Quote Originally Posted by Henderlong View Post
if they are made in the prosses that you describe, than any aftermarket header that you buy will not fit on any head, because it is not "in a terribly precise location".

The factories MUST have some talerance for the casting.

Well my plan is to make the flange, then make tools (inside and outside die/madrel) to flare the pipe to a more oval shape. and directly match the port size. (or bigger).
The pipe will then slide into the flang then be tig welded on the inside, (head side).
Any comments?
From someone who's fabricated many sets of SBF headers, I have to say I think you're making the process way too difficult.....

As others mentioned, use the gasket that most closely matches your exhaust port opening, then grind the od of the flange to match... I usually by a header kit, with flanges, tubes, and collectors from Speedway. Once I get the flanges to match the ports, it's a simple matter of dingin' the round tubes to an oval shape on the end with a body hammer and some solid round stock with the correct radius held in the vice.

Unless you're tuning for one or two horse on the dyno, don't really see where anything more exotic would be required.....and if you are looking for the absolute best horsepower, then you've got the wrong set of heads anyway...JMO