Exhaust system - Opinions

[Mister 4x4]

I'm planning on picking up the exhaust system soon (within the next several weeks), and I'm soliciting your advice/opinions.

My engine & transmission: 351C-2V & AOD

My plan (subject to change, of course): Patriot ceramic headers (Summit Racing: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PTE-H8412-1/?rtype=10 ) with Pypes exhaust (Summit: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PYE-SFM04S/ ) - with a set of electric dumps in there at some point (just for fun at car shows).

I also have a set of Flotech ceramic 'shorty' headers spec'd out on my spreadsheet at home that may or may not still be available - I'll add them to this thread later. I'm not going to 'cheap-out' on this exhaust system, but I also don't need or want to spend too much on it, as I still have plenty of other things I still need to purchase for my project.

Any thoughts? Advice? Something to look out for with these products (i.e. won't fit around the AOD, gotta bash-to-fit around the starter motor, etc...).

 

[Tnfastbk]

Do you have staggered shocks? if so, I have heard "NO" off the shelf kit will fit well. I just took mine down to a local muffler shop and had them make mine from the headers back.

 

[Wolverine]

Mister 4x4, I would like to tag along with you.

I would like to know what headers have been installed for my current application:

351C

4V Heads

C4 Automatic

Power Steering

If forum members could provide info on

Ground Clearance, or distance below chassis

Fitment- Pound/Cut Engine Bay, Dimple Header

That would be great.

Ground Clearance

On my 302 with Hedman Headers(1982 version), they really hung down low, I would venture 3" below the stock exhaust. With 30+ year old springs and 302 iron under the hood in place of the I6-200, caused the car to sit pretty low(None of this my doing. I would have replaced the springs). As I drive my car 10k+ miles a year, the headers were always dragging something or banging off of speed bumps.

Fitment

If there is a post where someone has installed a header into a Mustang with an automatic and power steering and the headers fit like they were made for the application, I haven't seen it. My priorities for the Mustang are SOUND then Appearance. If I have to crease the header to get it to fit, I am going to be really irritated. There is nothing more frustrating for me then an aftermarket part not fitting the intended application...except for piece of crap Microsoft products.

I have seen posts indicating FLOTECH's long headers mount high, but don't know it for a fact. I hope to see some examples at the Knott's All Ford show next month, though for the 71-73 years, there may only be 20 cars.

Whatever you end up doing, keep in touch. My motor should be going in mid May. Unless I see a long header with lots of ground clearance, I probaby won't take any chances and just go with shorty headers. I have heard good things about the Sanderson header. If my wife founds out how much I spend on headers, she is going to clobber me.

You know what I would really like to see? A header manufacturer provide you a "model" header that you could put on your motor for installation to see how your real headers will fit. I would rent a model for $50, try to install it, and if I thought it worked out good, I would send the model back for a $50 credit on the real headers. Otherwise, I ship the model header back, eat the shipping to and fro, and get my $50 back.

 

[Mister 4x4]

Do you have staggered shocks? if so, I have heard "NO" off the shelf kit will fit well. I just took mine down to a local muffler shop and had them make mine from the headers back.

Right now - 'No' shocks. LOL! But I'm going with stock (non-staggered) shocks.

I actually have a nice bender at my disposal, but the learning curve for anything other than minor tweaks might wind up being more expensive in materials than just buying a bolt-on kit. http://www.bendpak.com/benders/pipe-benders/1302BAS-202.aspx

Mister 4x4, I would like to tag along with you.

No worries - it's all good.

 

[Wolverine]

Do you have staggered shocks? if so, I have heard "NO" off the shelf kit will fit well. I just took mine down to a local muffler shop and had them make mine from the headers back.

Aren't staggered shocks a...cough cough, hack hack, buyah buyah...Chevy innovation?

Just kidding, because that is a GREAT tip.

 

[will e]

yeah, I would take it to a shop and have them bend it for ya. It's not expensive and it is a whole lot easier....

I run Hooker Comps on 4v heads. Long tube. Except for the tires they are the lowest thing on the car (and I have subframe connectors too). I smack them every once in a while on speed bumps (I have learned not to). And did have a higher speed bump and grind but that is very unusual.

If you click on my garage below and then on the modifications tab one of the pictures shows the underside of the car. The intent is to show the sub frame/traction bars but you can see the passenger header too.

Actually the other picture shows it from the front as well (This was highlighting my aftermarket strut rods but the header can be clearly seen)

 

[Mister 4x4]

I forgot to mention that my engine is a 2V - not a 4V (I already edited my original post). I thought it might be important to mention since Wolverine's engine is a 4V and the advice might be different for each set-up.

I'm not sure I have a shop around here I actually trust - which is why I'm interested in a kit.

 

[cobra3073]

Like Roy (TNFASTBK), I took my '73 Grande with 472 and C6 to a local muffler shop and they did an OUTSTANDING job bending up the pipes and installing the Delta Mufflers that are mated to my long tube Hookers Super Competition Headers.

I would think that any half-way competent Muffler shop should be able to handle the job.

BT

 

[Tnfastbk]

I forgot to mention that my engine is a 2V - not a 4V (I already edited my original post). I thought it might be important to mention since Wolverine's engine is a 4V and the advice might be different for each set-up.

I'm not sure I have a shop around here I actually trust - which is why I'm interested in a kit.

I was lucky the shop that done mine is/was actually an old Mustang restoration shop. So he takes extra pride in his Mustang work. He also did the ones on my uncles and I got to see first hand how they looked.

 

[Don65Stang]

I also recommend a local shop to make the exhaust from scratch. Even the kits need to be tweaked.

 

[Widowmaker00]

Same here, just took my car to a local muffler shop and they bent some pipes up for it. I have a 4v w/power steering and a C-6, and my long tube hooker headers fit without any problems. They hang lower than anything on the car but I can't ever remember them scraping anywhere.

Well I had to undo the driver side engine mount and jack the engine up a little to put the driver side header in, but it wasn't really a big deal.

 

[Mister 4x4]

OK - so, a nod to Hooker long-tube headers - are those painted or ceramic? (I'm definitely going with ceramic)

Does anybody have any experience with the DIY coatings (like the stuff from Eastwood: http://www.eastwood.com/tlc-colorgard-stainless-kit-w-polish-4oz.html - the reviews say it works, but can be a b!tch to make look nice).

I wish I had more confidence in my local muffler shops, but I've had to re-weld the brackets on my truck after having one shop fabricate a muffler-back dual-pipe set-up. They also basically used my spare tire as their guide - which is a very tight fit with heat damage to the tire over time. It 'only' cost me $180 for the pleasure... and I provided the tips and muffler as well - and my welds are actually a lot better than theirs (which ain't sayin' much).

There's one other shop in town I might try, but I'll need some more information before I bug them for an estimate:

- 2 1/4" or 2 1/2"

- 'X' pipe or 'H' pipe

- Stainless or standard

- anything else you can think of that might be helpful when discussing a fabricated system with a shop

Thanks again, guys - every bit of this helps!

 

[Tnfastbk]

OK - so, a nod to Hooker long-tube headers - are those painted or ceramic? (I'm definitely going with ceramic)

Does anybody have any experience with the DIY coatings (like the stuff from Eastwood: http://www.eastwood.com/tlc-colorgard-stainless-kit-w-polish-4oz.html - the reviews say it works, but can be a b!tch to make look nice).

I wish I had more confidence in my local muffler shops, but I've had to re-weld the brackets on my truck after having one shop fabricate a muffler-back dual-pipe set-up. They also basically used my spare tire as their guide - which is a very tight fit with heat damage to the tire over time. It 'only' cost me $180 for the pleasure... and I provided the tips and muffler as well - and my welds are actually a lot better than theirs (which ain't sayin' much).

There's one other shop in town I might try, but I'll need some more information before I bug them for an estimate:

- 2 1/4" or 2 1/2"

- 'X' pipe or 'H' pipe

- Stainless or standard

- anything else you can think of that might be helpful when discussing a fabricated system with a shop

Thanks again, guys - every bit of this helps!

Here is a thread on the H vs X pipe

http://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-h-pipe-or-x-pipe?highlight=h+pipe

 

[Widowmaker00]

As for the 2 1/4" or 2 1/2", I wanted to have 2 1/2" all the way back, but once the exhaust shop got to the tailpipes they told me it would be too difficult to bend 2 1/2" around the staggered shocks, so they used 2 1/4" for the tailpipe section.

Since then I have seen cars with staggered shocks with up to 3" all the way back so I now know that it can be done.

Not sure on the H-pipe or X-pipe. I think an H-pipe would be easier to install maybe.