Looking for suggestions

[Danr55]

OK guys, here is the problem. I guess the guy that built my car wasn't thinking. The headers and side pipes are held together with self tapping sheet metal screws through the header and the side pipe. I guess over the years, the holes of widened out and not the self tappers are working their way out. That leaves a big draft to suck air and everytime I shift from second to third, the car backfires. ( I know it sounds silly, but it's the truth. I plugged the holes and the backfiring immediately went away.) Anyway, I'm trying to come up with ideas that will close off the holes and keep the headers and sidepipes together. So far, the best I can do is floating nutplates hald on with countersunk rivets. Can anyone beat that idea?

[tcrist]

Dan,

Some are designed to use clips and springs to hold them together. You might want to look into buying some flanges and bolt them together using gaskets.

[mickmate]

Dan I have tabs that weld to both pipes and bolt through each other. They are on the top two pipes only. If you need a set let me know. Countersink will just open the hole out more.

[Danr55]

Mick, How do I close up the holes that are already there? Weld tabs on the inside of the header pipe?

[mickmate]

Put a big piece of copper pipe or a curved copper sheet behind the holes and weld them up. Use a drum sander or flapper wheel to clean up the inside.