HOME MADE EXHAUST
I used a Summit 2-1/2" kit, but I'd ordered it prior to realizing how silly I'd get with my engine. When I finally got to the exhaust, I used a Summit universal 3" X-pipe kit along with the 2-1/2" exhaust kit and TTi headers. I cut and welded the X-pipe kit to bolt directly to the headers, with the X near the U-joint. I angled the inlet pipes up a little so the outlets of the X-section pointed up toward the floor a bit (ground clearance).
I used the full length of the outlet pipes to keep it 3" as long as possible, but I had to go down to 2-1/2" to get into the mufflers. This shows how close I was able to keep the exhaust to the floor with my X-pipe trickery:
Since the car has the springs relocated, stock-location tailpipes weren't going to fit. I wanted quiet exhaust, so I found some 2-1/2" in/out resonators and mounted those to the outside of the frame rails. I used one of these on each side as a resonator hanger:
I simply folded the strap over itself and bolted it into the original hole for the shackle hanger.
I made sure everything was aligned out back, then went back up front and started connecting things. The turndowns are just set in place here; I later welded them.
I dragged out every high-lift stand I could find, mocked everything up, and then forgot to keep taking pictures... damn it.
Since I failed to take pictures, I'll explain what I did next. I used some Flowmaster tapered pipe transitions band-clamped to the back of the X-pipe. I cut the Summit head pipes and fitted them to the transitions and the mufflers. Once everything seemed to be where I wanted it, I wondered how I'd get to the resonators with stock-style over-axle pipes. It turns out that the Summit pipes are cut directly over the axle and slip-fit together. I'm assuming that was to allow the tailpipes to be clocked for outboard springs, because it worked perfectly. I simply rotated them in the slip joint until the tails aligned with the resonators, cut, and slipped them into the resonators. I used band clamps here to facilitate later resonator replacement, if needed.
It's not a great shot since the site resizes pictures, but the nearly-complete system looks like this to the oil pan (which is actually the lowest point on the car):
Side shot shows very adequate ground clearance. The oil pan's a much larger concern, really.
The mufflers are tucked up quite nicely, too.
(Continued...)
I used a Summit 2-1/2" kit, but I'd ordered it prior to realizing how silly I'd get with my engine. When I finally got to the exhaust, I used a Summit universal 3" X-pipe kit along with the 2-1/2" exhaust kit and TTi headers. I cut and welded the X-pipe kit to bolt directly to the headers, with the X near the U-joint. I angled the inlet pipes up a little so the outlets of the X-section pointed up toward the floor a bit (ground clearance).
I used the full length of the outlet pipes to keep it 3" as long as possible, but I had to go down to 2-1/2" to get into the mufflers. This shows how close I was able to keep the exhaust to the floor with my X-pipe trickery:
Since the car has the springs relocated, stock-location tailpipes weren't going to fit. I wanted quiet exhaust, so I found some 2-1/2" in/out resonators and mounted those to the outside of the frame rails. I used one of these on each side as a resonator hanger:
I simply folded the strap over itself and bolted it into the original hole for the shackle hanger.
I made sure everything was aligned out back, then went back up front and started connecting things. The turndowns are just set in place here; I later welded them.
I dragged out every high-lift stand I could find, mocked everything up, and then forgot to keep taking pictures... damn it.
Since I failed to take pictures, I'll explain what I did next. I used some Flowmaster tapered pipe transitions band-clamped to the back of the X-pipe. I cut the Summit head pipes and fitted them to the transitions and the mufflers. Once everything seemed to be where I wanted it, I wondered how I'd get to the resonators with stock-style over-axle pipes. It turns out that the Summit pipes are cut directly over the axle and slip-fit together. I'm assuming that was to allow the tailpipes to be clocked for outboard springs, because it worked perfectly. I simply rotated them in the slip joint until the tails aligned with the resonators, cut, and slipped them into the resonators. I used band clamps here to facilitate later resonator replacement, if needed.
It's not a great shot since the site resizes pictures, but the nearly-complete system looks like this to the oil pan (which is actually the lowest point on the car):
Side shot shows very adequate ground clearance. The oil pan's a much larger concern, really.
The mufflers are tucked up quite nicely, too.
(Continued...)
