Exactly the case. LS1 tech is full of $5000+ invested in the motor, and mild steel, migged, bird shit welded headers and turbo setups that are absolute shit, and cobbled up everything else.
Those headers I wouldnt make for someone for any LESS than $1500-2000, and another $1000 for the WG tubes, downpipes and support brackets for the turbo(s). I would use an entire tank of argon just making the pipes leading up to the turbo, between welding and purging them. about $30 in SS rod, $500 in materials easy, less collectors or time making them, and LOTS of time fitting and welding them up. In reality I wouldnt be making $20 an hr by the time I spent making every weld perfect, and fitment dead nuts to hit that price point.
And thats trailering the car to me, and getting all the shit out of my way to work in the car on them… or your paying my labor to remove it all myself.
When it comes to building something and building it right… I am sorry to say it but nickle and dimmers are not good customers. Unless they know and have faith in the builder that they will make proper decisions on where time can be cut to meet a price the customer is looking for, and still leave them with something that will work, but might not win a trophy as SEMA. But anyone who looks at the headers on that motor and think $2000-3000 is too much… dont bother asking me and wasting my time. I am sorry if thats rude.
Not saying there are ways to do something on the cheap and make it work. Its just very hard to ask a potential customer “how much do you want to spend” and hope they dont immediately think they are being ripped off. If you say $800 for a set of headers like the ones above… i would say no way is that possible… and i will fully explain why.