Exhaust & Heat Shielding
Header choice is tied to engine mounts and steering/rack clearance. Sikky headers are the most commonly referenced; ISR headers sit lower and are generally not recommended on powered cars.
Header Options
| Header | Details |
|---|---|
| Sikky (HDR015SS) | 100% stainless, 1-7/8" primaries, merge-collector with V-band flanges. $1,231.99 alone or included in the Stage 2 package. Designed around Sikky mounts. |
| ISR (IS-GEN-LS1H) | About $990. Made for ISR mounts; sits lower, which is why it's generally not recommended on powered cars. |
| Custom / turbo manifolds | Common on boosted builds. Leave room for the steering shaft and keep heat away from the fuse box. |
Real-world warning: on one LS1 Gen Coupe, headers sitting too close caused the main fuse box to catch fire. Check clearance to the fuse box, harness, brake lines, and steering shaft, and shield anything within a few inches.
Heat Shielding
LS engines put out a ton of heat. I highly recommend spending the money on a good amount of DEI heat shielding in the tunnel and on the exhaust. With no shielding at all my legs were literally frying near the gas pedal. Wrapping only the exhaust helps, but stick-on tunnel shielding together with wrap is best.
Community & Parts Links
- Swapped GCs (Facebook)
- Genesis Coupe LS Swaps (Facebook)
- All-year shop manuals & wiring diagrams (Google Drive)
- Sikky LS swap kit
- LOJ Conversions
- ISR Performance mounts
- Jason Riddle / Dream Machine Z
Sources & further reading
- Sikky — Genesis LS swap kit (HDR015SS headers)
- ISR Performance — Genesis LS mount kit (headers sold separately)
- Super Street — LS1 Genesis Coupe (fuse box fire)
Prices and part numbers were checked in October 2026 and can change. Always confirm with the vendor before ordering.