Idea for a cheap exhaust improvement

[Tim_K]

Here's my idea for a cheap exhaust mod that should make it essentially wide open, but the stock pipe can be easily used for normal street driving.

My '87 Shelby Charger has a 2-1/2" pipe from the turbo back to the cat. Then it downsizes out of the cat, then downsizes again going over the axle.

With that, I got 163 WHP on 12 psi non intercooled boost, on an almost stock 1986 2.2 Turbo engine. Lightly ported head, blow through intake, '86 slider cam, and ported 2-1/2" swingvalve.

Anyhow, right in front of the cat in the 2-1/2" pipe. take a cutoff wheel and cut a rectangle out of the bottom side of the pipe. About 1-1/2" to 2" wide and 3-4 inches long.

Get another piece of 2-1/2" exhaust pipe and cut it down the middle, so you have a half circle piece of pipe about 5-6 inches long.

Get 2 muffler clamps, maybe in the 2-3/4" size.

Now when you want an open exhaust, just unclamp the 2 clamps, slide them over on the pipe, and snug them down again. Or remove them entirely. Then the half circle piece of pipe falls off, uncovering the rectangular hole you cut in the original pipe.

That should open the exhaust enough to essentially make it like an open pipe, plus you don't have to pay for an actual cutout piece, or go through the hassle of dropping the whole pipe when you want to open it up for racing.

And it's CHEAP!!!

I know, running an open downpipe is also cheap, but there times when excess noise isn't a good thing.

[minimoparking]

Interesting idea. Try it and let us know how it works.

Personally, I prefer my 3" open side-exit. And it only cost me $200

[devlish]

Quote:

Originally Posted by minimoparking Personally, I prefer my 3" open side-exit. And it only cost me $200

you may have missed the title where it said CHEAP exhaust idea. J/K!

however, i do agree. cutouts aren't all that much $, and they are easier than undoing 4 bolts on 2 clamps all the time. just take off two nuts on a cutout and your good.

but either way, it should work and is definetely cheap! nice idea.

[tryingbe]

Cheap will be just take the downpipe off, completely.

[tkelly27]

You can line the cover pipe with header wrap to help it seal. Otherwise you'll have to crush the pipe with the clamps, yuck.

[big_P]

Eh, my whole 2.5" exhaust (including cat and muffler) only cost about 50 bucks.

[Wormser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by big_P Eh, my whole 2.5" exhaust (including cat and muffler) only cost about 50 bucks.

I'm assuming you made it yourself?

[big_P]

Yep.

Nothin like some birdpoop welds