Camaro/Nova NOS Vintage Blackjack Headers

[Day2_69Z]

Some info/facts/guesstimates...
APPLIANCE LATE. 60's Early 70's ...
BB & SB ......Mostly Individual head flanges with or without P/N...mostly odd tubing bends,placement into collector with Welded on 4 Bolt flange.
The same P/N Sets had various bolt pattern collector bolt up diameters. (availability ??)

MOST All the early welding was Stick /gas welding on the flanges, tubes, collectors , later came electric welds, then mig/tig style.......
CLUE. ....The sloppier the weld with thick beads ,,The OLDER. the HEADERS....

Appliance did mix up collector flanges as later they went from welded 4 bolts to welded 3 bolts....then some, not all, but some applications used swivel 4 & 3 bolt flanges......
When Black Jack superceded Appliance they retained alot of old style/old stock components to build up inventory.
Another Major Variance is; Collector Length....
It seems The Early stuff had Longer Collectors.

Most BlackJack 1rst Gen were Individual Head Flanges. with Either welded collector flanges then swivel 4 bolts......eventually they became all swivals when MR. GASKET/ GRACE Took over and the Quality really Declined , loosing the Black Jack name altogether,,,,, becoming packaged as Mr.Gasket Brand.

This is when you saw computer design for multiple applications taking away the unique multiple bends,spaghetti look tubes into a generic look like today's Headers.(Less Materials, Less hand construction, Less parts, Less steps meant Higher units produced with higher profits.

Keep in mind, the manufacturing, welding process and components were Teamed out (Various Groups building similar units) Mass Produced. Using what was in their bins.

The Higher End Competition Headers were all Handmade,Hand Assembled by only a few craftsmen such as STAHL, DOUGS,HEDMAN,JARDINE etc. Using Stick/Gas techniques.... some later went mig.......
These Headers are Much Harder to come by as the Volume built was Quite lower than Brand Name SpeedShop Headers

Conclusion,,,,, its a confusing hit n miss use your best judgment and seat of the pants......Nothing is ETCHED in STONE....