Christopher Neil Stainless Steel Headers

[peg_pilot]

Has anyone had experience with the stainless steel headers sold by
Christopher Neil ? I was thinking of trying them because I haven't
been able to find any standard bore stainless headers in the U.S. The
price (at least before shipping) seems reasonable, also, even with
the weak dollar.

Do they fit ? Do they last ?

Thanks for any thoughts.

[Frank Howard]

I bought complete stainless steel exhaust systems, including headers for my
Elan and my Europa from Chris Neil probably 3 and 5 years ago. So far so good.
I don't put a lot of miles on the cars, but the lack of use is probably the
best test for durability because lack of use promotes rust. If the rest of
your exhaust is not stainless, I would order the whole thing and be done with
it. You'll need 4 clamps to complete the installation and the best place to get
those are Dave Bean because he sells stainless ones. As far as rubber mounts
are concerned, Chris Neil sells a bobbin mount that you can use in the back
in conjunction with a fabricated bracket (that you'll have to fabricate
yourself). For the front, you'll just have to wing it by attaching it to one of the
bell housing bolts. Any muffler shop will have rubber mounts for this. The
stainless exhaust that Chris Neil sells is for a +2. For the baby Elan, you
just whack off a foot of the main pipe.

One side effect of headers is that you will feel a lot more heat in the foot
well. I grabbed one of my wife's aluminum baking pans that consist of two
sheets with an air space in between. Cut it to fit and screw it to the chassis
and that problem will be solved. Good luck.

Frank Howard
'71 Elan S4 SE
'74 Europa Special
Minnesota

[gwnorth68]

I bought and fitted Christopher Neil stainless headers for my 68 S3. They
fitted very poorly, necessitating serious relief to be cut in the frame and
amputation of a fibreglass protrusion in the fibreglass body footwell area.
The headers are still very close to the fibreglass but have not yet set the
car on fire. I related my difficulties to Paul McStein of CN who said there
were variations in headers from set to set. I have also replaced the studs
with bolts to facilitate installation and removal. Nearly impossible to fit
or remove the headers if studs are used with the body on the frame.
I suggest a call to Paul McStein would be useful. I have found him very
straightforward and helpful and with problems encountered during my Elan
restoration.
Tom Moore
----- Original Message -----
From: "peg_pilot" <***@***.***>

Sent: Monday, December 06, 2004 7:38 PM
Subject: [LotusElan.net] Christopher Neil Stainless Steel Headers




Has anyone had experience with the stainless steel headers sold by
Christopher Neil ? I was thinking of trying them because I haven't
been able to find any standard bore stainless headers in the U.S. The
price (at least before shipping) seems reasonable, also, even with
the weak dollar.

Do they fit ? Do they last ?

Thanks for any thoughts.

[john.p.clegg]

Have had mine on for approx. four years and they are lasting O.K. (as you would expect being stainless),as for the fit it is a bit tight and the flanges took a couple of hours with some small grinders to match the "headers" to the ports if you want no "steps".

John


peg_pilot <***@***.***> wrote:


Has anyone had experience with the stainless steel headers sold by
Christopher Neil ? I was thinking of trying them because I haven't
been able to find any standard bore stainless headers in the U.S. The
price (at least before shipping) seems reasonable, also, even with
the weak dollar.

Do they fit ? Do they last ?

Thanks for any thoughts.

[Lincoln62]

I had a stainless system made in 1989 for my S2 (not the headers though)
and it still sounds as good as the day it was fitted. The worst part of
the rusting process is that the system inevitable fails when you are
going on a trip. More heat soak and greater gas flow at speed and all
of a sudden your Elan sounds like a tractor. A bummer if you are on
holidays. I now have stainless on all my cars.

Peter
66S2

***@***.***e:

I bought complete stainless steel exhaust systems, including headers for
my Elan and my Europa from Chris Neil probably 3 and 5 years ago. So
far so good. I don't put a lot of miles on the cars, but the lack of
use is probably the best test for durability because lack of use
promotes rust. If the rest of your exhaust is not stainless, I would
order the whole thing and be done with it.