Header Flange Minimum Thickness?

Quick question......I'm building some headers for an old Lincoln V12 flathead.

I bought a kit, but I am going to have to make my own flanges from scratch.

Ideally I'd like to go with 5/16" steel, but the thickest my supplier could come up with yesterday was 1/4".

Is this thick enough?

Thanks!

Ben

 

1/4 is probably the minimum, although I've seen cheap production headers with thinner flanges. Might depend on how far apart the bolt holes are, how hot it will get, etc....

 

1/4" is just ok. Lots of people have used it, 5/16" is better.

Try another supplier. Easier to make a change now, than try to fix it later.

 

3/8" why go thinner? it wont cost but $5 bucks more if your having them made. what the hell kind of metal supplier doesnt have 5/16", or 3/8", 1/2", 1",2" or any other thickness you want?

 

Try these guys, haven't bought anything from them (yet) but the parts seem good. I spoke with Kevin there a while ago and he said they would be producing lincoln v12 flanges soon.

http://www.victoryheaderflanges.com/

 

Thanks for all the tips!

 

I inside welded tubes to 1/4" flange and got 1/8" of warp at ends. I was able to heat and hammer to flat, but would say 5/16" min.

 

1/4" is fine as long as ya don't go crazy hot and weld as fast as ya can. I have built 100+ sets of headers with 1/4" flanges and kept the flange flat. I have used 3/8' flanges for the past 3-4 years because my customers want a heavy flange.

It's also been my experience that you don't warp the flange when you weld the flange, you warp the flange when you weld the header.