Alton Franklin


Al designed the first “big tube” headers for the Detroit’s “Big Three” factory production race cars. Notables being Corvette, Camaro, Mustang, and the famous Plymouth Superbird.
In 1968 Al designed the side mount headers for Chevrolet. Intended to be a road race exhaust for Corvettes. That design evolved into the header and exhaust system that was selected by General Motors to be a factory option on Corvettes and Camaros.
In 1969 Al developed headers for Nichols Engineering. Nichols supplied MOPAR race cars to NASCAR Winston Cup teams.
In 1968 Kustom Headers won more national acclaim than any header manufacturer in the country.
Al worked with Ed Howe of Howe Enterprises. to design and produce one of stock cars most famous header, the “180 degrees”.
Al worked with Junior Johnson of NASCAR fame to develop the 180 header for the use in NASCAR.
Al and Ed Howe designed and developed all the exhaust headers and components for American Speed Association (ASA),
In 1968 Kustom Headers won more national acclaim than any header manufacturer in the country.
Al worked with Ed Howe of Howe Enterprises. to design and produce one of stock cars most famous header, the “180 degrees”.
Al worked with Junior Johnson of NASCAR fame to develop the 180 header for the use in NASCAR.
Al and Ed Howe designed and developed all the exhaust headers and components for American Speed Association (ASA),


Over the years Al designed and built exhaust for many top Michigan and national racers.
Ed Howe - Junior Johnson - Don (Big Daddy) Garlits - Shirley (Cha Cha) Muldowney - Paul Goldsmith - Mike Eddy - Junior Hanley - Bo Laws - Eddi Flora - Bob Perry - Don Biederman - Frank Seder - Bob Kingen plus many others.