Ricambi headers installed, opinion with pics

Realizing the challenges they face to use the existing clamshell I think they look ok.

They're certainly not as pretty as this though:
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Has anyone ever actually done thermo testing on open header vs clamshell or is it all speculation? My mind would tell me that a thin piece of metal over the headers with a tiny amount of insulation would heat up just as hot as the headers themselves after a few minutes.

 

I did.I had fabspeed headers that were coated and found no difference in under the hood temps and put 80k km with no problems with the headers or heat .

 

Really good to know, my headers are still fine but I would opt for ceramic coating any aftermarkets ones instead of going the clam shell route.

 

I went ceramic-less after Watson had mentioned that he put xxxxx miles on his with no issues. I've been meaning to use my laser temp gauge but the car has just been sitting due to the weather the last few weeks.

I've mentioned before mine is just a girl's 5 miles here 10 miles there sunny day car so I'm not expecting any extreme heat issues.

 

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Read page 31.

http://www.kostic.niu.edu/352/_352-posted/Heat_4e_Chap13-Radiation_HT_lecture-PDF.pdf

 

My Fabspeeds.

Installed 5 years ago - no coating. They have held up very well, no rust or cracking
or damage, solid quality product.
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Those have held up well.

 

Well, as a welder myself all I can say is that alot of those welds are not very good quality.
Further the heat shields look like they were ......hacked off.
When I removed the clam shell heat shields on my oem headers they came off in 2 pieces with no messy cuts and even today when I look at them.....loosely installed on the headers one can see that they can easily be tig'd on with no gaps in the clam shells.......and once installed properly there would be no discernible evidence of them ever been removed.
The finish quality (and thats all were talking about here) is pretty sad for the 2 and a half g's you paid for these rebuilt headers.
I only hope that under the heat shields.....that the replaced tubes and welds are of a better quality.

 

you are pretty brave running these for 5years straight out of the box without at least coating.
what collateral damage if any have you had from the heat?

are you using the heat shield plates supplied by fabspeed for the AC and alternator?

 

Those would be even prettier if they used real 4-2-1 merge collectors...........

 

100% agreement on this. I am not a great welder, but I can see that I would be boxing those back up and sending them back. I can do better.

 

For reference take a look at this rebuild:

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/142221597-post1.html

 

John, you're going to have to translate to us in English .

 

I find it odd 355 guys are so adamant about keeping the clamshell and maintaining the "factory look."

From what I've gathered so far, the 360/430 guys could care less about the clamshell including myself. They are running fabspeed or capristo with a quality blanket for the most part.

 

I went with the ceramic coated Fabspeeds and blankets and could not be happier! As an airplane guy I am a big fan of eyes on inspection and bare headers allow that. With ceramic and heat shields for the accessories like Fabspeed supplies radiant heat is pretty well held in check. The stock ones are just a bandaid over a inadequate part. I did save them though, who knows how many years down the road original crap headers will add to the value.

 

I called these guys and they told me saving the clamshell was such a PITA that they weren't sure they wanted to do it again. It sounded like they were rethinking the project.