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On3 copy cat systems

12K views 46 replies 17 participants last post by  svt99cobra 
#1 ·
I've been seeing several turbo header and crossover pipe kits for sale lately. They all look just like an On3 hotside. Is China just passing around the blueprints? And all for $200, in stainless steel shipped to your door?
 
#2 ·
I do electrical engineering of manufactured products.

The standard operation of China is they spin off things even if using a USA company's tooling.

One California company moved all their tooling and design information to China for expensive vacuum relays and capacitors, and within a year or so they were being sold by Chinese sellers on e-Bay. The USA company sells them for $600 or so wholesale and the Chinese bootleg (which are the same parts) sell for a few hundred.
 
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#4 ·
same parts, same quality, or did the quality control suffer? I would be most worried about the quality of the materials being used. I work at a fertilizer company, we use lots of stainless steel for plumbing of somewhat corrosive materials. We got some cheaper stainless manufactured in Thailand, it didn't weld together well, and was prone to leaking and even pitting in more turbulent areas.

As far as being a guinea pig, I don't know how I feel about bolting up a $200 hotside in front of a $1,500 turbo.
 
#3 ·
I've seen these too, yet i don't know anybody that has tried it. Are you gonna be the guinea?

I do electrical engineering of manufactured products...
This is exactly right. Most of the time when small American companies are looking to outsource manufacturing to China, they end up using a build house that makes a TON of different things. All the designs that come in eventually get looked at and ripped off. It's a chance American's take when trying to get manufacturing costs down.
 
#9 ·
Yes the links listed above are the cheap kits I was referring to. DNA, speed daddy, and a few other names. I couldn't bring myself to buy a set of these, mainly because I wrote down my plan for my new car/build and testing parts wasn't part of the plan. I also won't have my car going till next summer so I wouldn't be able to get results back in a timely manner. I'm anxious to see your results.
 
#12 ·
When i built my new turbo setup a few years ago i took a chance and purchased a set of 1 5/8 Stainless shorties off ebay to fab with. I have used many different kinds of name brand headers before and this set of $89 chinesium stainless headers were by far the best ones Ive ever used. tube,Welds,bends,flanges all top notch. Gaskets and supplied fasteners complete JUNK though. They have been on the car for a few years now and still look great. Haven't warped or cracked or given me any problem at all!

YMMV!!
 
#14 ·
I just ordered the stainless header kit for my old school 5.0 work car.Plan to buy a 67mm Borg Warner,Tial 44mm gate,& build a sleeper.My 5.0 is bone stock & a turbo kit would serve it well to shock some newer cars.It is a work car but I love to wipe the floor with a few annoying muscle cars.Especially them damn Dodges.They are the worst in my neck of the woods."Its got a hemi"!My reply..."so what!'
 
#27 ·
How do you post pictures on this site?Would love to show what the headers look like.They are well worth the 230 I spent.Bought a Borg Warner s366 with 91 AR.I also ordered a turbo blanket from Ebay,Tial 44mm MVR wastegate from Forced inductions and a Frozen Boost air to air intercooler.Will also purchase some ON3 exhaust pipes to finish the turbo system.The 5.0 is bone stock with unknown miles.Plan to run it for a while and try to keep HP at 400-450whp.Will upgrade to a 351 Windsor that I bought for,get this,80 bucks!Do not be too skeptical a bout the "china"exhaust.As I stated it is very good and my turbo will not care where it was made.(PTC torque convertor is also on order!)
 
#28 ·
Get a photobucket account and upload the photos there. When your making a new post, go to photobucket click on the picture you want, the icon at the bottom, just left if the trash can icon, click on it. Go to the very bottom option in that window (should say IMG). Click on that copy it to your clipboard than paste it to your post.
 
#32 ·
This kit is pretty darn good.Really impressed with the quality for bucks I spent.Now there will be those "China crap"people out there,but this is the cheapest way to get into the 5.0 turbo thing.I think On3 has produced a pretty good header kit.I bought my own turbo,66mm Borg Warner,Tial 44mm waste gate & blow off valve.Even if I have to modify a few things the price cannot be beat.The turbo will not care what header kit it sits under.As long as it stays sealed it will do its thing.On3 has made things very easy to get your feet wet in the 5.0 turbo world.I can only say good things about the "China crap"turbo headers that I bought.I do not see how some people are willing to bash this product for it being made overseas in China.If anybody wants to pay 3,4,5 or 6 thousand bucks to get the same results by all means "go for it".I also have a very large & impressive intercooler that is also made in China.But I have seen plenty of videos of cars using these "cheap"parts and knocking down 10s,9s or 8s!Most are street driven pump gas stealth monsters that are just waiting to crush some egos.I will be posting some photos of my build and will post results.
 
#35 ·
Update...still getting stuff together.Went to Photobucket website and looked into a new account.Hopefully will be posting pictures,the build,and results.This is a list of my junk...Engine is a stock block 5.0,crank,rods and pistons.(Which are factory forged)Had new ARP rod bolts installed.Studded the bottom end with girdle.Heads are GT40 X,ARP studs for the heads,Comp Cam adjustable rocker arms,Comp Cam adjustable rocker arm kit.(Yes you can convert Ford heads to be adjustable.)Ford F303 cam and graphite head gaskets.Cobra EFI intake with Accufab 70mm TB.Pro M mass air meter tuned for 48LB injectors.The turbo system consist of ON3 header kit,Borg 66mm turbo,Tial 44mm MVR wastegate,JG 50mm blow off valve.On3 air2air intercooler kit.Aeromotive FMU and 340LPH fuel pump.SCT chip will be tuned at,more than likely,Gearheads Performance in Arlington Texas.Plan to run 10LBS of boost on pump 93 fuel.Stay tuned.
 
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