stainless steel vs aluminized steel, mandrel bent vs regular bent

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shadango

shadango

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I am considering what muffs to put on my 72 barracuda (318).....

But one area I think I need to determine first is stainless steel versus aluminzed and mandrel bent versus standard bend....

The local muffler shop I am considering using for the exhaust does standard bent, aluminzed steel......now they seem like nice folks and seem to be very "into" doing older cars like ours....they will craft an x pipe for me, install the muffs of mu choice and all for a good price....

But I know stainless will last longer and that mandrel is "better" as far as flow.....

SO, what do you guys run and why?
 
You oughta go ahead and get headers now if you were planning on them in the future anyhow. It would save you possibly a lot of aggrevation/expense. I run a full tti system, with no regrets. SS would be lifetime system. Aluminized will also if not a daily driver, and garage kept. And mandrel bends are flatout sweet:-D BTW I see your starting your boys out early aint`cha.lol As far as the why? Looking for a performance system and got it......
 
I was considering headers but with my j heads I was thinking i might want to see how it runs with the stock manifolds first.

Plus, the headers I want (super comps) are pricey. Figured I could get the exhaut done and then next year go for headers if I decide to go that route, just cutting at the cross member and then patching back in...but yeah, I know that it probaly wont be that easy...LOL
 
Had 3in aluminized standard bent exhaust for about 10 years on my big block 4x4 daily driver.Went through many rainy days still looked decent but the blowmasters mufflers and clamps were starting to rust out.The guy that bought it is still going strong with it, standard bent really crimped the pipes and looks ugly at the bends but it was a daily driver so I didn't care.
 
I guess the main question is how much performance is really affected on a car like mine.

Its not a huge HP engine...its a 318 that may be tweeked a little.

The local shop I am considering is an easy fix...they will flat bed the car down cheap, and the guy does seem to know what he is doing as far as I can tell...I have just always heard that mandrel bent is best..I have a mandrel bent cat back on my truck, but cant honestly say I would know the diff between it and standard bending....
 
Mandrel bent systems are expensive. In my area you can get a beautiful s/s TIG welded mandrel system that is artwork for about 1800.

At this point, I'd recommend TTI systems all the way. I have had several "exhaust shops" do "custom" work for me through the years. They all had one thing in common, they are horrible....Spend the money and do it once. The aluminized will last a good long time.
 
See, I have heard just as many horror stories about exhaust kits..not fitting, etc.

I would take a shot on a kit if I knew I was doing headers..as it stands I have no header pipes on the stock manifolds....but Iwas told that since I have J heads I may want to stay with them and not go headers...

If I got headers it would be Hooker Super Comps...
 
if your wallet can afford it go with the tti system for the manifolds back. if you cannot take the expense, then the aluminized setup will work just fine. the difference? well i had a standard setup with 2 1/4 in. pipe w/ no cross over on the demon. i went with the x pipe 2 1/2 in. tti manifolds back setup. the difference was like night and day...really. flowed alot smoother and picked up alot on the bottom end. if i had to do it all over again i would not hesitate to go with the tti setup again. good aluminized will hold up fine. stainless isn't necessary imho but that is me. stainless can split from constant heat and cold expansion and contractions. happened to my car so i know....
 
shadango said:
See, I have heard just as many horror stories about exhaust kits..not fitting, etc.

I would take a shot on a kit if I knew I was doing headers..as it stands I have no header pipes on the stock manifolds....but Iwas told that since I have J heads I may want to stay with them and not go headers...

If I got headers it would be Hooker Super Comps...
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tti's fit about as good as it gets. i had only 1 minor tweek to fit it properly and thats all. manifolds will last alot longer and are more durable than headers as well. most headers will hang too low and you will be banging them on the speed bumps as well....
 
GMachineDartGT said:
Mandrel bent systems are expensive. In my area you can get a beautiful s/s TIG welded mandrel system that is artwork for about 1800.

At this point, I'd recommend TTI systems all the way. I have had several "exhaust shops" do "custom" work for me through the years. They all had one thing in common, they are horrible....Spend the money and do it once. The aluminized will last a good long time.
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i agree do it one time and get it over with....
 
From what I hear, the super comps are the hot setup aside from TTIs because (at least on e bodies) they dont hang too low and they dont need the tie rod to go thru them, they dont capture the starter and you can still get to all the plugs....

Right now, the cost is the main issue.....Was thinking I would go with an exhaust fitted to stock headpipes and then later go to headers......that shouldnt be too costly to change later...I may even be abel to do that myself I figured....

I was considering a kit....but again, its the tie-in that is the issue for me.

If I know I would gain something and not lose power with headers, would go that route.....
 
if it were mine tti's 2 1/2 in. x pipe manifolds back system and then that's it.... i have had headders on a few of my cars and trucks and the 1 thing they all have is they rust out! no matter what you do they all will need to be replaced somewhere down the line again and again....at a min of 400.00 a set that gets old pretty quick. for me never again.....
 
I ended up getting the Dougs headers...with the ceramic coating.

Hopefully the install will go welll!
 
here i was going to say if you think can do without headers then avoid them. they make good power but create plety of headaches too. make sure the shop can keep the same size pipe front to back. most shop try that b.s. that they have to step it down to get over the axle. press bent pipes are fine. along with aluminized pipe. mandrel bent is better but not neccesary for your app. for a mild 318 id go with 2 1/4 with a set of super turbos. if you think you might be looking to upgrade some things go with 2 1/2, if they can stay 2 1/2 front to back. the x pipe works best if you keep the same size coming out of the headers, into the junction, and step it down after, or even after the mufflers. are you installing the headers yourself? if so id get a summit or jegs universal x pipe and some super turbos the same size as the headers, which is most likely 3", have the shop step down to 2 1/4 or 2 1/2 tailpipe. i build my own systems out of mandrel bends, i know they flow good but going with a good muffler is more important than mandrel bends.
 
Well, I installed the Dougs headers last night.....

They went in pretty easily, considering the issues I was concerned about....had to dance a bit under the car, but they went in and seem to fit great! Glad I spen theextra $$ on the Dougs versus a "cheap" set.

DCP_0098.jpg


DCP_0097.jpg
 
have a local shop that does beautiful exhaust work. if its only a mild 318 and you aren't upgrading any time soon then i would just get the local shop do it and not worry about mandrel bends or stainless. tti systems are nice also. pricey though. my exhaust shop can do the system for half what the tti cost. i would want to see what kind of work the shop has done and decide from there.
 
Well, I installed the Dougs headers last night.....

They went in pretty easily, considering the issues I was concerned about....had to dance a bit under the car, but they went in and seem to fit great! Glad I spen theextra $$ on the Dougs versus a "cheap" set.
Click to expand...

good choice. they look good.
 
make sure the shop can keep the same size pipe front to back. most shop try that b.s. that they have to step it down to get over the axle.
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i agree. they all try that crap. 3" will fit out the rear of a dart with stock suspension with no problem.
 
if you dont plan on running 10.00 s every time you drive the car.
put tti to your stock manifolds and forget it.
headers leak and they hang too low.
20 years experience with headers.
just my opinion.
thanks
 
limelite70 said:
if you dont plan on running 10.00 s every time you drive the car.
put tti to your stock manifolds and forget it.
headers leak and they hang too low.
20 years experience with headers.
just my opinion.
thanks
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my tti's have never leaked ( nice thick flanges) and do not hang low. your used to that hooker and headman junk.
 
Dougs look good. They've also been around a lot longer than TTI. Since I have had both on the Dart, I wonder if TTI got most of their design from Dougs, and improved it with the step version. My TTIs have just the nickel coating and do not have any rust. They have to be on 5-6 years now. Just to reiterate, I wouldn't go near an exhaust shop that does not mandrel bend. Its like going to a tire store that doesn't have a balancer....
 
I really wish you lived closer to MD. The shop in Pasadena I mentioned in your other thread does beautiful work.
 
GMachineDartGT said:
Mandrel bent systems are expensive. In my area you can get a beautiful s/s TIG welded mandrel system that is artwork for about 1800.

At this point, I'd recommend TTI systems all the way. I have had several "exhaust shops" do "custom" work for me through the years. They all had one thing in common, they are horrible....Spend the money and do it once. The aluminized will last a good long time.
Click to expand...

Our TTI system is great... 3 inch x pipe kit, mandrel bent.... came with dynomax mufflers i believe.... ours is just aluminized but its not a daily driver and its garage kept... so it should last. Best of all... it went in nice and easy
 
And by the way.... we noticed a pretty big gain when we took the stock exhaust off and put the TTI kit on.... and we have stock exhaust manifolds... but its also a big engine, so that might be the reason for the difference.
 
Well at this point I have the headers on (Dougs) so that is that.

Fired up the car last evening and WOW! Sounds great but LOUD!

SO I really need to decide now on exhaust. Forgive me but I am going to try and vett this out online cause my mind is swimming.

I am really himhawwing back and forth....

One shop is local -- 5 minutes away -- and said he can do a system in 2.5" aluminized steel....fab an x pipe, and add tips....for under $500

Another shop is 25 minutes away but does stainless steel...he says it will turn orange/get some surface rust but it will never rot out....so it sounds like he is using 409...I dont know if I like the sound of that......do the magnaflow and TTI stainless steel kits do that too?

Anyways, he figures $600, and that was with no mention of an X or H pipe and tips is "to be discussed" still.....

I have to flat bed the car to either shop --- first shop will charge me only $30 for that....not sure what the second will, as he has a buddy who lives in my town and has a flatbed...but i would guess $50-75 at least....

I could probably buy the Magnaflow system I have had my eyes on and take it to the local shop, but not sure what he would charge me to do that.

I do plan on some time in the future modding the 318 I have or maybe going to a 340 or 360....actually, the engine I have now is slightly modded with an eddie 750 carb and performer manifold....the idle seems a bit lumpy...not sure if itys cammed or not yet.....so I want to do the exhaust right with something that will work now and later if I do make mods....doesnt make sense to go super cheap now and then spend the same money later again....since "super cheap" is just a matter of a couple hundred bucks it would seem....

I also want the sytem to work well and look good....afraid that having the X or H pipe made custom wouldnt be worth it as I assume some tuning goes into that design...and I have heard that the X pipe makes a real difference in low end....with a 318 I need that I think...

I was under the car yesterday and seeing the way the left header is so tight to the tranny etc, and not a straight shot, I am concerned that I wont be able to mount up the kit myself without having to go to a shop for welding and maybe some tweaking anyways.....and shops hate that......so I would rather take the whole kit in and pay them to do the whole job...I wont save much by asking them to just tweak.....

I dont know if the Magnaflow kits have enough "extra" pipe up front to tweak etc to fit to the collectors.....it wouldnt make sense to have to have the shop add in aluminized steel pipe into an otherwise all stainless system. I did email Magnaflow on that but no reply yet....

SO MANY DETAILS to consider!#-o n And so many different opinions out there, all with great points to make.

Guys, I am THIS close to having this done but need to decide today. Trying to get this done while I am on vacation from work next week.....
 
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