My starer on my 1976 Stingray has no heat shield and is really close to the headers. I found that Mr. Gasket has a heat shield for domestic type starters called Inferno and looks to be a wrap blanket type that goes directly around the starter. It is listed for about $40. Is this something that would work well or is there something out there better? 

Lots of folks use that type of "blanket" on starters. Some like it, some think, as I do, that it tends to hold in the heat.
But...if the header pipes are that close to the starter, you really should have something on it, and that may be the best, since space is at a premium down there.

Another option(little costlier though) is to use one of the mini-starters.  With the set of headers on the 76  here, we had the standard starter on it, and when it finally gave out, i had to remove the header to replace the starter... not much fun when it came to taking 8 bolts out and dropping a pipe to take a 2 bolt starter out...

Are those mini starters easy to find? Do the Corvette parts suppliers carry them? 

 check summitt racing or jebs, they carry them, there is also a solid metal (chrome reflecting ) shield that bolts directly to your syarter that works ok, I have one one my 69 vette  with headers and it works well. It came from summitt, good luck, rd

Aaron:

I found a GM Performance Mini Starter from Summit for about $215. Does anyone know if the bolt on heat shield will fit on the mini starters? I'll most likely go that route before I have the headers welded, they are only bolted right now and leak when cold.

I have a Moroso starter shield on the Vette and the wife's 69 Camaro.  It works great.  I had a problem cooking starters on the Camaro until I installed it 3 years ago.  Not a problem since.  I put one in the Vette right from the start to avoid the heat problem.  The Moroso shield attaches to the starter  at the solonoid and leaves an air space between it and the starter.  It has insulation sandwiched between two pieces of aluminum.