Has anyone tried these headers out? Not a bad price either: http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive_new/mc...aders_tes.shtml

Got 'em sitting in my garage right now, titanium versions. I will snap some pics and post, but I am not going to use them. I will return them and use the Mac that are on the way.

E.

The description is very generic. A couple of questions....

-since you have a dual-cat 97, are you looking for an emissions legal set of dual-cat headers? The CARB-EO approved dual-cat headers tend to be a problem, since they have to wrap the drivers side primaries up over the valve cover, to keep the driver's side cat in its original factory location. If you need CARB certification, there are not many choices. The SLP stainless steel dual-cat CARB legal headers are probably the best.

-what is the diameter of the primary tubes? Are they a "step" design (first couple inches of each primary is a smaller diameter, to improve exhaust scavenging at low RPM), or a constant diameter? You need at least 1-5/8" primaries, and if you plan any significant performance upgrades in the future (e.g. - heads and cam) you might want to look for 1-3/4" primaries.

-if you don't have to meet any emissions standards, there are better choices available. Consider mid-length headers like the Arizona Speed & Marine, BBK, or long-tube headers like Kooks, PaceSetter, etc.

I unpacked the titanium coated TES headers yesterday to compare them with the MACs I had just received. The Eddy's are much better quality. Welds are better finished and cleaner looking. The primary's are well bent and are reshaped before they enter the collector to ensure that everything stays less than the collector dia. Finish is good, but not as good as my Sanderson headers on my Chevelle. The flanges are flat and ground. Inside welds are clean and good. Outsides are tack welded only. The AIR tubes are centered on the primary tubes and are clean and well made.

The MACs are terrible. They don't even resemble the pics everyone has. Overall finish is poor, welding is poor, coating is terrible, the #1 primary is cut to fit and has to be welded. The AIR tubes appear to be an afterthought. The passenger side AIR tube is off center from the primary tube. Flanges are flat and ground. Interior welding looks like it wasn't meant to be seen so don't worry about how it looks. There is welding slag inside on the welds. The primary's stick into the collector by .125-.250". That is probably good for flow, but leaves pockets for moisture to collect during cool down and rust to form. They look like crap so I am sending them back.

I need to decide if I want to wait for the Edelbrock ceramic coated version to be ready or just put the titanium coated ones I have on the car.

I will post pics of both the MACs and the Eddy's tonight.

E.

Here are the Macs

Click to view attachment - Some assembly required. I didn't figure I had to fit & weld #1 tube
Click to view attachment - Welding slag, rust,
Click to view attachment - coating removes easily
Click to view attachment -
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Click to view attachment - off center air tube
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I sent these back.

Here's some images of the TES ceramic coated headers in my car. I installed them last night with the heads. Headers are only hanging by the front and rear bolts. Quality is way better than the MAC's I returned. For $100 more, these are worth the money IMHO.

Thanks,
E.

Click to view attachment
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