any interest in Custom Header for your V8?

[98c43amg]

If I was to secure a guy who would make some hi-quality custom headers for your C43, and it cost say, $2500, would you be interested? (I don't have an exact cost yet and won't know for a few weeks; could be more but w/o looking @ the car he thinks they'll be under $3K) He is a Burns Stainless dealer, though he says he makes his own collectors similar to Burns's. Whatever's cheaper but still hi-qual is fine for me.

This guy's bread and butter is making custom turbo manifolds. He's the maker of the headers I call "works of art" on the guys turbo'd C36 car who did the engine swap for me. He takes great pride in making max-quality stuff ... he's never had one break or come back. He says he builds it for himself first, so he can be proud of pix of his work in his portfolio, and makes them for you/me second. :p ...I thought that was kind of a funny thing to say, but says a lot about what you can expect of the end product.

Any interest @ that price?

EDIT: P.S. I'll be giving this guy my extra 4.3L motor to work off as a jig, and will be able to leave my C43 there in a few weeks for as long as it takes for him to fit the headers.

[Denlasoul]

You could also go through Ben aka Mach430. He had some custom headers on his blown CLK.

edit: I have heard that someone is working on a similar project, too! :bandit:

[98c43amg]

Originally posted by Denlasoul
You could also go through Ben aka Mach430. He had some custom headers on his blown CLK.

edit: I have heard that someone is working on a similar project, too! :bandit:

Thanx for the fyi and contacts. I'll look out for Mach430 (I assume) on other boards. Hope the other guy working on the similar project jumps in.

EDIT: cthirtysizzle , is this you who Denlasoul is talking about, working with EvoSport on those headers?

[coolcarlskic43]

Originally posted by Denlasoul
You could also go through Ben aka Mach430. He had some custom headers on his blown CLK.

edit: I have heard that someone is working on a similar project, too! :bandit: CLK headers might be totally different than the C43 as far as which ` direction the collector would have to turn.I'd have to chk with my MB parts guy to see if the mani's are the same part #. Good stuff Steve.;)

[98c43amg]

Carl,

BTW, he was telling me about the turbo mainfolds he makes and the way he makes them ... got me thinking (dual turbo setup)...
<big grin>
Could you imagine? Tough fit on the driver's side tho. :D

[coolcarlskic43]

Originally posted by 98c43amg
Carl,

BTW, he was telling me about the turbo mainfolds he makes and the way he makes them ... got me thinking (dual turbo setup)...
<big grin>
Could you imagine? Tough fit on the driver's side tho. :D LoL! Then you're looking togo standalone ,rods and pistons like Jeffrey.

[98c43amg]

Originally posted by coolcarlskic43
LoL! Then you're looking togo standalone yup, would have to...

rods and pistons like Jeffrey. ...nay ... I got me an E55 motor...! :p

[Under Pressure]

$2,500 headers = reason Under Pressure sold the Benzo and bought a Japanese car

[nokia8860]

Originally posted by coolcarlskic43
if the mani's are the same part #. Good stuff Steve.;)

The C43 exhaust manifold HWA 113 140 04 09 has been replaced with the same one found on the CLK 430/55 which is:

A 113 140 16 09


Originally posted by Under Pressure
$2,500 headers = reason Under Pressure sold the Benzo and bought a Japanese car

And your reason to still surf the W202 website is what again? :p

[coolcarlskic43]

Originally posted by nokia8860
[B]The C43 exhaust manifold HWA 113 140 04 09 has been replaced with the same one found on the CLK 430/55 which is:

A 113 140 16 09



I'll have to reconfirm that with my guy! He'll let me know!Thanx!;)

[alphanumeric]

Originally posted by Under Pressure
$2,500 headers = reason Under Pressure sold the Benzo and bought a Japanese car

NO SHIT.. tho.. I would never go that route.. I just make my own custom shit...

this guy sellin some of his own v8 headers for 2500-3000 bux is smokin some serious stuff!! now.. if it were $1000... I could understand.. but 2500-3000 is just greedy!!

if anyone knows whats involved with making your own custom exhaust manifolds or headers.. knows what im talkin about.

[c55m8o]

Are you saying it will take under 2 days, possibly under 1 day -- soup ta' nuts -- to measure, design, fit, weld, and install those headers?

[alphanumeric]

nope.. im just sayin asking for 2500-3000 is greedy!!!

I know their is alot involved in making this type of stuff.. like a doner car, cad design, and a machine shop to make you flanges...


its just that typical prices to have custom exhaust manifold made for turbos.. which is more complicated of a design and flow... usually sells for about 500bux.. maybe 600-700.. if we are talking mercedes benz.

this also brings up another off topic of.. how over priced mercedes stuff is.. hehe..

SVT lightning pully $150
Pontiac GTP pully $150
MINI cooper pully $150
C230 Kompressor pully $650


funny thing is.. all those pullys are made of the same material.. maybe more is included in the pully kit.. i dunno

I know what some of u rich kids are gunna say... "if u dont like it dont buy a benz"

well my comeback to that is... I will dish out some extra money on a sexy benz.. but I aint gunna pay for over priced parts.. this is where I custom fab my own shit =)

[c55m8o]

But isn't the reality that when you work for yourself, on "one-offs", you don't tend to work every day? You find when you have a mortgage, wife, kids, all the expenses and costs of that, then have to save for their and your own future ta'boot, you won't stay in business unless you get $500 - $1000 a day on a project; when you are working. Especially living in each of our respective coastal areas.

Well I applaud you for being willing to work for a hundered or two dollars a day. If I was on the west coast I'd be @ your door, =making= you make me headers! :p ;)

[coolcarlskic43]

Originally posted by alphanumeric
nope.. im just sayin asking for 2500-3000 is greedy!!!

I know their is alot involved in making this type of stuff.. like a doner car, cad design, and a machine shop to make you flanges...


its just that typical prices to have custom exhaust manifold made for turbos.. which is more complicated of a design and flow... usually sells for about 500bux.. maybe 600-700.. if we are talking mercedes benz.

this also brings up another off topic of.. how over priced mercedes stuff is.. hehe..

SVT lightning pully $150
Pontiac GTP pully $150
MINI cooper pully $150
C230 Kompressor pully $650


funny thing is.. all those pullys are made of the same material.. maybe more is included in the pully kit.. i dunno

I know what some of u rich kids are gunna say... "if u dont like it dont buy a benz"

well my comeback to that is... I will dish out some extra money on a sexy benz.. but I aint gunna pay for over priced parts.. this is where I custom fab my own shit =) I have to agree with this gentleman the prices for the aftermarket parts for both MB and BMW are ridiculous. Certain aftermarket companies try to justify their inflated prices by saying that the price for X item is very high because there is such a low demand for it! That's a bunch of BS especially concerning BMW when it comes to exhausts,headers included,and camshafts. With MB the F/I kits are priced ridiculous as are exhaust headers and camshafts.A bunch of assholes if you ask me!What can you do?:mad:

[J Irwan]

Originally posted by coolcarlskic43
I have to agree with this gentleman the prices for the aftermarket parts for both MB and BMW are ridiculous. Certain aftermarket companies try to justify their inflated prices by saying that the price for X item is very high because there is such a low demand for it! That's a bunch of BS especially concerning BMW when it comes to exhausts,headers included,and camshafts. With MB the F/I kits are priced ridiculous as are exhaust headers and camshafts.A bunch of assholes if you ask me!What can you do?:mad:



And sometime is just that they have very high initial cost developing this product as well. I amnot gonna say that I know exactly the nitty bitty little detail when it comes to designing new product ---> production...(cost wise)


just think about this How much do you Think AMG replacement engine would cost ? How much do you think E39 M5 engine would cost ? (FYI header for E39 M5 and most other import V-8 are in the range of $3500-$4500)..

And how much it would cost for engine replacement for F-150 ..?


You know the answer...


A lot of bigger company turner like Alpina and Brabus, they offer tuning program and even the whole car with the premium price for that same reason... they back their product....



Now one of my neighbor could probably make me aset of header for me... cheap..!!! But would it have a optimum result.. hell no..!!!
How could he, or how could I (even if I design the header myself)...know whether it would gain/yield anything..at all..

I don't have the means and facility to do a well thorough and elaborate process to test and validate the header whether it causes gain or reduced in power ? whether it pass the emission standard limit ..? etc..

you get the picture..;)


Here is what I look at things in this.

All fine things in the world doesn't come cheap... simply put.

You know what you're getting into when it comes to European Import car.. Modification is not cheap ( and then again Please do not compare it to domestic, as we all know domestic car is cheaper to begin with and their part is also cheaper).

So if you buy a Benz, at least be willing to spent some money for the appropriate things.


Sometimes being creative is also paid off as well.. (make your own modficiation).,.. then again this probably just more basic simple bolt on modification.. not a major mod.




just my $0.02.


Regardz,

[c55m8o]

Carl, Alpha, just looked Burns Stainless's catalog over ... it's over $1000 in just Stainless alone (if done the "best" way). And that's =not= counting the custom flanges...

Just play'n devil's (or in this case, Alfie's) adovcate. (for Alpah, Alfie is the guy who manufactures custom turbo headers).

[james webster`]

It looks like you didn't get much interest here for custom headers. Are you still pursuing it? I had my car on a hoist recently to do a tranny sevice, and had a look into the ex. manifold area. Not much space there!! The manifolds are super short and don't look like they'd flow very well at all. Some long header primary tubes would increase the motor's bottom end torque hugely! I would be interested in seeing what headers would cost and if some nice stainless headers could be built reasonably, then i'd be in.

[c55m8o]

I do still have interest. I've just been spending money hand over fist, so didn't meet with the guy; also wasn't in a hurry because I wasn't dong it for anyone else in addition, as you noted.
:(

[coolcarlskic43]

Originally posted by c55m8o
I do still have interest. I've just been spending money hand over fist, so didn't meet with the guy; also wasn't in a hurry because I wasn't dong it for anyone else in addition, as you noted.
:( Your killin us Steve! :bored: :cool:

[c55m8o]

Originally posted by coolcarlskic43
Your killin us Steve! :bored: :cool: If you could only see my bank account from this past month ; it's more like :o :eek: :shock: :( :( ... ;)

[d1deez]

any news on this?

[c55m8o]

what, my bank account? <grin> ;)

actually, I'm thinking of setting up a meeting with the guy the upcoming week.

[c55m8o]

I know -- given the overwhelming response to my feeler (yes, that's sarcasm) -- the answer to my original question in the title of this thread is basically a "no"...

But figured wouldn't hurt ta let ya all know, I got back from the custom [mainly turbo] header manufacturer/fabricator today. Saw some real nice stuff. Instead of [Burns] stainless headers, he's got me thinking of straight steel headers w/a nickle plating. The stuff's usually used just on turbo headers due to the heats involved. However it's also got an advantage in forming tight equal diameter tubes, at a lower cost ; disadvantage being weight tho.

A little side story... This guy is working on something =wild=. Man, I wish I had my camera. Like I had said once previously when I saw his work on Jeff's C36 [the guy who did Carl and my swaps], I'd describe it as "work of art". ...Well...

He's got this old '74 VW Bug sitting in the middle of his shop. Pretty "ok" condition. Not much ta look @ tho. Machinery tools all around the periphery; flanges, jigs, etc. onthe wall. He had three cars infront of his garage behind his house with the hoods up in two, so I already saw some of his work. But he opened the engine compartment of the Bug to show me the little something he was working on. A project he'd been working on for 5 years ; but he decided to finish it this year. Incredible looking custom intake manifold, turbo and plumbing, custom intercooler, etc. But something's wrong. ; I can't quite figure what. He's like, you know what you're look'n at? I didn't realize, and I say "is that a porsche engine?", which was dumb because it's certainly not the dimensions of a boxer engine. He fills me in ; That's a rotary 113B engine ... size of the turbo he says should get him 600hp; and he plans on keeping it looking like a sleeper ... a '74 Beetle... :p :D He says he figures if he had the time and money, he could have about 25 patents on the stuff he's built custom for that engine ; all bleeding-edge modern turbo stuff. ...I gotta take some pictures.

...let's just say, I left the place duely impressed...!

...so let me ask again, any interest in Custom Header for your V8?
;)
And the answer to your question is no, he wasn't willing to give me a price. He wants to see the shape of a set of stock manifolds on my xtra 4.3L engine, and then will give me a price.

P.S. he's skeptical about getting a turbo setup going in a C43/55. Having trouble with the plumbing in that tight engine compartment. Didn't say "no" though. Wants to get the car up on a lift. ...wouldn't that be sump'm?! :cool: