Building Custom Headers - Rod And Custom Magazine

Custom Exhaust Headers - Homebuilt Headers

Once upon a time hot rodders worked with the materials readily at hand to build their machines. During those formative days, one of the easiest ways to increase performance was to improve the exhaust flow, and resourceful rodders dicovered that the inner driveshaft found under a 1936 Ford would provide a perfect pair of tapered cones to be used as main exhaust tubes and the basis for a pair of sexy lakes-style headers.

One of the purveyors of truthful and useful hot rods built with the techniques and ideas of the golden age of rodding is Jimmy White, the owner and proprietor of Circle City Hot Rods in Orange, California. Jimmy has built many graceful headers so we were thoroughly excited when he invited us to tag along while he built a pair using the old '36 Ford driveshaft method. Follow along as we take a trip into the past.