* Stainless Corvette Headers by MikeGyver

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Just though I'd share some pics of some of the stuff I do at work.These exhaust headers are a new product we make at Pfadt Race Engineering. They are 100% 304 stainless steel and 100% hand TIG welded by yours truely. Everything is back purged. Due to the Tri-Y design they apparently outperform every 4-into-1 corvette header on the market. These particular ones fit the C6 Corvette, base and Z06 models.There is also an X-pipe that runs down the length of the car and connects the headers to the mufflers at the back. Theres a version of this pipe with two high-flow spun metallic catalytic converters, and a version without. I don't have many pics of this pipe so I'll post what I've got and maybe add more pics later if I take some.In order not to steal Pfadt Racing's thunder, If you want to see pics other than the weld closeups, or want more information,go to their website Hereor their facebook page HereIf the pics are cut off from being too big for the forum you can view them at my site linked below in my signature.Last edited by MikeGyver; 02-04-2013 at 02:51 AM.Welding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com
Reply:Last edited by MikeGyver; 02-04-2013 at 01:36 AM.Welding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com
Reply:Last edited by MikeGyver; 02-04-2013 at 02:12 AM.Welding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com
Reply:Nice! do you use a positioner for some of your work?Miller Dynasty 200Millermatic 211Instagram?.... find me @ WELD_MEDIC
Reply:Originally Posted by tig_21Nice! do you use a positioner for some of your work?
Reply:very nice!
Reply:I'll borrow this pic just so you guys can see how the whole exhaust goes together.Welding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com
Reply:Looks great! Wow!The welds on the flange to the runner, is that with or without filler?Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:Originally Posted by GambleLooks great! Wow!The welds on the flange to the runner, is that with or without filler?
Reply:Your a robot! Welds look great.
Reply:Originally Posted by forhireYour a robot! Welds look great.
Reply:Fing amazing Mike.HTF do you get your dips so perfect?TA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:jesus... makes me wanna buy a corvette--------------------------------------------------------------www.becmotors.nlyup, I quit welding.. joined welder anonymous
Reply:That looks great mike - can you give some ideas on material, thickness, and machine settings?  Are you pulsing?  Can we get pics of your positioner?  Also - what are you using to brush the whole tube?  I like the look.Miller Diversion 180Hobart Handler 140 (Soon to be replaced with Miller 211?)Miller Spectrum 625 Extreme
Reply:Great work, and thanks for sharing!-AaronJet 17.5" Drill Press1942 South Bend 16x84 Lathe1980s Miller 320A / BP --- 2013 Power Mig 2562012 Jet 7x12 Horizontal BandsawVictor O/A Setup
Reply:Aargh! I want to be able to weld like this!!I dont get those shiny welds :-(Awesome work
Reply:damn that looks pretty. Hope you're charging a premium. metal artwork bro!
Reply:You Da Man Mike beautiful work  Did you ever get my PM a while back?I hate being bi-polar it's awsomeMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reply:Originally Posted by alutigAargh! I want to be able to weld like this!!I dont get those shiny welds
Reply:Just incredible welds!
Reply:too pretty to install. but i guess the spousal unit would not be happy if i put them on the coffee table as a conversation piece.miller thunderbolt 250vlincoln square wave tig 175 prolincoln idealarc mig sp250everlast tig 210EXTeverlast power plasma 50chicago electric (hf) 130 tig/90 arcchicago electric 90 amp flux wire3 sets oxy/acet
Reply:Amazing looking welds, sir. Bit off topic, but Im sure youve done it in your line of work, On intercooler tubing, do you ever leave a gap in the joint purposely, or do you strive for a perfect butted up fitment?
Reply:little jealous.. lol!oh and TIG FINGER! lol!www.thefusionsolution.com
Reply:wow those are some amazing tig welds!!Adam MMorales Ranch
Reply:Looks great. And I love my TIG finger.Millermatic 211PowerPlasma 50sWow! You have a powerful welding skills! Really nice. Keep it up.
Reply:Impressive welding skills! Like the consistent, uniform and well welded shiny beads. Great job!______________________-www.sawblade.com
Reply:Ha! When I saw the posts by Pfadt on the Corvette forum I couldn't help but wonder if anyone from here was involved when I saw those beautiful welds. I'm itching to throw a set of headers on mine and these are probably going to be the ones.Darn Nice Job!
Reply:Double wow! great looking welds and that is a sweet set of headers.If you don't want to stand behind our Troops, feel free to stand in front of them.
Reply:Originally Posted by Dale1990Ha! When I saw the posts by Pfadt on the Corvette forum I couldn't help but wonder if anyone from here was involved when I saw those beautiful welds. I'm itching to throw a set of headers on mine and these are probably going to be the ones.Darn Nice Job!
Reply:A few more.double rainbow, all the wayWelding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com
Reply:I KNOW you didn't weld all that with a Everlast machine? Right?Millermatic 211PowerPlasma 50s
Reply:Thank you for posting your pics.You have saved me the trouble of me taking pictures of my stainless steel exhaust and posting them on here for everyone to make fun of, lol.
Reply:Millermatic 211PowerPlasma 50s
Reply:Originally Posted by MikeGyverA few more.
Reply:Originally Posted by 225
Reply:I seriously doubt the Everlast machines could consistently produce that quality of welds in a production setting on a daily basis.And I was hoping Zapster would have had some comments to make on these welds, as they look at least on par with his.Last edited by Bistineau; 02-07-2013 at 03:02 PM.
Reply:No Zap, it was a joke. Originally Posted by BistineauI seriously doubt the Everlast machines could consistently produce that quality of welds in a production setting on a daily basis.And I was hoping Zapster would have had some comments to make on these welds, as they look at least on par with his.
Reply:Originally Posted by 225I KNOW you didn't weld all that with a Everlast machine? Right?
Reply:That's computer back-round quality right there! Nice job.After you weld do you take a scotch brite pad or anything to the edges of the weld? I can't believe that HAZ is so small.Miller Dynasty 200Millermatic 211Instagram?.... find me @ WELD_MEDIC
Reply:Originally Posted by tig_21That's computer back-round quality right there! Nice job.After you weld do you take a scotch brite pad or anything to the edges of the weld? I can't believe that HAZ is so small.
Reply:How long did it take to weld like that? How long have you been welding stainless?Millermatic 211PowerPlasma 50s
Reply:I know nice when I see it and that's nice.....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Can you explain whats being done differently here:vsDown the merge collector here:???Miller Diversion 180Hobart Handler 140 (Soon to be replaced with Miller 211?)Miller Spectrum 625 Extreme
Reply:The straight welds in the merge almost always have a gap that grows wider as it gets down into the crotch, sometimes even as much as 1/4". This is due to limitations in the process and will be completely dialed once we get our in-house CNC bender and possibly 5axis laser cutter. The gap is completely unnoticable once welded however, and we have absolutely no problem throwing away parts that don't look and fuction great.Anyway the fitup is less than perfect (for now anyways) and there are a couple other very important factors such as the metal already being hot from the prior weld, etc ,so I simply have to go slow and bridge the gap with more filler. In doing so heat builds up and I'm limited how far I can weld in 1 go or else I'd be left with a big glowing chunk of metal. I can't travel fast enough to stay ahead of the heat buildup in such a constricted joint as that.An impressive and noteworthy part of our process is that our engineers and I have incorporated the high degree of weld warpage of the stainless into our 3D CAD models so the parts come out exactly how we want them after the significant warpage from welding.Last edited by MikeGyver; 02-08-2013 at 02:20 AM.Welding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com
Reply:How do you get stainless to weld so evenly? I have only tried it a few times but it seems to be very 'fluid' and likes to float around. Also is that 1 pass? Do you double dip? Jam the rod in there or just dip and move as normal?Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:Not only are these easily the best quality and best looking off the shelf headers even available for Corvettes, they're probably also the most highly engineered. The engineers I work with do some truely mindblowing stuff.Not a bad final product for their first endevour into exhaust components, huh? Last edited by MikeGyver; 02-08-2013 at 02:25 AM.Welding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com
Reply:I have trouble getting that stacked dime look   Oh well, I will go back to my garage and be normal and humble lolMiller Diversion 180Hobart Handler 140 (Soon to be replaced with Miller 211?)Miller Spectrum 625 Extreme
Reply:Really wish I had a positioner. I may end up building one sooner than I thought with all these lovely welds show here. Best I can do on stainless without one is this: Attached Images
Reply:A lot of that work looks like pulsed TIG autogenous. Not to say that there's anything at all "wrong" with that. Definitely pretty. Pulsing without filler still requires some skill but if that's what you're doing in some of these pics you should say so. Getting the same regularity in your steps without pulsing is certainly an entirely different magnitude of skill level.Just sayin. I know because I use the same process all day long in my job. Nice work though. Good of you to post it.E.AWS D1.1 Certified SMAW 3G Unlimited, Open Root                             FCAW-G 3G Unlimited, w/BackerCellular Tower Reinforcement Welding on the frozen tundra of the greater Mid-West