Hot Rods Building my entire exhaust system / Question

Thought I would try my hand at building my entire exhaust system myself Model A coupe w. SBC. Never have tried this before.. Am going to go with Summits exhaust kit that comes with many sections of different angles and pieces, enough aledgedly to do the entire system. I will do all the butt welding ,cutting and fitting. I am not interested in high preformance,just dual exhaust along the frame rails, around obstructions etc coming out the back with chrome ends and semi quite mufflers My question : Is it a good idea to tie the 2 together part of the way back to help flow I see and have read about this done quite often.

Can you explain this to me and is it necessary ? Gene in Mn.

 

If you're talking about an X-pipe, Yes! It works very good. At the right length and diameter it makes more power and reduces exh. noise.

 

I had one put in when I got the exhaust done on my truck 25 years ago....it gets in the way, and I never noticed it reducing noise, or adding power. I haven't added that feature to any of the exhaust systems I've done since then.

and when I go racing in my current car that I go racing in, I take the exhaust off, run open headers, and it goes pretty darn quick.

I guess I just don't keep up with fads as well as I should.

 

Here's a picture of mine that I built. I used the 2 1/2" kit from Summit for the X.

 

I've never yet figure out how you can come out cheaper by buying a kit, paying shipping an then putting the exhaust together while laying flat on your back under the car rather than taking it to a decent exhaust shop and having it done. I realize that the "I got to do every frigging step on the car myself" brigade will beat up on me for it but even though I worked in a muffler shop for most of a year I will still haul the rig to my go to muffler shop to have work done rather than do it myself.
On the X pipe outside of putting the car on a chassis dyno with and without the X pipe or or making passes down the quarter I don't know how you would ever really know how you would be able to tell if there was a difference.

 

Exhaust shops where I have lived are staffed by hacks of the worst kind.

I do my own. But I buy parts from the parts store. Walker makes lots of different bends

 

Think it might be hard to get an X pipe in an "A" unless you hung the exhaust pretty low. Here's one we did with cut, fit, and welded U-bends.

 

On a daily driver, I would go to a muffler shop. Anything else, I do myself.

 

Some places a muffler shop will charge a reasonable price. Other places, it's kind of expensive.

Some guys like doing fun work like this..others don't.... I do them myself when it has to be a certain way, but sometimes I'll pay a shop to do it for me, and I usually have a bit of disappointment.

 

A lot of times you can get an exhaust kit, + shipping for less then 1/2 of what it would cost to have it done in my area. Then the exhaust shops around here leave a less then wonderful experience.

I might suggest you but the band clamps for both ends of your mufflers. then, when the mufflers get bad, you can remove the clamps and replace the mufflers without cutting and welding. Gene

 

I know what you mean Jim. I like to do this kind of stuff because there are some things that just come out better if I do it myself.

 

Many of the shops here are quite good; however, they are exceptionally expensive, due to the high real estate costs.

 

I put in the"H" pipe just to keep everything tight especially when you have close tolerances or putting a 2" pipe threw a 2 1/2" hole in frame and you don't want any rattling. Most of the time it mellows out the tone some. If running a healthy cam I like separate duals, sounds more traditional..............................

 

OOPS!
I decided to use stainless so I could grind and polish after I welded everything together.
No X pipe but I'm happy with the sound and performance.
I couldn't afford to pay to have someone build it for me

 

I like to work in 15 degree increments so it's easier to get back to straight. Eyeball test is the final judge.


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No local sorces for elbows and u-bends? Ones I bought were THINNER gauge than the aluminised stright pipe I bought. Grab some scraps from a muffler shop to set up your welder and pratice some - keep your beads SHORT, crank the amperage down for less heat. Get to rockin' really good, then POOF! Blew a hole in the SOB. Go to a wrecking yard, cut the pipes you need for the kick-ups over the rear axle - or take it to a shop. Good Luck, Tim

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/exhaust-pipe-bender.1030034/ You know, on the cross over pipes, didn't 57 chevys have "cross-over pipe at the very front of the exhaust drop? If i remember correctly, used to take them off and weld freeze plugs in them.. Got to wonder if they were on to something even back then?

 

I have always done it myself with u-bends or j-bends bought from summit, ect. Make good cuts without gaps, and I Tig- weld mine. You can do it, just take your time. At least you know it fits well and is done the way you want it.

 

X-pipes work, but they have to be 'tuned' for the installation to get full benefit out of them and packaging one can be a real issue.

Harley came out with an x-pipe type exhaust on the '70 Sportster only they called it a 'siamese' exhaust. Buyers hated it (looked 'funny' and had a 'furrin' name reminding them of import bikes) so it was gone by the end of '71. But it was worth a full 5HP on the 1000cc motor, so Harley brought it back in another form quickly, but the 'acceptable' design wasn't as good for power. The siamese pipes are now big-$$$ collector items....

 

STFO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.... yeah!... ( Straight the *&^$# OUT)

 

First, I do make my own exhaust system but its work like all things. If you don't have a good band saw and a good disc sander, then the job gets a little harder. Next, if you don't have a car lift, the job gets even harder but its still do able. Welding up the pipe can be done many ways, the tig definitely makes the job smoother and your welds won't look any worse than I have seen at welding shops. You don't need a kit, as small as a Model A is, just buy U or J bends; I prefer the J bends as you get one piece that is a little longer which always fits in at the right place. I have been satisfied one out of twenty times at all the different muffler shops so I decided to do my own. But, I have slowly bought the tools to do the better job, in the long run, I can never justify the cost of the equipment other than I do use the equipment for many other things also. I don't think that I save much money buying the pipes, I usually have pieces left over but I use aluminized pipe which will last my lifetime easy. I definitely have a lot of satisfaction making my own systems and even repairing the daily drivers. I've had muffler shops just want to replace the whole system for $300 and I went and bought a $50 muffler and fixed it myself. Remember, like all things worth doing, its work, be Thankful of all these good guys willing to give you honest and helpful advice on the HAMB.

 

I've made a few x pipe systems. They were on late 60's stuff. To me, it would look out of place on your A. I'd just do a nice dual system. But that's just me. I have no reason to justify my opinion.

 

Watching carefully, will be going through this soon. Thanks for the info.


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No kits here...so far ive always found pipes with just the right bends in the local Exhaust shops "scrap bin"...even some $$ mufflers ...Some cuts - a few welds & there yuh go.......

.(yes i did have the OK to take whatever i could use)

 

I found the kits have too much pipe for most Rods. I bought a few 180 degree bends from Summit, and a straight pipe from a local store and built mine.
Ultra cheap, smooth bends, looks good, what more do you want?
I also built mine during the build, so no body on the chassis. No laying on my back.

 

I just installed my stainless headers on the 302 in my '50 Ford. Working at a dealership, I have access to 'scraps' sometimes. We had a Hemi Challenger in the bodyshop that was wadded up pretty bad and they replaced the exhaust. I managed to get the X pipe from engine to resonators. I figured I'd use it on my Shoe. I'll do a 'how to' when I get it done.

 

If you can put up with pipes rattling, goober welds, uneven tailpipes, hangers welded to the floor pan then yes, take your car to the nearest muffler shop.

 

I used the Speedway tubing kit in stainless. About $400 bucks. Almost have enough left over to do another car.

 

I would rather use non aluminized tube, if I cold find it local...sometimes I can, sometimes I can't. Around here, it doesn't rust, like it does in humid areas.

U bends and straight pipe....I use the MIG to tack the parts together under the car, then take it out and weld it with the gas torch (butt welding)

It's one of those things that you get better each one you do, but still not perfect, unless you are willing to re do it a few times.