twiggy

Hi team
where could I find headers for 394

Thanks

ROCKETMAN269V

You would have better results in the "parts wanted" section.

oldcutlass

Moved to parts wanted.

joe_padavano

If you are actually looking for aftermarket tubular headers, you are unlikely to find anything commercially available. You can buy header flanges and weld your own.

http://www.headersbyed.com/__oldsmobile.htm

Olds64

^^^THIS^^^

There is a driver's side dual exhaust manifold available. It will be difficult to find on Ebay or our website though because it isn't reproduced like the later dual exhaust manifolds. Once you install the dual exhaust manifold on the driver's side you just put a cap on the passenger's side exhaust manifold where the crossover mounted.

rocketraider

Look for "vintage Olds speed equipment".

394 were popular in Gasser drag racing classes so there was a pile of stuff made, but that ain't saying any headers you might find will fit in an Olds chassis. Most were custom built for whatever frame and body the engine was in. Think ****** coupe, FIAT Topolino, Thames panel van, rails...

Blown and injected 394 Olds. Quintessential 60s drag engine. Thousands of junkyard cores available, cheaper than a Cammer Ford and lighter than a Chrysler Hemi. Bolt one up to a B&M modded HydraMatic and boogie!

ROCKETMAN269V

We put an LS-1/6-speed into an '85 Mercedes 500 SEC. Obviously, no one made headers for it. I had some flanges flame cut and bought 12' of stainless steel flex tubing, used to make radiator hoses. We cut it into 3' sections and tacked the tubing to the flanges, bolted them to the engine in the vehicle, formed them to clear everything in the engine compartment; then made a 4-leaf clover out of wood to simulate the collector and removed them from the car. We now had a model to craft the headers from. You can by a "box of bends" from header manufacturers, that they bent but weren't quite right for what they were making. You cut and weld the pieces together and there you have it.


Stainless flexible radiator hose material



A "box of bends" from a header manufacturer

Primary tubes tig welded


Completed header ready for coating





Finished product

joe_padavano

OK, the flex tube as a pattern is VERY clever. Nicely done. I'll be stealing this idea.

Charlie Jones

I'm going to assume that this is for a '64 Olds 98 ,
A header for the right side might be fashioned as suggested .
But the left side is a different story . You have a big steering gear in the way .
BTW that is the elusive dual exhaust manifold previously mentioned .

Killian_Mörder

Someone else got there before you, some 80 years ago with real flexible exhaust tubing. When I owned my first car, flexible exhaust pipe used to be available from the local parts store.
I don't remember as to how well it was sealed. But, it would be ideal for use as a casting pattern for a set of equal-lengthed header manifolds, perferably as 4-2-1 types

rocketraider

Good trick to lay out header bends.

Back in the 70s when everybody wanted Thrush or even generic side pipes on everything, that flex pipe made connecting them easy. Almost always leaky but you couldn't hear it over them loudass Thrush pipes anyway!

They were technically illegal in Virginia, but being on the border a lot of the NC guys had them. It burned the local cops up because they were legal over there and they couldn't touch them. So natcherly they took it out on us!😁

Olds64

Good job using the flex pipe as template.

ROCKETMAN269V

I think that some are confusing the old exhaust flex tubing, which was prone to leaking, with the stainless "convoluted" radiator hose tubing that we used. There are no joints in this tubing and it is heavier gauge than the exhaust version. Just an FYI. Thanks, Bob.