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By HT32BSX115 - 11 Years Ago
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Howdy Y'all,
Haven't posted here in a while, but I'm back!
A few years ago, I bought a set of those wonderful Rams Horns from John.
Does anyone know where I can get flanges for them? I'd really like 3/8" stainless steel flanges
regards,
Rick
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By Outlaw56 - 11 Years Ago
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Hey Rick,
I got two sets and not sure where you would find those but trust me, I have a hard time finding just the simple stuff. So I dont want to hijack your thread but Im getting ready to paint one set. Im using the 1200 degree engine paint that you bake in the oven three times after painting. Somewhere here or over at the FTE site, I read something about a guy having to hog out a little of the cast on Johns rams so a socket would fit the bolt to secure it to the block. I did a test fit and I saw nothing like that, but I did not tighten them down. Did you have any issues with your rams? I need to figure it out before I paint mine. Dont want to paint and bake twice.
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By paul2748 - 11 Years Ago
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Did you try a shop that does exhaust systems work?
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By HT32BSX115 - 11 Years Ago
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Outlaw56 (4/28/2014)
Hey Rick,
I got two sets and not sure where you would find those but trust me, I have a hard time finding just the simple stuff. So I dont want to hijack your thread but Im getting ready to paint one set. Im using the 1200 degree engine paint that you bake in the oven three times after painting. Somewhere here or over at the FTE site, I read something about a guy having to hog out a little of the cast on Johns rams so a socket would fit the bolt to secure it to the block. I did a test fit and I saw nothing like that, but I did not tighten them down. Did you have any issues with your rams? I need to figure it out before I paint mine. Dont want to paint and bake twice.
I had mine ceramic coated right after I got them by a company in Auburn WA http://www.performancecoatings.com/index2.html
They REALLY came out nice. They coat the inside and outside.........But I did try to bolt it on with all the holes and I can tighten all the nuts. (I am using studs)
I was worried after I got them coated. A couple of the nuts were pretty close!
Did you try a shop that does exhaust systems work?
I did find this one.......and it appears to be the right size but it would be nice if John supplied or at least optionally offered one if one with the Rams horns.
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By Outlaw56 - 11 Years Ago
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I talked to them last year, sounds like they do awesome work. My first set of John Rams I spent a long time with a die grinder making the castings perfect. I think those will go there for coating. This last pair I think Im gonna try the 1200 rattle can paint. I can alwas send them in for blasting and ceramic. Let us know how they hold up.
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By HT32BSX115 - 11 Years Ago
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Darrell,
I think you'd like the finish! I haven't heated them up yet but I'm getting close! I finally got back to working on the truck. I'm finishing building the rear transmission mount.
I'm just about ready to weld it all up. I have to do a 'fit' check to make sure the transmission doesn't hit the floor of the cab.
That E4OD is MUCH larger than the old T-98 I removed! Plus, the tail-mounted E-brake is pretty big too! I had to shorten the front drive shaft and once everything fits I'll align the drive shafts.
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By charliemccraney - 11 Years Ago
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You'll want to check the dimensions of those flanges before you order. "Modern" flanges look similar but the dimensions don't work. When I had the exhaust made for my rams horns, we cut the flanges off of the crossover pipe.
I thought John did offer them, maybe not in stainless, though. I think you can get them from speedway in mild steel. If you have an angle grinder and a drill press at the minimum, you can make them pretty easily.
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By Outlaw56 - 11 Years Ago
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Rick,
I no doubt would like the finish they do, pretty much wanted to go with them from the start for my 292. Problem is I picked up this F-250 to make a "flatbed with duallies and stacks" for my wife and it kinda bumped my f-100's to the back of the line. Right now everything is on hold waiting to see if I get oil to the rockers on the 272. Im in mourning over the loss of a 1960 F-600 Dump Truck that is scheduled to be hauled to the crusher soon. I just cant save em all.
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By Outlaw56 - 11 Years Ago
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Charlie, would it be fairley easy to know out a set of those shorter intake exhaust manifold brackets for the four barrell B manifolds too? Maybe we should put the request up to John for production of SS exhaust flanges to match his rams? I think he makes the exhaust hold downs for his aluminum intake, but not sure if they would work on a stock b manifold.
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By charliemccraney - 11 Years Ago
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You could make the intake hold downs, too.
I can't speak for John, but assuming he isn't busy enough with the stuff he does offer and there is enough demand, he could produce those. However, short term, you will be better off to find them already made, make them yourself, or have them made. Be prepared to spend some $$ for that last option. Also, be prepared to spend $$$ for the rest of the custom stainless exhaust system.
I think stainless is more expensive than necessary. Aluminized tubing lasts a long time and is cheap. |
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By HT32BSX115 - 11 Years Ago
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I did some careful measurements on the manifold and found that the following flanges are very close!
F200-2CNC or F213-2CNC both have a 3" bolt circle and roughly 2" ID
http://www.spdexhaust.com/2BoltB.html
I'm not against using aluminized tubing either.
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By HT32BSX115 - 11 Years Ago
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paul2748 (4/28/2014)
Did you try a shop that does exhaust systems work?
Hey guys,
Here's a follow up on this. I did try a local company (Stans Headers in Auburn, WA)
They had flanges for everything "known" to man and make whatever isn't known............EXCEPT ONE THAT FITS THIS MANIFOLD!!!!!!
They said I might have to make my own (!)
Yes, I do have a plasma cutter and a die grinder, but it would be nice if someone made these. (stainless steel or mild)
So, a suggestion to John M...... You might want to offer either an optional flange, bolt one to the manifolds, or provide a ready source when you sell them!
either or both 1/2" or 3/8" mild or stainless flanges.
Cheers,
Rick
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By gekko13 - 11 Years Ago
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Rick, You might try Columbia River Mandrel Bending, St. Helens, OR. 1-800-615-8823
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By miker - 11 Years Ago
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I'm a lttile confused by this post. But today, on the way to Mom's house, I drove by Performance Coatings in Auburn. On the way home, I drove by Stan's headers in Auburn.
Stan's sold me the flanges for my 312 roadster motor, and the headers were custom made elsewhere.
He also makes the FPA headers, designed down by another Stan 15 miles south.
After Ted Eaton ran my FPA '55 bird headers on the dyno motor, Performance Coatings did them for me.
All first class shops.
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By HT32BSX115 - 11 Years Ago
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miker (5/8/2014)
Stan's sold me the flanges for my 312 roadster motor, and the headers were custom made elsewhere.
Not sure who you talked to, I spent about 25 min there last week.
I even took one of my Rams Horns in for them to try to match up a flange if they had one.
They do have a generic one with slotted holes that really doesn't match well, but might probably "work".
They told me they could make them ("one-off") but it would be about $35-45 (each)
I didn't think flanges to fit these manifolds would be so rare...............
If I don't order flanges from the links I posted earlier, I'll probably be making them myself.
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By charliemccraney - 11 Years Ago
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I think Miker is talking about the flanges that would go on the heads for headers whereas this thread is about the flange that goes on the opposite end of stock manifolds. Two different things.
$35-$45 ea isn't bad for one off - also considering how hard they are to find. You couldn't do it that cheap yourself if you charged yourself a reasonable hourly wage. You might find out how much 10 or 20 would cost and maybe have a run of them made to sell.
Did you investigate the flanges at speedway motors? |
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By miker - 11 Years Ago
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Your right Charlie, my somewhat dim lightbulb came on just before you posted. Sorry, guys.
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By HT32BSX115 - 11 Years Ago
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charliemccraney (5/8/2014)
$35-$45 ea isn't bad for one off - also considering how hard they are to find. You couldn't do it that cheap yourself if you charged yourself a reasonable hourly wage. You might find out how much 10 or 20 would cost and maybe have a run of them made to sell.
Did you investigate the flanges at speedway motors?
Well, if I considered my hourly wage, I wouldn't even attempt restoring this truck!! 
I did look at Speedway. I found 2 2-bolt flanges. One is a 3.15" bolt circle for a Ford Flathead and the other is for a Chevy. Both are pretty thin. Looks like I'll be practicing my 'freehand' with the plasma cutter if I don't buy one of the other ones I found........
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By charliemccraney - 11 Years Ago
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The plasma cutter will make it easier. Use a scribe to trace a gasket and mark the hole centers, cut it out with plasma, clean it up with a bench grinder or angle grinder and a coarse sanding disc then drill your holes. I think the angle grinder works better than the bench grinder because you have more control and you can clamp the piece in a vice so you don't have to hold onto a burning hot chunk of metal while grinding and the sanding disc removes material very quickly but tends to leave a better finish than the grinding stone.
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By Outlaw56 - 11 Years Ago
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I might be over thinkin this, but if you make your own, dosen't that big hole in the middle of the flange flange have to be "perfect" so there is no exhaust leak? I guess if the end of the pipe where it passes thru the flange is flared, the hole would not have to be accurately "machined". But then it would need more than just a circle in the middle of the flange to recess the flanged pipe to sit flat agains the manifold surface. What am I missing? It sounds like making it yourself would be more difficult than just shaping the flange and cutting one big hole in the center and two bolt holes to mount.
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By charliemccraney - 11 Years Ago
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The pipe is welded to the flange so a little clearance doesn't matter.
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By Outlaw56 - 11 Years Ago
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Oh geze, how could I have overlooked that. Now that you said it, its so obvious. So really, there is not a flange on the end of the pipe, its just flush and welded on the side where it starts into the flange. Correct?
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By charliemccraney - 11 Years Ago
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I don't understand what you are trying to describe, but so long as you can fasten the pipe to the manifold, any method of welding will do.
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By HT32BSX115 - 11 Years Ago
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Yeah, since the 'seal' is between the flange and the flat mounting surface of the manifold, , the flange only needs to be flat so it can crush the exhaust gasket.
The pipe is ("butt") welded directly to the flange. The flange needs to be thick enough so as not to warp when it's welded. If it does warp, and it's 3/8" or 1/2" steel, it won't warp much if at all (1/2" inch is way over-kill)
It'll look something like below:
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By Outlaw56 - 11 Years Ago
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Bad choice of words on my description Charlie. I can see how I made it confusing. I was originally thinking the pipe had a flare on it like a flared tubing fitting. Not sure where I dreamed that one up.
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By HT32BSX115 - 11 Years Ago
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There are of course, flared exhaust ends but they are a lot harder to fabricate.........and wouldn't work here anyway......
It would have been nice if the manifold had a tapered/concave end on it so one could use one of those "doughnut" gaskets and a flared/flanged pipe end. it would probably seal much better and be a little more forgiving to engine vibration and movement.
As it is, I'll have to use flexible joints in the exhaust system.like these...
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By Outlaw56 - 11 Years Ago
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HT, how do you post those nice pictures in your post?
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By HT32BSX115 - 11 Years Ago
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Darrell,
There's icons in the window you use to type your messages in this BBS software. (When you reply, look above where you're typing)
If you "Mouse-Over" each icon(don't click yet), a short description will "pop-up".
The one that looks like a little "mountain" is the image insert icon. Using it, you can insert either pictures from your own computer or copy/paste a link to a picture from the web.
Another way to do it is using links provided at sites like PhotoBucket and/or other photo-hosting sites. That's the way I usually do it since i'm usually posting pictures that I have saved at Photobucket for this reason.
Here's an example:
[?IMG?]http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a317/nixypixy07/55%20Ford%20F600/292-F600.jpg[?/IMG?]
The above link (without the ? before and after "IMG") displays the picture below.
Cheers,
Rick
 Each picture is a slightly different "link" you just copy/paste (from Photobucket) into this message window
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