As some of you know from the the other zzp header thread I ordered the new zzp shorty header to mate up to the ported head on my daily/winter redline. I received it in the mail last week and took some pics last night since I haven't seen anyone post any yet.

I bought this header because I sold my vibrant header and zzp 3" dp to the friend that bought my TVS and he gave me his catted 2.5" zzp dp, and I didn't want to run the stock header, but I didn't want an expensive setup for this car. This header is about $180, and is their answer to all the cheaper shorty headers out there, so I wasn't expecting too overly nice of a merge collector or anything too spectacular (I have inspected their long tube and my vibrant which are much more expensive pieces, and it shows a bit), but overall I was pleased with my purchase upon inspection. Here are a few pics.

Nice looking, stainless, welds look great.


The welds on the primaries where they connect to the flange on the inside are slightly inconsistent, but that isn't too out of the norm. There weren't any obvious larger or smaller openings, and the quality of the welds looked good.


Merge area is the standard flat cut primaries into a tapered collector, with any slag cleaned up and not left hanging there like some of the other similarly priced headers I've seen.


I'm not trying to sound like an expert or like I'm critiquing it too harshly. I'm just giving my observations from when opened the box. I am pleased with the product, especially for the price, and wanted to try a newer product and am happy with my purchase

The header is on the car now, and I should be starting it tonight if I get a few hours to work on it. Once the hood and trunk are finished I'll start driving it!

 

Awsome! still debating on this or bad mab decisions decisions

 

Nice man!! Looks pretty good.

Can you snap a better shot of the collector? Maybe shine a light as you take the photo.

 

That shot did get a little dark. I'll take a better one before I put the DP on tonight.

I have seen a badmab in person up close as well on another local car, and I considered it. I just wanted to give the zzp a try, and in my opinion it looks to be cleaned up a bit better than the badmab I saw.

 

It does look a little cleaner than my badmab but the badmab primaries are a little bigger.

 

Yeah, I had to clean up my Badmabs collector area a bit when I had it.

Here's a shot of it:

 

Yours looks much better than the local one I saw.

What size are the primaries on the badmab? I believe my vibrant was 1.7", but only a 2.5" collector. The zzp I believe is 1.625" but with a 3" collector, that I'm feeding into a 2.5" DP lol

 

1.71 with 3 inch collector.

 

They claim 1.71", but I think I measured about 1.625" like ZZP's. They were def smaller than 1.71", I can tell you that.

I drove around with a 3" collector dumping into a 2.5" inlet downpipe at one time. Caused a bit of turbulence, felt it struggle a bit up top. If you are only using the car as a daily driver, you should be fine though.

 

Yeah its all feeding into a stock catback

I'm going to take the rotary tool to the opening on the downpipe just to smooth it a bit. I got spare time lol

 

Good idea

 

I have a spare bad mab I could cut and take some measurements if ya want? Its ready for scrapping anyway.

 

Why scrap?

 

I love my badmab.

 

Its cracked in places where the welder won't reach. Not 1 or 2 cracks. Several

 

I'd still prefer a ported stock manifold over one of these cheapy headers. I noticed nice gains on the ported stocker, similar to any shorty. If you are gonna spend the cash, i'd only upgrade to at least a mid-length style that will actually work better with a solid collector design.

I went with a CIA back when they were new and it was a nice piece, there's even more options out there now. I get that this is a budget mod, that's why I ported exhaust manifolds for $50. Same gain for really cheap (plus stock sound and looks, no cracks, etc)

 

My GMPP manifold was ported by this guy^

His work is top notch.

 

I get where you are coming from Joe. I was going to run the stock header, but I couldn't get myself to put it on my ported head, and just wanted something better, but I decided that last week, and the car is near together now, so I didn't have much time. It's really only my winter car/trip car and I always down to try new parts out. I'll leave the red car to make the power

 

I still need to send you my GMPP honed manifold to work on. I have been meaning to get this done for a while. Maybe if I get motivated enough to mess with the car while its down for winter, I will take off the manifold and get it to you

 

Whenever you're ready, i'm down.

 

what size are the primaries and collector on a stock manifold?

 

https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/2-0l...nifold-278302/

The extrude honing doesn't markedly increase the size, only the smoothness of the internal surfaces.

 

So i could port/hone the stock manifold and see close to the same gains?

 

Yeah.

Porting is where the gain comes in, you can see the size increase in the link with his measurements.

The honed manifold was a homologation piece offered by GMPP that is just smoother inside, it makes a better starting point for porting but isn't necessary at all, as you grind down most of the areas anyway when porting. If you can get one cheap then by all means use the GMPP one but a ported stocker served me very well for a long time and i've done a bunch of them for people with great results. I think i've only done 2 or 3 of the honed ones, they are just too expensive to be practical in my opinion.

 

i do believe you just saved me 200$ on buying a header. lol

i would love to send to you since 50$ is cheap as hell and youd do a better job but i might as well since i have a drimel tool and set of calipers

Thanks alot!