Re: 1955-56 V-8 headers?

Posted by Craig Hendrickson On 2013/9/18 12:10:32

A FYI for everyone on header prototype work: besides the terribly hot/muggy weather here in Pahrump, NV (which appears to be abating), that severely limits the work hours per day, doing a metal prototype is very tedious work. Every bend and connection has to be EXACTLY right. So this means trial fit/cut/grind, repeat, etc. Fortunately once the prototype is accomplished, then the exact tube lengths and bend angles are known and just have to be duplicated.

Also, I'm just learning to tack weld with oxy/acetylene, so some of the earliest welds were "hack tacks". I'm getting better at it now. A good thing that beauty of welds is not on the requirements list. I'm sure that by the time this project is done, I'll be pretty proficient at tack welding, if not real tube seam welding.

On the other hand, working in metal is rewarding. If some minor mistake is made, then it can be readily fixed by cut, grind or weld. If a major mistake, then just get another tube and start over. I like it. Then, when you're done and it's right, you can look at it and say, "I did that!" (as opposed to "you didn't do that, the government did that.")


Craig