Avanti Headers!

[mfg]

Reproduction Studebaker Avanti R3/4 type exhaust headers are available in cast iron and aluminum......True?

[r1lark]

False.

[Dwight FitzSimons]

Cast iron repros are currently available from SI.  At one time Dave Thibeault had some made in aluminum, but I don't know if he still has those available.  So, my answer is C) Maybe

--Dwight

[pantera928]

true

[Dwight FitzSimons]

Well, we have "false", "true", and "maybe".  Somebody's got to be right.

--Dwight

[mfg]

4 hours ago, r1lark said:

False.

Sorry Paul, false is not correct!

 

4 hours ago, Dwight FitzSimons said:

Cast iron repros are currently available from SI.  At one time Dave Thibeault had some made in aluminum, but I don't know if he still has those available.  So, my answer is C) Maybe

--Dwight

I haven't seen a set lately, but at one time Dave stopped by my shop with some parts and showed me the aluminum R3 headers...I held them just to feel the light weight.

Not sure if they are still available..(we know they are in cast iron).. but until I hear different, I'm going with the answer to this trivia question being TRUE!

Edited March 15, 2022 by mfg

[mfg]

3 hours ago, pantera928 said:

true

True is CORRECT!

[Gunslinger]

In the early '60s when Pontiac was making a big effort on the drag racing scene, they had what was referred to as "swiss-cheese" frames on their factory drag cars where the frames had many holes drilled to lighten the weight.  They also used aluminum factory headers.  At end of every run down the strip there would be molten aluminum that had dripped onto the pavement.  It was probably not too much different with aluminum headers on an Avanti depending on how it was used.

[Dwight FitzSimons]

3 hours ago, Gunslinger said:

In the early '60s when Pontiac was making a big effort on the drag racing scene, they had what was referred to as "swiss-cheese" frames on their factory drag cars where the frames had many holes drilled to lighten the weight.  They also used aluminum factory headers.  At end of every run down the strip there would be molten aluminum that had dripped onto the pavement.  It was probably not too much different with aluminum headers on an Avanti depending on how it was used.

I mentioned this to Dave once (I used to be a Pontiac man) and he said his R3 headers used a different alloy.

I wonder, though, how much lighter his Aluminum headers are than cast iron.  Is there enough weight savings to be worth it?

--Dwight

Edited March 15, 2022 by Dwight FitzSimons

[Gunslinger]

The headers used by Pontiac probably weren't expected to have a long lifespan anyway.  

[mfg]

1 hour ago, Gunslinger said:

The headers used by Pontiac probably weren't expected to have a long lifespan anyway.  

When I looked at the aluminum R3 headers, I also asked Dave about longevity, and he said he thought they would 'stand up'.....I too had heard the story of aluminum headers used on the Pontiac 421 HO dual quad drag cars melting!

I'll go with cast iron headers/exhaust manifolds any day!