Mac headers completed

Ponyfreak

Registered
Well I finally got hte headers built and done, and ready to go on the car. The guys at the exhasut shop that I had bend some rough tubes for me kinda mangled the tubes which I am not too pleased with, but all in all they will do just the trick. The put a couple dents i nthe tubes, and flattened one primary with their machine. All in all flow was not comprimised very much. I wish I could have gotten them mandrel bent.

THe headers will clear everything, and msot likely will not even need to use a new rag joint. I decided to think out of the box from other people and put all 4 primaries on the outside of the steering shaft. I knew there was enough room... I will find out for 100% sure on sat morning when I put them on..

http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/MACheaders/HeaderS 008.jpg
http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/MACheaders/HeaderS 009.jpg
http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/MACheaders/HeaderS 010.jpg
http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/MACheaders/HeaderS 011.jpg
http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/MACheaders/HeaderS 012.jpg

For the rest of the preliminary pics go here: Pic #1-7 are pics of the headers before i modded them..

http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/MACheaders/
 
RE: Mac headers completed

Holy spagetti sauce, Batman!! How the heck did you figure out those curves? And how did the exhaust shop follow your instructions? Diagrams with angles, etc.? What a trip!

John
'97 Mark VIII LSC
'96 T-Bird 4.6 LX
 
RE: Mac headers completed

Those things look scary.... but I would put them on my car in a heart beat

I wish I had headers :(
 
RE: Mac headers completed

Joseph,my son.U bends, and J bends are only about 6 bucks a piece.Why have it crush bent?
(yoda voice on) Learn you have.Learn you must(yoda voice off)LOL

Bye the way whats that NOS box from.You must have found that in the trash.
 
RE: Mac headers completed

Well I got a box full of bends now,, jsut a little late....

Here are some more pics..
Caliper ABS sensor, and upper a arm taken off so K emember can be detached.
http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/MACheaders/HeaderS 013.jpg
Air bag detached so K memer can drop
http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/MACheaders/HeaderS 014.jpg
K member bolts removed.
http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/MACheaders/HeaderS 015.jpg
jack holding onto the K member...
http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/MACheaders/HeaderS 016.jpg
Big ass bar holding hte engine. Easier to do it like this so you do not have a cherry pickers legs in the way while you are fooling with the k member. Those cherry picker legs get all sorts of in the way. This bar can be made cheaply from scrap metal. THis bar is used to pick up some heavy items at work and weights about 120lbs. I about busted a nut getting it on the car in the air.. I reccomend a lighter one.
http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/MACheaders/HeaderS 017.jpg
K member dropped
http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/MACheaders/HeaderS 018.jpg
K member dropped, looking at the steering shaft, motor mount and exhaust ports
http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/MACheaders/HeaderS 019.jpg
another steering shaft view
http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/MACheaders/HeaderS 020.jpg
Look at how easy it is to get to the oil filter now...
http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/MACheaders/HeaderS 021.jpg
Another easy oil filter swap.. I am removing the origional studs fro the heads. I am using bolts instead of those stupid studs. Another wierd note for you guys that have done this before. This car had split gastkets on the drivers side, and studs only on the drivers side. While the passengers side had bolts, and a solid gasket. This was totally different than on my 95.... It had all studs and all one piece gaskets.
http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/MACheaders/HeaderS 022.jpg
Yummy header pipes (passenger side)
http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/MACheaders/HeaderS 023.jpg

These are all pics of the passenger side header in place.. I do not know why I took so many, As you can see there are some clsoe tolerneces. The passenger side header was a breeze to put on though. I like the way the MAC passenger side mates to the motor. Only down sdie is I think it will be tough to get the tranny pan off with the passenger side flange like it is.

http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/MACheaders/HeaderS 024.jpg
http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/MACheaders/HeaderS 025.jpg
http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/MACheaders/HeaderS 026.jpg
http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/MACheaders/HeaderS 027.jpg
http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/MACheaders/HeaderS 028.jpg


I will explain what these pics are when I am not so tired. Took me from 500 to 1030 to get the exhaust off, K memeber dropped both manifolds off, the passenger side header on and finished, and the drivers side fitted and ready to put on. That included about 20 minutes to go to the store and get an extension cord, and time to let my arms rest while I ate some food. Looks like I will have around 7 hours total on this install, all work done by myself, with no air tools. SO if you had a friend, air tools, and wanted to get done quick, I think it could be done in 5-6 hours.

I did find that NOS box in a dumpster.... I wonder who threw it in there......

EDITS** pic descriptions
 
RE: Mac headers completed

Ohh yea this is about as "how to install headers" post as you guys are going to get. So you had better save this stuff if you plan on tackling this on your own. That might be wise.
 
RE: Mac headers completed

Headers are installed, and are really loud. here is a pic of the rag joint I swaped out. This rag joint not only allows the headers ,ore room to clear, but tightens up the steering on the car a tad.

On a performance note, I ran a 5.37 0-60 yesterday in 65 degree weather. On this particular spot the best I have ever done was a 5.8X. That should shed some light on how much power these headers add. I am gettign the rest of the exhasut put on on thurs, due t othe ordering of the cats.
http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/MACheaders/HeaderS 033.jpg
 
RE: Mac headers completed

Headers are installed, and are really loud.



Hey Joe, how about a sound byte?
Would really like to hear those headers!
BTW,I was also impressed with the stealthy NOS install.
I want both for my car.
 
RE: Mac headers completed

Sorry, I cannot come up with a sopundbyte. I do have the mufflers and stuff on the car now. I have pics of the system, I jsut left my camera at the office. Things you guys should know about the way the car feels/sounds now, that noone has probably told you before.

1. Your car will never sound the same. Most of all interior wise. Even though it is a lincoln it still has longtubes and that longtube sound. Thin primaries sound a lot different than thick manifolds. Your car will sound very low at idle and it will rumble...very nice.

2. you will gain a lot of power. both low end tq and high end hp. I will dyno the carsometime soon

3. Your car will slightly improve gas mileage.

Anyone that wants to hear the car or ride in it needs to go to carlisle.


I will go to the track tomorrow if it is not raining. I think I will gain about .4 with the longtubes and full exhaust. I am guessing 15 rwhp gain around 4500-6000 and 5-7 rwtq down low.. As soon as I adjsut my a/f ratio, I think the car will dyno at or above 260rwhp. That will be a gain of around 40 rwhp from stock with all the mods i have made.
 
RE: Mac headers completed

Joe: aren't you getting tired of updating your signature every time you do a mod?
 
RE: Mac headers completed

Is there a part name other than "rag joint"? I'd feel kinda funny asking for one---there are a lot of funny scenario's that could develop from that.:+
 
RE: Mac headers completed

Joe: aren't you getting tired of updating your signature every time you do a mod?

Ahhhhh....Joe Barrett....the Kelly Johnson of the "Shade Tree Tuners in the Mark VIII World". Keep it up and enjoy the hobby. Just make sure you have a driveable one for Carlisle ;).

** Bill **
1995 LSC-R'ed w/Recaro's and Cobra R's
Veteran of Carlisle 2000/01/02
[a href=//cardomain.com/member_pages/view_page.pl?page_id=258112]For Pic's and Mods click here[/a]

...Except for ending slavery, fascism, nazism, and communism, WAR HAS NEVER SOLVED ANYTHING...
 
RE: Mac headers completed

It is a billet steering knuckle or ( u joint) from flaming river.They are available through summit for about 70 bucs.
 
RE: Mac headers completed

You are wrong Eli. You need a 3/4" - 36 spline X 3/4" DD. It is Flaming River Part # FR1715DD.

No more 225 for you...
 
RE: Mac headers completed

WEll I got some G-tech times today. IT colled off to around 62 degrees, and relatively low humidity, around 54% the weather channel says.

This is the same place I have ran the 0-60 times before. nothing new..

I got a couple 0-60's and one 1/4 mile

0-60

5.45
5.39
5.97
5.33


1/4 time
13.66 @ 110.9

you can see the G-tech for yourself here:

http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/gtech

http://www.markviii.org/~ponyfreak/gtech/MOV00373.MPG

Pretty much headers kick ass.
 
RE: Mac headers completed

Next goal is to break into the 4.X 0-60's. I might do it n/a, but if not it should not be too hard at all with a 75 shot..
 
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