OBX Longtube Headers

[The SwiftChancelor]

Maybe OBX is made to a much higher standard as well. Let the downgrading of others personal choice go on. This topic will never be resolved but at least it gives us all something to continuously argue about. :BS:

[toml_pa]

Originally Posted by MarylandSpeed

An important thing to remember too is GM has a very stringent quality control process for the parts it uses. They sell cars with 100,000 mile warranties, and more importantly, if some car parts fail, people die. Because of that, parts are scrutinized very highly for design flaws, and potential manufacturing defects. So even if GM uses parts that are made overseas, they are made to much higher standard than most aftermarket parts..even US made ones.

So what are you really saying here Maryland? That it is ok to outsource parts overseas and take US jobs as long as they "are scrutinized very highly for design flaws" and "made to much higher standard than most"? I suppose most would include OBX headers?

[MarylandSpeed]

Originally Posted by toml_pa

So what are you really saying here Maryland? That it is ok to outsource parts overseas and take US jobs as long as they "are scrutinized very highly for design flaws" and "made to much higher standard than most"? I suppose most would include OBX headers?

What I am saying is the "Well GM uses parts made in China" argument is not relevent because those suppliers design their own stuff, are often US owned, and are held to very high standard. There is a big difference between a US company designing their stuff in the US, and then making the stuff overseas (often in a US owned...managed factory) and what is going on with the ebay header stuff. If a company is willing to steal someone else's design, you can't expect everything else is held to any kind of standard.

My argument here has never been about Walmart stuff being made in China. Unfortunatly, most American's are not willing to pay what it would cost to make their $10 Walmart clock radio in the US. It is more rooted in the wrongness of people buying blatent, inferior knock offs and acting like they got a deal. No sponsor here can thrive if the second that they made a product, there was a Chinese knock off on the market at a 3rd the price.

[MarylandSpeed]

Originally Posted by The SwiftChancelor

Maybe OBX is made to a much higher standard as well. Let the downgrading of others personal choice go on. This topic will never be resolved but at least it gives us all something to continuously argue about. :BS:

Maybe there are martians too? Maybe the world is flat? Anything is possible. However I have side by side pictures proving that they are not made to an acceptable standard for any US based company. The only thing they are good, or best at is price. Everything else is a "live with it" compromise.

An no, these arguments will never get resolved. But notice..they almost always start the second someone wants to post how great their knock off headers are...looking for peer afirmation or to stick it to the man I guess. I stayed out of it, and it still turned into a crap fest. You are just a guilty yourself of feeding in the arguments because you are in every thread on the other side of the argument. It is like political threads..they will always be what they are.

[Sundogno1]

so if you took OBX headers had them ceramic coated in and out they would last and look good.

[matt55]

Originally Posted by toml_pa

I find it interesting that I have yet to see a thread where someone is sharing about their Kooks install and the OBX guys show up to rain on the parade. But mention an OBX install and it's like waving a red flag in front of a bull. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank MarylandSpeed for their header comparison thread. It was their dyno chart that convinced me to buy OBX headers. The average HP was the same and the few HP and lbs. of torque gains at 3200 RPMs certainly didn't justify another $700.00.

Attachment 358404

Thanks again MarylandSpeed.

Thanks for posting, not seen this before.

[The SwiftChancelor]

Originally Posted by MarylandSpeed

Maybe there are martians too? Maybe the world is flat? Anything is possible. However I have side by side pictures proving that they are not made to an acceptable standard for any US based company. The only thing they are good, or best at is price. Everything else is a "live with it" compromise.

An no, these arguments will never get resolved. But notice..they almost always start the second someone wants to post how great their knock off headers are...looking for peer afirmation or to stick it to the man I guess. I stayed out of it, and it still turned into a crap fest. You are just a guilty yourself of feeding in the arguments because you are in every thread on the other side of the argument. It is like political threads..they will always be what they are.

Give it a rest. Do you need it stamped on your forehead, you aren't respected in these type of threads. Your the number one basher of the OBX headers and other Chinese products yet you sell Chinese products. Yes others gave their opinions stating what they thought but not like you do and yes I am on the other side and proud. So hung up on them supposedly copying Kooks, who cares thats life everyone is always imitating another. Your arguments are all BS, your a hypocrite. You even took the time to compare the two to only find out theres very little power difference increase. Everyone has a right to an opinion and you have the right to post and respond how you like but if its obvious your not wanted on an OBX header thread why continue to bash it, your not going to change peoples minds when they can read through these threads and see that 95% of the people are happy with the product and would recommend them. Are you bored? Because you sure like to stir sh*t up. I bet you just get a kick out of all it. Have fun.
Edit: Oh, I just wanted to add this. I got you all figured out so disregard all of what I have said to you now and in the past. We are consumers and you are the product. You must sell yourself whatever way possible in order to gain the consumer. I like what your doing.

[toml_pa]

Originally Posted by matt55

Thanks for posting, not seen this before.

If you are considering OBX headers, mine fit great and here are some pictures.

[papawattz]

Originally Posted by Mr_Draco

SW and ARH both uses superior 304 steel and will last longer then any other part on your car will. The cheap chinese 304 steel OBX uses, most people in the steel industry won't even touch. If you are one of these people who want keep the car till your death and pass it on to your kids or grandkids, then go ARH or SW. If you like to trade or sell your cars after a few years then you'll never tell the difference.

You may be thinking how can the two be different if they are both the same grade, 304. American steel manufacturers have more strict and higher quality standards then chinese manufacturers do. The steel chinese uses would not be able to pass the strenuous tests american made steel has to pass in order to be qualified as 304. And thus the quality and durability between the two are different.

Chinese stainless may be 304 grade stainless but it's not the same as American grade 304. I read in one of these posts where somebody measured the thickness of the tubing used on the OBX headers and it was #14 gauge? Now the kooks measures #18 gauge? Now you may be thinking well hell, oBX's are better because they are using thicker wall tubing! I have a sneaking suspicion that they are using thicker tubing because they are splitting their version of #18 gauge tubing when they start bending it? I am an Electrician and have many years bending conduit(thin wall-EMT, Rigid, Aluminium,etc...) I can remember working on a job bending EMT and every bend I made split and /or kinked the conduit....2 pieces later I was like WTF..Then I happened to look where it was made, China... I was like, "when did this happen"? Up until then all our conduit came from American factories,shit we even had some American made conduit still left on the pipe rack! So I called the supply house and asked them what was up, all the guy said was that they just switched to this new manufacturer to save money! When I explained what was happening he said they had been having complaints from other customers and were in the process of investigating these issues? I later found out that the grade of steel that the Chinese manufacturer said it was using, was in fact, not being used! Long story short, we ended up using another supplier for the rest of the job and to this day I do still see this Chinese made conduit here and there and I swear the conduit's wall thickness is greater now......WTF

[ParisTNDude]

Originally Posted by Avenging Orange

Haha! Ok, you walked into this one.....and I cant resist.
Maybe there is a reason there so may kooks/arh for sale.....
Everybody loves their OBX so much they wont part with em.

Yeah, right!...and if you believe that, boy have I got some lakeside property I would like to sell you! I had a feeling someone would say that, but the fact is, Kooks are so well made, they outlast the Camaro!!!!! LOL.

[MarylandSpeed]

This is true. If you call Kooks or SW, they will tell you they generally use as thin of a grade of stainless that is acceppable from a durability standpoint. Thinner, high quality stainless is easier to bend more complex shapes with, which allows for better fitting designs and increased weight savings for racers.

Originally Posted by papawattz

Chinese stainless may be 304 grade stainless but it's not the same as American grade 304. I read in one of these posts where somebody measured the thickness of the tubing used on the OBX headers and it was #14 gauge? Now the kooks measures #18 gauge? Now you may be thinking well hell, oBX's are better because they are using thicker wall tubing! I have a sneaking suspicion that they are using thicker tubing because they are splitting their version of #18 gauge tubing when they start bending it? I am an Electrician and have many years bending conduit(thin wall-EMT, Rigid, Aluminium,etc...) I can remember working on a job bending EMT and every bend I made split and /or kinked the conduit....2 pieces later I was like WTF..Then I happened to look where it was made, China... I was like, "when did this happen"? Up until then all our conduit came from American factories,shit we even had some American made conduit still left on the pipe rack! So I called the supply house and asked them what was up, all the guy said was that they just switched to this new manufacturer to save money! When I explained what was happening he said they had been having complaints from other customers and were in the process of investigating these issues? I later found out that the grade of steel that the Chinese manufacturer said it was using, was in fact, not being used! Long story short, we ended up using another supplier for the rest of the job and to this day I do still see this Chinese made conduit here and there and I swear the conduit's wall thickness is greater now......WTF

[TAG UR IT]

Originally Posted by Mr_Draco

SW and ARH both uses superior 304 steel and will last longer then any other part on your car will. The cheap chinese 304 steel OBX uses, most people in the steel industry won't even touch. If you are one of these people who want keep the car till your death and pass it on to your kids or grandkids, then go ARH or SW. If you like to trade or sell your cars after a few years then you'll never tell the difference.

You may be thinking how can the two be different if they are both the same grade, 304. American steel manufacturers have more strict and higher quality standards then chinese manufacturers do. The steel chinese uses would not be able to pass the strenuous tests american made steel has to pass in order to be qualified as 304. And thus the quality and durability between the two are different.

Originally Posted by papawattz

Chinese stainless may be 304 grade stainless but it's not the same as American grade 304. I read in one of these posts where somebody measured the thickness of the tubing used on the OBX headers and it was #14 gauge? Now the kooks measures #18 gauge? Now you may be thinking well hell, oBX's are better because they are using thicker wall tubing! I have a sneaking suspicion that they are using thicker tubing because they are splitting their version of #18 gauge tubing when they start bending it? I am an Electrician and have many years bending conduit(thin wall-EMT, Rigid, Aluminium,etc...) I can remember working on a job bending EMT and every bend I made split and /or kinked the conduit....2 pieces later I was like WTF..Then I happened to look where it was made, China... I was like, "when did this happen"? Up until then all our conduit came from American factories,shit we even had some American made conduit still left on the pipe rack! So I called the supply house and asked them what was up, all the guy said was that they just switched to this new manufacturer to save money! When I explained what was happening he said they had been having complaints from other customers and were in the process of investigating these issues? I later found out that the grade of steel that the Chinese manufacturer said it was using, was in fact, not being used! Long story short, we ended up using another supplier for the rest of the job and to this day I do still see this Chinese made conduit here and there and I swear the conduit's wall thickness is greater now......WTF

Just thought I'd bring these points up once again. It's good for folks to read this stuff.

My point? Buy what you want to buy. If you want to support the chinese to save a few bucks and send your money overseas, then go for it. If you don't care about what is going to happen down the road with the knock off's, neither do I. I'm glad you got your instant gratification of saving a few bucks here and now. It doesn't effect me and my Camaro.

But...

I bought a FULL Stainless Works system for my Camaro... LT's with 2" primaries, high flow cats, all the way out the back. Couldn't be happier. Glad I don't have to think about them falling apart down the road...or my money going overseas to some .... factory.

[LIM3]

whats everyones take on the doug thorley brand. specifically the shortys

[Badbubba]

Originally Posted by MarylandSpeed

What I am saying is the "Well GM uses parts made in China" argument is not relevent because those suppliers design their own stuff, are often US owned, and are held to very high standard. There is a big difference between a US company designing their stuff in the US, and then making the stuff overseas (often in a US owned...managed factory) and what is going on with the ebay header stuff. If a company is willing to steal someone else's design, you can't expect everything else is held to any kind of standard.

My argument here has never been about Walmart stuff being made in China. Unfortunatly, most American's are not willing to pay what it would cost to make their $10 Walmart clock radio in the US. It is more rooted in the wrongness of people buying blatent, inferior knock offs and acting like they got a deal. No sponsor here can thrive if the second that they made a product, there was a Chinese knock off on the market at a 3rd the price.

Totally agree. If the OBX LTs truely are copies of Kooks, then it is completely wrong, imo, to support that company. My beliefs are going to be different from others. So to each their own and enjoy what you have.