I finally checked the photo guides on the website and saw where the driver's side header always cracks, and found that mine is cracked, of course. The latest I heard, it should be bolted to a junk head, and TIG welded. Is this still the preferred method?
I remember on the list, probably 1-2 years ago, there were shops that would do the repair if you ship them the header. Anyone still do this, or is there a good shop near Cincinnati, OH where I could have this done?
AFAIK, it's still the best way to do it. Bolting to the head and letting it cool slowly keeps things from cracking and warping.
Dwight Hayden in the St. Louis area refurbished them (and may still). You might want to contact him.... he's got some posts out there.
It is important to use the right rod to match up with the stainless header material and to heat a broader area for stress relief. Some add a bridge across the gap between three and five to further strengthen the joint.
I think Dwight quit repairing them due to health reasons but he was the "Master" of header repair.
I have had good luck with repaired headers that I received from Conley's Performance Plus in the past. I suspect that any really competent welder can fix them and, yes, it is really helpful to bolt them to an old head to prevent warpage.