It appears header options are as limited as oil pans and subframes! So I'm looking for recommendations on headers too. I know of a couple:

Sanderson V8RLS1 header set for small block Chevy LS1 engines in 1927-Up car and truck applications. Including Mazda Miata with Chevy LS1 and LS2 V8 conversions

Seems like really small primaries. I asked them about making the same header with 1 5/8 and they said no problem but they are not as tight of a radius and they did not know if it would work in a Miata.

Flyin' Miata : Engine conversions : V8 conversions : Flyin` Miata LSx headers

No spec on the primaries but quite the dent in the front tube. I like the stainless full length design for sure though.

I’m going to guess Boss Frogs would not fit with a Martian or V8R subframe and at 600 bucks they are off the table anyway.

Any other options out there?

 

Boss Frog uses Hooker block hugger headers with a dimple to clear the steering shaft. After using them, I am sure I could have used off the shelf headers and dimpled them myself. They did fit very well and have not leaked on my set up. I did use dead-soft Aluminum gaskets at the collector though and for the mounts I used studs with flangehead nuts. Mind you these are for the LS application.

 

Wow when Flyin Miata dimples a header they don't mess around! I'm not liking this much restriction at all.

 

Damn!!

 

There wasn't much choice on the older sanderson headers that you have pictured. The driver's side sanderson header I used to have on my car (not from FM) looked the same.

 

Yeah I don't know what I'm going to do but no way will I choke my poor motor with #1 being squished in half like that. I may see if I can weld up a relief tube either over to #5 or down to the collector somehow. It would look stupid bit I don't really care.

 

Buy a new drivers side header from Sanderson and move on with life. Like you, I refused to deal with that. It still hurts me to have such small primaries, but at least they are more equal.

 

Hey now that right there is a mighty fine idea. Will it work with very little or no dimple there? I wonder if a guy could move the entire engine assembly over about a 1/4 to the right and the steering rack over about a 1/4 to the left and make an un dimpled header work. At least that would offset the weight of my big rear some!

Have you ever looked at Hooker block huggers? I believe they are 1 5/8 primaries.

 

The new header design normally doesn't need touched. I did shift my assembly over just a touch using the tension method haha.

I went with the Sandersons, fixed it, sent it back for them to see where it needed fixed, and moved on with life. On M.net, someone is setting up a sweet set of LT headers. He needs to send them to Kook to duplicate.

 

Boss Frog uses Hooker Block Huggers for the LS... The dimple is much smaller than what is pictured. I bet the off the shelf Hookers could be dimpled at home and be a lot cheeper than BF's asking price. I will let you know on my next car for sure!

 

I used the Sanderson Headers (Ceramic coated), and had to dimple the #7 & #1 tubes. Not as radical as the Fly'n Miata, but dimpled none the less. No issues with the steering shaft, heat on the shaft or what I can tell on performance (although I'm sure there's some).

Here's a pic

 

I think that is the new style Sandersons. They changed in late 2009 and the newer ones have more clearence. I could live with that dent for sure but mine is an oldy... I'm test fitting now and picked up a piece of 1 1/2 exhaust pipe to see what I can make work before I spend 200 bucks on a new header.

Thanks!!

 

What the heck? moderator please fix this ^^^

 

We're working on it, believe me.
-Jason

 

We used the Hooker block huggers cast iron headers. For the steering issue, we unbolted the steering shaft from the firewall, and scooted it outward, and bolted it back in, and have no clearance issues.

 

do you have any photos of the hooker headers installed?

 

 

Martin said they used the G-8 cast iron exhaust manifolds. They are a very nice looking piece. That's what gave us the idea for the Hooker cast iron headers. We used the 2 1/4 in tubing for the exhaust, but not sure which manifold we used.

 

I was hoping the full length photo would show up.
Yes, we did a little modifying to Martins subframe.