Teh Potsy
01-12-2010, 02:26 PM
So... I recently picked up a set of headers from a friend and just for fun we decided to throw them on my new IX. I took them to work and I was originally going to just have to welded up my existing stock setup, but that quickly changed when the guy said that it would be WAY cooler to go with a whole new exhaust.... Yeah, that is way cooler, but I don't have the cash money right now to blow on S.S. pipe and everything else you'd need to do it. Well, this is where it really counts to have good friends because sometimes they can hook you up pretty good. My welder friend said, "hey, I have a whole crap load of scrap 2.500" dia. S.S. tube just laying in my backyard.... we can just build you one!" No one in their right mind is going to turn this down so I gladly agreed to it.
It was a long process. Took about 2 weeks to get right because we would tack it up, I'd bring home and test fit it and then come back and then fully weld it. All in all, it was very, VERY worth it. Also, some might think that we cheaped out on it, but that's just not the case. Everything is top notch stuff and it just pays to have good connections. I use a brand new magnaflow muffler, 2.500" s.s. tube w/ vband ends, heavy duty band clamps, professionally TIG welded, the whole works. We also went catless, but if for some reason I have to ad one in, there is plenty of room for that later. I really need to give props to my friend that supplied the tube and welded it all for me.
Well, we started out with a set of headers. They were a set from the group buys back in 2007 or so. My friend had picked them up during that, but never installed them on his e30. I knew they would take some work to fit right, but we got them on there just fine.
This was the first mock up that we did. Looks like we were off on the header exit, but that was an easy fix.
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/ten2doyle120/New%20IX/IXExhaust001.jpg
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/ten2doyle120/New%20IX/IXExhaust002.jpg
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/ten2doyle120/New%20IX/IXExhaust006.jpg
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/ten2doyle120/New%20IX/IXExhaust005.jpg
Second mock up....
Its close.... but no cigar.
You can see here that the tube it angled up a bit, easy fix though. I think we just set the tube on the table and forgot that it was squashed on one end and therefore will not sit parallel to the table. Its about 5/8" up. You can also see how close it gets to the floor board.
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/ten2doyle120/New%20IX/ExhaustPics002.jpg
The angle is off by a few degrees as well. You can see that here. Its not much, but it will affect it
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/ten2doyle120/New%20IX/ExhaustPics003.jpg
Third mock up fit perfectly, so the last piece of the puzzle was the muffler. This was pretty easy. I was going to go with a 5" x 11" oval.. but that thing was ginoramus..... So I changed it out to a 4" x 9" single input and output straight out the back.
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/ten2doyle120/exhaust2003.jpg
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/ten2doyle120/exhaust2004.jpg
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/ten2doyle120/exhaust2005.jpg
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/ten2doyle120/th_exhaust2002.jpg (http://s665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/ten2doyle120/?action=view¤t=exhaust2002.flv)
It came out pretty nice. Sounds good too! Just don't mind my cheesy commentary!!!
So after all that, this is what I am in to it...
Tubing = FREE!!!
Labor = FREE!!!
Headers = $100
Connecting Clamps = $40
Muffler = $40
Grand Total = $180.... Can't beat that!!!!
I have redo the mounting point at the muffler cause its just wired up, but it works for now.
It was a long process. Took about 2 weeks to get right because we would tack it up, I'd bring home and test fit it and then come back and then fully weld it. All in all, it was very, VERY worth it. Also, some might think that we cheaped out on it, but that's just not the case. Everything is top notch stuff and it just pays to have good connections. I use a brand new magnaflow muffler, 2.500" s.s. tube w/ vband ends, heavy duty band clamps, professionally TIG welded, the whole works. We also went catless, but if for some reason I have to ad one in, there is plenty of room for that later. I really need to give props to my friend that supplied the tube and welded it all for me.
Well, we started out with a set of headers. They were a set from the group buys back in 2007 or so. My friend had picked them up during that, but never installed them on his e30. I knew they would take some work to fit right, but we got them on there just fine.
This was the first mock up that we did. Looks like we were off on the header exit, but that was an easy fix.
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/ten2doyle120/New%20IX/IXExhaust001.jpg
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/ten2doyle120/New%20IX/IXExhaust002.jpg
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/ten2doyle120/New%20IX/IXExhaust006.jpg
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/ten2doyle120/New%20IX/IXExhaust005.jpg
Second mock up....
Its close.... but no cigar.
You can see here that the tube it angled up a bit, easy fix though. I think we just set the tube on the table and forgot that it was squashed on one end and therefore will not sit parallel to the table. Its about 5/8" up. You can also see how close it gets to the floor board.
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/ten2doyle120/New%20IX/ExhaustPics002.jpg
The angle is off by a few degrees as well. You can see that here. Its not much, but it will affect it
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/ten2doyle120/New%20IX/ExhaustPics003.jpg
Third mock up fit perfectly, so the last piece of the puzzle was the muffler. This was pretty easy. I was going to go with a 5" x 11" oval.. but that thing was ginoramus..... So I changed it out to a 4" x 9" single input and output straight out the back.
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/ten2doyle120/exhaust2003.jpg
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/ten2doyle120/exhaust2004.jpg
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/ten2doyle120/exhaust2005.jpg
http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/ten2doyle120/th_exhaust2002.jpg (http://s665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/ten2doyle120/?action=view¤t=exhaust2002.flv)
It came out pretty nice. Sounds good too! Just don't mind my cheesy commentary!!!
So after all that, this is what I am in to it...
Tubing = FREE!!!
Labor = FREE!!!
Headers = $100
Connecting Clamps = $40
Muffler = $40
Grand Total = $180.... Can't beat that!!!!
I have redo the mounting point at the muffler cause its just wired up, but it works for now.