Brian,
The CAT headers are quite different that those from Sunbeam Specialties.
The CAT headers are currently built in 304 stainless steel, using thick
flanges, 1-5/8" primary tubes and merged collectors. (Some places charge as
much for a set of stainless merged collectors as CAT charges for the entire
headers.) They accommodate oversized ports and utilize the FelPro 1415
gasket. (Hint: fit the gasket to the head before you buy the headers!) Their
design and tooling has been the same for decades. However more "relief" to
access the header bolts was built in when the switch was made to stainless.
You use header bolts with reduced heads with CAT headers. Obviously,
increasing the headers port size decreases the amount of sealing surface for
the gasket.
The Sunbeam Specialties headers are built from mild steel with thinner
flanges, 1-1/2" primary tubes and standard collectors. Due to the smaller
tubes and flanges fitting them in the engine compartment is obviously
easier. They may even be a better choice for a near stock 260 or 289 with
stock ports.
I always ceramic coat mild steel headers but don't bother coating stainless.
Some will polish and/or "slosh" stainless (heat barrier on inside of
primary tubes).
There seem to be two big problems with ceramic coatings: the quality of the
material and the quality of the application. I've had very good luck with
products made by TechLine Coatings. (CermaChrome, Black Satin, etc.) But the
applicators need to get the process right, especially the cleaning. I've had
the same product fail in two years when coated by one company but is still
looking perfect after being re-applied ten years ago by another.
I don't know the flow of the Sunbeam Specialties headers. They could be just
fine for stock-ish motors. One of these days we'll get some real dyno
numbers. In the meantime, header manufactures like "Headers by Ed" suggest
that primary tubes as small as 1-3/8' would be fine on a stock 260.
Generally torque is lost with bigger primary tubes and torque makes street
driving easier.
On the other hand, if you have bigger ports such 351 Windsor or most
aftermarket heads, installing a set of headers with smaller ports is silly.
In fact one of the biggest custom header companies did a computer study on a
289 race motor using 351 Windsor heads and it suggested a stepped header
design starting with 1-5/8" and going up to 1-7/8". (By the way, the
estimate to design and custom build a set for a Tiger out of 304 stainless
with merged collectors was $5K - about ten times what CAT charges for their
304 stainless, merged collector headers.)
CAT headers are not custom designed for individual members. And they don't
cost many, many thousands like custom stainless headers. The CAT design is
a compromise. It is aimed at the higher performance segment. It is not
designed for a stock 260 although they've been used on them for decades.
Perhaps those from Sunbeam Specialties might be better. Maybe not. Right now
I just don't know.
I would add that I always "port match" the headers to the port. Period. This
applies to matching gasket surfaces of the early stock heads (which are
raised from the head's surface.) By the later sixties Ford stopped using
this raised surface and machined the entire side of the head flat allowing
for broad gasket sealing which the CAT headers use. If using the stock heads
you'll probably want to "notch" the holes in the flanges for better sealing
surfaces for the header gaskets.
Buck Trippel
-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Glenn
Sent: Sunday, November 24, 2013 12:01 AM
To: Tiger Forum
Subject: [Tigers] Tiger Exhaust - Headers
Time to invest in a new exhaust system and want to get some feedback on
headers. I throw my business to Sunbeam Specialties whenever I can, but am
interested in the forum's opinions on the new CAT headers versus SS and
others. The price difference is substantial, but I understand the CAT
headers
address some outstanding issues with previous header versions. Also wanted
to
inquire about powder and other coating methods and if there is a shop in
SoCal
that can be recommended.
Thanks in advance.
Brian
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B382000846LRXFE
B382001212LRXFE
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