destrux
20+ Year Contributor
- 85
- 1
- Nov 27, 2002
-
Tamaqua,
Pennsylvania
This is my 3rd custom fabricated side exit system I built for my 1g fwd. The first two were on the car for 3 years each before they rusted out (PA winters suck). I never posted the earlier ones because... well... they were fugly. Before I had a welder and the knowledge of how to use it on thin metal I kept NAPA in business with all of the muffler clamps and adapters I bought. This system I only needed two muffler clamps on the entire thing...
<BR><BR>
This is my current downpipe, I fabricated it last year with 2.5" mandrel bends and a flex section. It's galvanized mild steel. I hate gaskets... so it has no flange on the end. This is what the system is designed to hook up to. It follows the stock exhaust path.<br>
<br><br>
These are the parts I ordered to fabricate it. Pictured are a long leg 2.5inch 90 deg dynomax mandrel bend (they call it a universal tailpipe), a stainless steel 45 degree magnaflow mandrel bend, and a 2.5" high performance cat (pilfered from a Mazdaspeed3 stock exhaust system). I later added a 2.5" dynomax bullet race muffler to take the rasp out of the exhaust (it sounded like a diesel pickup), which is not pictured.<br>
<BR><BR>
I slash cut the 45 degree to make a nice exhaust tip.<br>
<BR><BR>
Welded the cat to a 2.5"ID pipe, which slips onto the downpipe and clamps in place with a SS band clamp for a leak free seal. After the cat is a custom hanger.<br>
<br>
Pic of the whole system, the lift runner is blocking the view of the tip. The rear leg of the exhaust is supported by two universal hangers. It's rock solid.<br>
<BR><BR>
Pic of the tip with the system installed. I have no problems with the bodywork getting black or heating up under any conditions. On my last system I had a large log get under the car and bend the pipe back about 4 inches, still no problems.<br>
I have people ask me all the time about the legality of this style system. In PA the law says the exhaust has to exit to the "bodyline". It doesn't say "in the stock location", or what bodyline exactly. I've never been pulled over for this exhaust, but I did have an officer ask me once when he saw the car parked how loud it was... and since it's not very loud he had no problem with it. I will mention that with the system on the car with no muffler or resonator it does have a very loud rasp to it that will get you pulled over. I added the shortest and smallest muffler I could find, a dynomax bullet race muffler, and it brought the sound down considerably. It has a smooth mellow tone to it now, and isn't louder than the last rear exit 3 inch exhaust I heard.
Also worth mentioning is that I didn't bother with a fancy polished tip because the debris coming off the front tire will make the exhaust dull in a matter of days anyway. I did use stainless steel, because it does stay better looking and is more dent resistant than mild steel. Also, this system took approximately 30 pounds off the car compared to a rear exit system with a muffler. I don't know about power gains because I don't have a rear exit system to compare it with on the dyno. I figure it should be about the same, maybe a little better.
<BR><BR>
This is my current downpipe, I fabricated it last year with 2.5" mandrel bends and a flex section. It's galvanized mild steel. I hate gaskets... so it has no flange on the end. This is what the system is designed to hook up to. It follows the stock exhaust path.<br>
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
<br><br>
These are the parts I ordered to fabricate it. Pictured are a long leg 2.5inch 90 deg dynomax mandrel bend (they call it a universal tailpipe), a stainless steel 45 degree magnaflow mandrel bend, and a 2.5" high performance cat (pilfered from a Mazdaspeed3 stock exhaust system). I later added a 2.5" dynomax bullet race muffler to take the rasp out of the exhaust (it sounded like a diesel pickup), which is not pictured.<br>
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
<BR><BR>
I slash cut the 45 degree to make a nice exhaust tip.<br>
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
<BR><BR>
Welded the cat to a 2.5"ID pipe, which slips onto the downpipe and clamps in place with a SS band clamp for a leak free seal. After the cat is a custom hanger.<br>
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
<br><br>
Pic of the whole system, the lift runner is blocking the view of the tip. The rear leg of the exhaust is supported by two universal hangers. It's rock solid.<br>
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
<BR><BR>
Pic of the tip with the system installed. I have no problems with the bodywork getting black or heating up under any conditions. On my last system I had a large log get under the car and bend the pipe back about 4 inches, still no problems.<br>
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
<BR><BR>I have people ask me all the time about the legality of this style system. In PA the law says the exhaust has to exit to the "bodyline". It doesn't say "in the stock location", or what bodyline exactly. I've never been pulled over for this exhaust, but I did have an officer ask me once when he saw the car parked how loud it was... and since it's not very loud he had no problem with it. I will mention that with the system on the car with no muffler or resonator it does have a very loud rasp to it that will get you pulled over. I added the shortest and smallest muffler I could find, a dynomax bullet race muffler, and it brought the sound down considerably. It has a smooth mellow tone to it now, and isn't louder than the last rear exit 3 inch exhaust I heard.
Also worth mentioning is that I didn't bother with a fancy polished tip because the debris coming off the front tire will make the exhaust dull in a matter of days anyway. I did use stainless steel, because it does stay better looking and is more dent resistant than mild steel. Also, this system took approximately 30 pounds off the car compared to a rear exit system with a muffler. I don't know about power gains because I don't have a rear exit system to compare it with on the dyno. I figure it should be about the same, maybe a little better.
... but it does look good, great job man
