Has anyone ever bought an exhaust kit and did the install themselves, if so what company did you buy from and how big of a pita was it? Finally got my engine running and with just open headers you cant hear yourself think and im sure the neighbors aren't too excited. I still have alot to do in order to be able to drive it anywhere and was thinking about doing the exhaust myself
Has anyone ever bought an exhaust kit and did the install themselves, if so what company did you buy from and how big of a pita was it? Finally got my engine running and with just open headers you cant hear yourself think and im sure the neighbors aren't too excited. I still have alot to do in order to be able to drive it anywhere and was thinking about doing the exhaust myself
For starters you need a mig, plasma cutter and possibllly a torch.
Too much invested in them to toss them to the side (Doug Thorley ceramic coated) but if i had it to do all over i probably would of went with the long branch manifolds instead. This whole restoration experience has been one big learning curve. I'll definitely check out gardner exhaust. Thanks
I noticed that also, i stumbled across this one by flowmaster. 2.5 inch SS exhaust with all the mounting hardware, series 44 mufflers. Seems to have a lot of good reviews, got my attention anyhow. After discount 550 shipped to my door
Man that seems expensive. I mean you get the collectors with your headers so the two pipes from there to your X-pipe is about 16". of straight pipe. Then your X. Then about 12" of straight pipe. Then your mufflers. Then your tailpipes. So let's see total about 5" of straight pipe, the X-pipe, $100 in mufflers, and about $125 for tailpipes. Besides, you couldn't pay me to run blow master muffs even if they are better than they used to be. Something to be said for not having to chase down all the pieces you need I guess. Maybe I'm just cheap( no doubt about it).
Can't hurt to call a local muffler shop and get some pricing. That's what I did years ago. Supplied my own Flowmasters and had them install them with chrome tips...Don't remember what the price was, but it wasn't 600 bones.
Can't hurt to call a local muffler shop and get some pricing. That's what I did years ago. Supplied my own Flowmasters and had them install them with chrome tips...Don't remember what the price was, but it wasn't 600 bones.
Agree. I went with a kit on my first resto, was OK, but all the joints and clamps everywhere looked awful. Went to a local shop, they custom bent and installed the entire system for a total of $50 more than I paid for the kit. Had them do 4-5 other firebirds since, all reasonably priced. The other good thing is they can accommodate any mods (or headers you have). I also recommend LBMs over tube headers. They also can put stock chrome splitters on if you provide them.
I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not sure. I feel like I am diagonally parked in a parallel universe. 1968 400 convertible (Scarlet) 1976 T/A - 455 LE (No Burt) 1976 T/A New baby, starting full restoration. 1968 350 - 4 speed 'vert - 400 clone (the Beast!) 1968 350 convertible - Wife's car now- 400 clone (Aleutian Blue) (Blue Angel) 2008 Durango - DD 2008 GXP - New one from NH is AWESOME! 2017 Durango Citadel - Modern is nice! HEMI is amazing! 1998 Silverado Z71 - Father-daughter project 1968 400 coupe - R/A clone (Blue Pearl) (sold) 1967 326 convertible - Sold 1980 T/A SE Bandit - Sold
If you want to hear yourself think after you do your exhaust, use something other than flowmaster 44s. They only flow about 59% of what an open header does and they are about the loudest muffler out there. Both Dynomax and Magnaflow will flow way better than them and are easier on the ears. Flowmasters were on my car when I bought it, I swapped to Magnaflow, although still a bit too load my ears, my wife and my neighbors thanked me.
I have an uncle who has all the tools and is an experienced welder. We have done a couple of exhausts together. One literally from scratch and another from a kit. In both cases I can tell you I would have rather just taken it to an exhaust/muffler shop. It isn't rocket science but there s a skill, almost art to bending and lining up parts, tacking together, and making tight and correct. Pay the money to the shop is my advice.
I have an uncle who has all the tools and is an experienced welder. We have done a couple of exhausts together. One literally from scratch and another from a kit. In both cases I can tell you I would have rather just taken it to an exhaust/muffler shop. It isn't rocket science but there s a skill, almost art to bending and lining up parts, tacking together, and making tight and correct. Pay the money to the shop is my advice.
Ditto.
Over the 51 years with my Bird I have had two pairs of the front pipes, 6 pairs of resonators, 3 pairs of middle pipes, 6 crossover mufflers, and 6 pairs of tail pipes. I can think of few times that the place doing the work has not struggled with precise positioning and eliminating rattles. Granted the worse problem is because it is a convert but that's not the only reason. I replaced the crossover muffler and two tail pipes myself for the last repair and it took a lot of tweaking to get it all to fit without rattles.