How to build a top mount manifold with minimal warp
 

1. build your collector. i don't have any pics of building my collector, but space is sometimes an issue with top mounts so i decided to go with something a little more unconventional.
2. place your collector where you want it in relation to the head flange and start making your first runner. i decided to go with runner #3 since i knew it would be the most difficult to route.
3. tack it all together and then weld the runner, but not the pipe joining the runner to the head flange.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC05817.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC05820.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC05819.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC05818.jpg
4. do the same for each of the remaining runners.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC05822.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC05823.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC05824.jpg
next runner:
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC05883.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC05884.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC05885.jpg
5. once you have the runners all welded, bolt the head flange to a thick plate or head that isn't being used. i use a 2"x3" piece of steel that i drilled and tapped the head flange bolt pattern into to prevent warping.
6. weld the insides of the pipe to head flange seams to help prevent cracking.
finished product:
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC06185.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC06187.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC06186.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC06188.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC06195.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC06194.jpg
you can see there is a little bit of warp, but not much.
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC06193.jpg

the external wg will go on afterward.

looking freakin MINT!

sick as always aaron.
When u gunna make me a sick header for my car?....lol

Nice work!

when you decide to go boost!

Looks Sick!! So... With that setup... clearance for.. rad?... ac?... p/s??
gimmie tha scoop! :D

james

^i'll let you know soon :P

Looking good!

here's just a quick mock up pic of the manifold..thanks again aaron!

Attachment 22337

damn thats looking good..shiet

Def. a Fluidine Half rad in your near future..! Mock up looks Mean!

James

do you feel your merge collector will hinder performance versus the other companies collectors?

not really. it is a little more abrupt, but it will still flow fine. i built a tubular top mount manifold also with an unconventional collector and it seems to work fine making 280whp at 8psi. here it was when i was building it.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC04597.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC04613.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...h/DSC04620.jpg

dAmn yo..looks tight.... fabrication MON did a wick-Ed job