a tank of fuel with cash to spare ... I did not get the money to buy this car from being foolish with my money ! I'am certain that they will be just fine for me and if not I stand to be corrected !
I'am certain that they will be just fine for me and if not I stand to be corrected !
Last edited by ArkansasZ06; 04-02-2009 at 07:29 PM. Reason: typo
04-02-2009, 10:17 PM
#113
Le Mans Master
04-02-2009, 10:44 PM
#115
Burning Brakes
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Y2KVert4Me You make good solid points, everythng you said is def. important and true some things should pass muster some things are not that critical for 95% of the cars is the breathabilty of these cars bottle necked by a 1 3/4 "primary tube header? put a really big head or a big motor then it becomes import. but a 346" engine with usual mods cam little head work they will work fine for the application.Anybody that builds a big inch or big head hi rev motor we don't have to tell that guy how import. ultra correct headers are cause he knows or is advised most N/A (no turbo superchgr) sstreet cars w/220 to240 dur.@.50 cams these headers wll make just as much HP as the more expensive ones.now don't get me wrong I agree a good quality header is paramount to making HP but these other ones will make equal HP in most of the street vettes.I truly hate to admit but these foreign mfgrs. are REALLY GOOD at copying merchandise to the point you can't tell that whats done here the headers are so close or equal to the good ones that the cars for the most part are making the right move given the big price difference.
04-02-2009, 11:02 PM
#116
Pro
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funny thing is half OEM parts on the car are made in china... so whats the big deal about some Chinese headers...
infact... 80% of anything in your house is made in china too!!
infact... 80% of anything in your house is made in china too!!
04-03-2009, 12:32 AM
#117
Melting Slicks
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St. Jude Donor '13
In one of the other LT EBay clone threads there are dyno results proving OBX headers are worth the money. The debate has always been that you pay more for better quality. Which isn't always the case. The bashers don't own cheap headers so they have to defend their purchase.
Now for me I want to see two things. First is wall thickness on all the available headers. Second is a simple magnet test. True high grade T304 Stainless is non magnetic. The cheaper SS will be magnetic. Rolled stainless will be somewhat magnetic. You will see some degree of magnetic among the cheaper SS. The harder the magnet sticks, the cheaper your rip off headers are. The magnetic stainless will rust. What? Yep cheap Stainless will rust.
So how about everyone with SS headers, regardless of brand, go pop your hood and stick a decent magnet to your headers and tell me if it sticks, how hard, and who makes your headers. Or should I start a new thread for this?
Now for me I want to see two things. First is wall thickness on all the available headers. Second is a simple magnet test. True high grade T304 Stainless is non magnetic. The cheaper SS will be magnetic. Rolled stainless will be somewhat magnetic. You will see some degree of magnetic among the cheaper SS. The harder the magnet sticks, the cheaper your rip off headers are. The magnetic stainless will rust. What? Yep cheap Stainless will rust.
So how about everyone with SS headers, regardless of brand, go pop your hood and stick a decent magnet to your headers and tell me if it sticks, how hard, and who makes your headers. Or should I start a new thread for this?
04-03-2009, 07:58 AM
#119
Le Mans Master
Funny you should ask that. I felt the dynamaxx sounded very "tinny" I heard every exhaust pulse and a tick tick tick sound that annoyed me so I sold it. A big later I saw the "cheap china" ones on ebay and I had to try them for the price. Well these don't have that "tinny" sound. Perhaps they are a THICKER steel?
Dave
Dave
04-03-2009, 09:07 AM
#120
Burning Brakes
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In one of the other LT EBay clone threads there are dyno results proving OBX headers are worth the money. The debate has always been that you pay more for better quality. Which isn't always the case. The bashers don't own cheap headers so they have to defend their purchase.
Now for me I want to see two things. First is wall thickness on all the available headers. Second is a simple magnet test. True high grade T304 Stainless is non magnetic. The cheaper SS will be magnetic. Rolled stainless will be somewhat magnetic. You will see some degree of magnetic among the cheaper SS. The harder the magnet sticks, the cheaper your rip off headers are. The magnetic stainless will rust. What? Yep cheap Stainless will rust.
So how about everyone with SS headers, regardless of brand, go pop your hood and stick a decent magnet to your headers and tell me if it sticks, how hard, and who makes your headers. Or should I start a new thread for this?
Now for me I want to see two things. First is wall thickness on all the available headers. Second is a simple magnet test. True high grade T304 Stainless is non magnetic. The cheaper SS will be magnetic. Rolled stainless will be somewhat magnetic. You will see some degree of magnetic among the cheaper SS. The harder the magnet sticks, the cheaper your rip off headers are. The magnetic stainless will rust. What? Yep cheap Stainless will rust.
So how about everyone with SS headers, regardless of brand, go pop your hood and stick a decent magnet to your headers and tell me if it sticks, how hard, and who makes your headers. Or should I start a new thread for this?