Looking to do the JBA headers fairly soon. Is the stainless steel version OK? Is the ceramic coated model going to really make a difference? The factory manifolds obviously aren't coated.
If you went stainless, do you regret not spending a little extra, or are you happy with the choice?

 

Are you going with shorties or LTs? Please say LTs

 

I have ceramic shortys, and I notice they're cool enough to the touch just 15 minutes after driving. Unlike the stock manifolds which stay red hot for hours. This can help is getting rid of engine heat and to stop heat soaking the engine.

For heat reasons, its worth it to me, but for looks it really doesn't matter. Who cares if the other ones turn a burned blue color.

 

I have the OBX LTs and with some added magnaflow high flow cats and matted to the flowmaster axlebacks it sounds excellent and I don't have any issues with rubbing or speed bumps...I have to recommend the kit especially because its about $400 cheaper than any other kit out there...

 

I've never heard of OBX (not that it means anything). Is this set up in the link complete? Is this all I would need? Does this brand have a good reputation?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/OBX-0...QQcmdZViewItem

 

LTs if the price is right and I can still do the install myself in the garage...

 

People will knock on the reputation, but I know of at least 4 other people besides me that have this setup and they have had no issues...LTs are a pain in **** no matter which brand you install...so why not save a few bucks in the process...The only issue I had to get corrected by an exhaust shop was reloctaing one of the exhaust hangers on the passenger side...then I had some high flow cats welded into the catless h-pipe and had the two peice h-pipe welded together so it wouldn't leak, that was done for about $70 bucks...so ~$495 shippedfor the kit, ~$112 shipped for the cats and ~$70 to fix a couple of things with the exhaust and get the cats installed...If you don't want cats then subtract the $112...$677 w/ cats and $565 without...You won't find any kits for that price...and I think mine sounds awesome with the high flow cats...it was too raspy when I was running them without...however I have heard that the resonated pipe that comes with the kit also sounds good, so its probably similar to my setup with high flow cats...

 

IS THERE A BOLT ON LT HEADER SET UP THAT RETAINS CATS? WITHOUT ANY WELDING, ETC?

 

The JBA system retains the cats if you buy their H-pipe. I have the JBA system with L/T's and didnt get it coated merely b/c back when i bought the set up, it cost a lot more than it does now.

With that being said, I dont have any problems with the set up and the heat has not been an issue yet. If you can afford to shell out the extra money, then go ahead and get the heat shielded ones. If not, then I wouldnt worry about it.

Also, I looked at the OBX system on ebay (there are a lot of them on there cheap)...never heard of them but seems like more people are buying them cause of the price...Like they say, you get what you pay for...

 

You do get what you pay for...I got what you did and paid a lot less...just because something is cheaper doesn't make it inferior...I have seen people complain on here about their American Racing headers rubbing or scraping from clearance issues...I have no issues and there are several other people have had very few if any issues with this setup...but mine are inferior because they are cheaper...they are cheaper because they don't have 5 billion dollars worth of marketing driving the product...it’s all economics...but I'm sure you already knew that...in the end buy what makes you happy I guess...if you want to save some money the OBX is a nice setup...if you want to pay more for a stronger more heavily marketed name brand then that is your decision...I just know there are enough people that have had success with the OBX setup to make it worth the money they and I have spent...