240Z Header Recommendation

[jmark]

Jere Stahl emailed me that 1 3/8" would be fine for a stock 240Z. His company hasn't bent 1 3/8" since last year! Expects to do a run soon.

[Phred]

jmark,

The finish in the pic is "as recieved" from Stahl. It's just paint. I am waiting till after I dyno my next eng. to refinish them with one of the high tech coatings. I really like the dual exh. sound, so I took the time to build a full dual system all the way to the outlets. You can easily buy or build a two into one merge collector for a single pipe system. When I first saw the race Z's in the early 70's, they had duals with megaphones straight out the center in back. So that's what influenced me. I used all mandrel bends and heli-arc'd the whole thing with a short crossover just ahead of the muffs. At the rear, I did a zig-zag around the fuel cell and built a resonator with two small race type muffs welded together. They have a 2.5 ID x 4" OD x 12" long, and I finished it off with a couple stainless tips. The only bummer with the side to side layout was I had to enlarge the cutout in the rear bodywork. I tried a stock type verical layout, but the lower muff was too close to the ground. Back in 98' when I bought this header, it was $512.00. I'll be interested to know what they go for now.

Phred

[70z4fun]

I too like the dual exhaust, but the early systems either had the megaphone output with no glass packs or glass packs stacked so they would fit the single output on the drivers side. It would have two chrome tips right on top of each other going out where the stock muffler was located.

I am not sure why the MSA dual system also has them side by side? I need to look at my old Nissan Motorsport catalog to see if there is a good picture. The megaphones would attach where the glass pack section came off.........

[jmark]

jmark,

The finish in the pic is "as recieved" from Stahl. It's just paint. I am waiting till after I dyno my next eng. to refinish them with one of the high tech coatings. I really like the dual exh. sound, so I took the time to build a full dual system all the way to the outlets. You can easily buy or build a two into one merge collector for a single pipe system. When I first saw the race Z's in the early 70's, they had duals with megaphones straight out the center in back. So that's what influenced me. I used all mandrel bends and heli-arc'd the whole thing with a short crossover just ahead of the muffs. At the rear, I did a zig-zag around the fuel cell and built a resonator with two small race type muffs welded together. They have a 2.5 ID x 4" OD x 12" long, and I finished it off with a couple stainless tips. The only bummer with the side to side layout was I had to enlarge the cutout in the rear bodywork. I tried a stock type verical layout, but the lower muff was too close to the ground. Back in 98' when I bought this header, it was $512.00. I'll be interested to know what they go for now.

Phred

Paint seems to have held up well. I think it is rated to 1800 F. I am not sure the ceramic coating is rated that high!

[240ZGL]

70Z4fun, I have one of those meg setups.

[geezer]

I agree with Mark as well. For an un-modified L-24 street car, the stock manifold flows well enough and you avoid all the fitment and droning problems.

If you must go with a header, you might want to consider ordering from the Jet-Hot Coatings website. I got a Pacesetter Header from them direct. They ordered the header, coated it and shipped it right to my door for around $300.

I was impressed with the quality of the workmanship and had no installation issues.

Just another option to consider.

Marty

Marty - What coating did you have Jet-Hot put on yours? I'm sending mine out to them tomorrow, along with my intake. I specified the Extreme Sterling which is rated for 1700 degrees. It has a slightly textured finish. They are doing both inside & outside of the header and just the outside on the Cannon intake. They quoted a price of $280.00. They are aluminum oxide blasted first and they will pay the return shipping. I thought that was reasonable since the header is virtualy irreplaceable and I want it to last. Doing the intake will reduce heat transfer somewhat.

[70z4fun]

I wonder if there was enough interest in headers and the dual exhaust system that Nissan sold back in the 70's, if Clifford Research would reproduce these for us that want a performance system, but want to keep something original?

I did talk to them earlier in the week about the headers, and they were going to check the old stock.

I have the header, but would love to go back to the dual system. When I talked to them, they were saying it was hard to compete with all the systems out there at the time, plus muffler shops doing some thing.

There system was great, and modular and you could install it with out going to the muffler shop.

Any interest?

Bob

[geezer]

Hi Bob - That is the system I'm using. It is an original from a Fairlady Z (optional). Even though the Fairlady Z was RH drive it bolts right up with no clearance issues on a LH drive. I've been down that road before, trying to duplicate a set of headers that I designed & built. Although we had more than 20 people commited to buy a set, we couldn't find anyone to mass produce them at a price that was affordable.

[jmark]

I wonder if there was enough interest in headers and the dual exhaust system that Nissan sold back in the 70's, if Clifford Research would reproduce these for us that want a performance system, but want to keep something original?

I did talk to them earlier in the week about the headers, and they were going to check the old stock.

I have the header, but would love to go back to the dual system. When I talked to them, they were saying it was hard to compete with all the systems out there at the time, plus muffler shops doing some thing.

There system was great, and modular and you could install it with out going to the muffler shop.

Any interest?

Bob

Let me know what they say about the old stock. I have heard good things about the 1 1/2" Clifford research header.

[jmark]

I have been talking with Sal at MSA & they have redesigned the flanges on the headers & made some adjustments for fitting issues as well. They are working on the exhaust system drone as well. Their header primaries are 1 1/2".

[geezer]

Bob - I would be interested in seeing a picture of the Clifford Research header, to compare to the original Fairlady Z one I have. I've never seen one. If that's not possible I can take some pics of mine for you to compare. I searched the net and couldn't find one picture of either one. Anyone who is concerned with weight would not want this system. Heavy and bullet proof.

[madkaw]

Jmark,

I would ask them (msa) if they addressed the fitment issue with the on pipe hitting the intake as I stated in my earlier post-first page:)

The flange is much better!!! I supposedly got the first one of the lastest version if that makes sense. It is 100% better then the one I sent back to them.