Shawn S

I know the crowd here is pretty well split over the value of Comptech Headers, but I was wondering if anyone ever considered this?

I work with a few guys that are into performance tuning, mostly Chevy & Ford, and they both mentioned that many speed shops do this kind of work.

He mentioned that it can be “quite expensive” and threw around numbers of 500-700 dollars.
That’s a lot of money considering that Mustang or Camaro headers only run 200-400 dollars even for high quality stainless steel.
But, considering that the Comptech’s for us cost 1,100 plus install at most places, this almost sounds worthwhile.

If I get some positive feedback on this I may pursue it locally.
If I get a few of the “East Coast Crew” to join in, we may get a cheaper price on doing a few cars at once.

Any of the “motor-heads” here care to comment on this ?

Shawn S

Nashua_Night_Hawk

Everything is possible, but you need a "prototype" unit to be dyno tested and "fitment" tested, them more orders can follow..

IF the price is right around $750 and it's on par with comptech quality and perform like "prototype racing headers" then I would be in this game

$500 deposit

KCPreki11

Well they would obviously do that at the shop. Why don't your just get a local shop to make molds of the Comptech Headers?

JRock

See this is exactly why I consider Comptech's headers are so ridiculously priced. You can't say "well only 4cyl headers are cheaper" - WRONG - V8 Camaro/Mustang/Firebird all have quality headers at or about $600 or less.


I'd love to see someone get a set custom made that performs as well as the comptechs and if they're within an hour-and-a-half drive i might get a set done too.

nate'sCLS

This makes sense to me. Would I pay 1,100 plus install?...I don't think I would.
I bought my CL with the Comptech headers in so the owner before me absorbed most of the cost. :P

EricS

Don't forget about CARB certification for them tree-huggin states and making everything emissions friendly.

I think that'd be a copyright infringement...

Zapata

Patent????

moomaster_99

I think that $600 for headers for a muscle car is too much considering they have 100x the market size of the CL/TL/Accord...and again I say look for v6 headers for Japanese cars...not domestics.

Nashua_Night_Hawk

Those eclipse V6 custom are priced at $1400 they are 3-2-1 and made of mild steel.... not even SS...

Not that attractive.

Austin519

I bet there'd be plenty of interest...you just need a shop to do it...and it needs to be stainless. I seriously doubt there'd be any patent infrigment...I mean...geez they're pipes...the end. You can only make headers so many ways...I say make a mold of those puppies, copy them, and then make the outsides look a bit different and you're done. And you'll have a TON of buyers.

Austin519

nate'sCLS

Just don't tell Comptech what your up to... esp. if your basing the desing on theirs :P

Austin519

nate'sCLS:
I know my lips are sealed (I'm ready for my clone headers now).

Austin519

Water-S

Sorry austin when you said about the clone. I thought of Austin Powers 2 (where Fro yells BRING IN DE CLONE)
but seriously there's way around patients. If you remember Honda was 1st out with VTEC. (usually a Patient will last 7 years) but in school they taught us usually if you got a product with a "new idea or new concept" within 18 months(EVEN IF IT'S PATIENT) someone will have something compareable)anyhow back to the VTEC within a year or 2 or 3 Everyone else was making basically baseing VTEC(like Chevy's Vortec,I think Toyotas is I-Force(that what it is on my Toyota)) all you gotta do is just change the Comptech just enough to get around the patient you can do the same thing(basically). I know you guys are worried Comptech will take us(The CL owners) to court over this. but as long as we change 1 or 2 bends we'd be fine . Plus I say it serves Comptech right. They've "hosed"us for 2-3 years now for UNREAL rates on headers maybe it's time for us to get even

t-rd

This idea has been pondered up so many times for Accord V6. In fact, shops jumped into the board on a long while back and proposed this. There was Warpspeed Performance, Prototype Racing, DC, Greddy, and a couple more. Some just disappeared, some has taken their sweet time and posted the "TBA" status for 2 years now (Greddy). The Prototype Racing headers has been there all along, I even spoke to one of the original fabricators....that was almost 3 years ago??!! Comptech has so far promised and delivered every single time. I wouldn't trust any other manufacturer. Their products are simply reliable.

Water-S

yeah comptech delivers like they've delivered the S/C they've promised us for the last 1.5-2 YEARS :P

Austin519

t-rd:
They deliver late...and after they've pissed off enough people and been thrown enough money. IMHO they're a very overpriced brand. They just know they have H-A in their pocket. And don't take this wrong...but it's people like you whose blind loyalty allows them to do it. Not trusting any other manufacturer aside from Comptech? Why? Just because the products they offer are good means others aren't better and less expensive? Look at my H&R Springs...half the cost...better drop and ride. Hell...comptech outsources a lot of their stuff. Would you trust Comptech SS lines over Goodridge? Well you shouldn't...they're one in the same...just repackaged and sold for 50% more.

Water-S:
Amen.

Austin519

nate'sCLS

You show that turd who's boss...

Sorry, I know that came form the movie AP.

In all seriousness, what you said made some sense.

moomaster_99

So really Austin...who have they pissed off other than with their pricing?

Water-S

the thing is, I'm glad we're talking about other options (to Comptech headers) cause in my opinion this will make make others(like GReddy,Prototype,and other Aftermarket hot rod parts) look into the B.S. price we get "porked"with. Until some other company comes out with an alternative to Comptech header we're gonna get hammered in our checking books. I don't know about you guys but If someone builds just as good product, for a better price usually I go with the cheaper one. so my advice to all you guys think Comptech is porking us with header prices write letters to GReddy, Prototype and the others explaining Comptech our only header offered for our and and they're ripping us off on price of headers. The more people complain the sooner they'll address us(the CL and TL owners)

moomaster_99

Hmmm....just to play devils advocate...but Greddy is an international company...an arm of Trust...and they have the AV6 and TL(Inspire) over there....if there was such an incredible market for the headers wouldn't they have designed one long ago?

Austin519

moomaster_99:
Good question...I have no idea. But I do know that...ok if you think about it cold air intake...$200 for 12 HP. Take that and triple it...headers...$600 for 30 HP. I think that's fair...I'd be willing to shell that out. But not 1000 or list price 1200 or whatnot. You have a very good question though...and something makes me doubt we'll get a third party to make us headers...though when I get free time I sure as hell might just try.

Austin519