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Mats
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Post by Mats »

You can also use those thin corrugated ventilation ducts usually found in boats, thay stay hte shape you bend them to and are pretty good to try different shapes and lenghts fast but as Greg points out it might be a different thing once you get the bends...
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Zamani
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Post by Zamani »

What about PVC pipes? You can get them from Home Depot or Lowes. They have 1.5" pipes. You can get their 45 or 90 bends. So I guess you are limited by the bends available. However this will also be true when getting the actual metal bends, you'll still be limited by what bends are readily available. Only thing is, the metal bends are also available in 45, 60 & 90 degrees with varying radii.
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MD
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Post by MD »

Zamani the PVC pipes and bends are too rigid and problematic in practice to use. You can bend PVC by warming it and then bend it while it is warm but to prevent it from collapsing in the bends, you would need to sand fill the tube and it all get just too messy in the end. Tried that.

I know my idea is incredibly simple and people may be sckeptical because of it. However I have done it before and it really is a cakewalk (and frankly fun to do)

The flexible tube allows you plenty of opportunity to create some cool bends-especially if you have something already exotic in the engine bay that you need to move around but still need a tuned length.

Don't over analyse this guys nor get carried away with too much theory. If you don't, you will be amazed how uncomplicted a simple three pipe bend is for this engine and there should be no problem getting stock pipe"doughnuts" to cut bends from and create your own headers.

From memory of the model I made, an exhaust shop with a mandrel bender should have no problem bending up any of the three pipe configurations I came up with.
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Post by Greg Gordon »

Mandrel bender! Finding an exhuast shop in the U.S. with a mandrel bender is really difficult. The is not a single one in the Dallas Ft. Worth Metroplex.
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Post by DaveH »

MD,

I think that's a great approach.

I see the transition from model to pipe being tricky - at least from where I am sitting. 'Course it could be done if you can find a really good muffler shop involved in custom design work. I guess that would not be a 'muffler shop'! In Atlanta, I know of only 3 shops that can potentially do this. They all have mandrel benders. Of these, I only know of 1 that does custom design/build work.

Now if you lived near Charlotte or Silverstone...

Stainless would def be the way to go for something custom like this. The cost of material would pale into insignificance compared to the labor. In fact, my choice would be electropolished stainless, which is just super-shiny, almost like a chrome finish. Discoloration would prob still be an issue though.
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Post by Jim K »

I can't believe what I'm reading! Damn, there must be more than 10-15 custom exhaust shops in Athens alone! We even got guys with official Subaru factory approval for hi-perf headers (he's the one who gave me the 1200Euro quote for 12v headers of my design. This guy has a CNC programmable pipe bender that can advance the pipe automatically and make continuous bends in all directions (impressive to see working, but 1200 is still too much!) All others have the classic mandrel benders with tooling for all pipe sizes. These guys make special mufflers and headers every day of the week. I have made 3 sets of 4cyl headers so far, one for my gtv (shown in the book) one for my old 105 and another for a GTAm engine in a 105, all great work.
Many stores (like Speedway, DemonTweeks) sell all kinds of pipe shapes and sizes to make your own headers if you so prefer. And, as you all know, there are a number of places where they will caramic coat everything. I would think that we should look somewhere with low labor costs...the dark continent maybe (you reading this Barry :wink: ??) Giv'em a drawing and material specs and ask for a gd price! Shit, we're making a whale out of a minnow here! :roll:
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Post by Barry »

Hey,I just caused untold sh*t on the beemer forum with "dark"comments...Im still trying to crawl out of the crap there.....
We have within a radius of 10km at least 30/40 custom exh. shops around me..nc benders,the whole shoot...
It can be done..but like a load of so called group buys and orders,this will also fall by the way...
Too many different wants and reguirements...

Im pissed I cant be with you guys at the Ring tomorrow....Hope you have a bad schnitsel tonight... :wink: :D :D Naw,not realy..you going to have problems naturally cause of your age...hehehe 8) 8)

Jim,You guys realy enjoy it....damn,wish I wuzz there...

Something to make you smile,Jim,MD...
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Jim K
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Post by Jim K »

Sir Barreeee! There you is!! I'll look around the Ring memorabilia shop for a pair of racing slippers and polybush rocking chair mounts for ya! :twisted: Oh, and a 6pt harness in case ye start snoring! :lol: :lol: Wouldn't want you to fall and break them old frail bones, would we?
Wish you were here dude, and the other guys too! We'll probably leave this Earth one day many of us never having met! That's sad! :(
Nice pic B, your sex change op isn't half bad! Did you and your...husband adopt the kid with the tow hitch??
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Barry
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Post by Barry »

Jk,You got to take some vid footage we can post....Kid inherited tow hitch from dad :D :D :D :D :wink:
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Post by Daniel »

Mike,
I've got 3 engines currently not in any car at the moment (2 x 2.5 and my 3.0 24v).
Maybe we should get together and look at this one and set something up for these boys.
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MD
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Post by MD »

Yeah Daniel, in for a penny, in for a pound. Give me a call.

Jim, can't believe the lack of custom fabricators in the US from what the gang are saying.

Bazza, bet I know what that kid's name is : Tripod :D
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Zamani
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Post by Zamani »

I have a pair of flanges from Glenwood Motors. Maybe I should start work. Although I do like the quality of the SZ headers....TIG!!! But lengthwise, not too great.
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Post by Daniel »

Mike, I'll try to call you this weekend some time.

Barry, The kid will have heart failure if he ever gets a rush of blood to the head.
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Post by Scott in MN »

The owner of an exhaust shop that did work on my 164 claims that mandrel bending is not worth the cost. He races sprint cars and does a lot of work on dragsters and hot rods. He acknowledged that it makes a difference, but claims it is miniscule and not worth it on a street car. His machine results in a smooth bend but ovals the pipe slightly.
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Post by Mezevenf »

Scott in MN wrote:The owner of an exhaust shop that did work on my 164 claims that mandrel bending is not worth the cost. He races sprint cars and does a lot of work on dragsters and hot rods. He acknowledged that it makes a difference, but claims it is miniscule and not worth it on a street car. His machine results in a smooth bend but ovals the pipe slightly.
This may be true from the cats/collectors and back but the headers themselves need to be mandrel bent.

Anyway, the cost of getting mandrel bends here is minimal.
Bernard M (AKA Mef - Mezevenf)

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