Where to buy Exhaust system w/ Flowmaster
12-13-2004, 09:24 PM
#1
Team Owner
Thread Starter
Where to buy Exhaust system w/ Flowmaster
I have been searching the net and corvette catalogs for a complete exhaust system with Flowmaster 50 mufflers and can't find anyone with this setup. Places like ecklers seem to sale just a stock system. Anyone have any ideas who to contact? Or, should I just run the car down to the muffler shop and let them bend and install this setup??? This should notbe this hard. I can't even find a exhaust system without mufflers. Car is a 69 427. 
12-14-2004, 12:54 PM
#3
Racer
Member Since: Jul 2002
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I just went thru this with my small block and suggest you go to a shop and let them fab it up for you. Most good ones carry flow masters and more than that if they bend the pipes there will be no built in excuses if things don't look like you want them to.
12-17-2004, 02:13 AM
#4
Pro
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I just took my 78 to a local exhaust shop, and they custom bent stainless duals with flowmasters 40 series with chrome tips... couldn't be happier with their work. all for under $600.00
12-17-2004, 05:57 AM
#5
Team Owner
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by 1978shark
I just went thru this with my small block and suggest you go to a shop and let them fab it up for you. Most good ones carry flow masters and more than that if they bend the pipes there will be no built in excuses if things don't look like you want them to.
I called around to a few shops and they wanted $700-800 to install a system. One place told me I would be better off ordering a system. Now another place wanted $180 (installed) each for Flowmaster 50's, I told the guy that he was way off the market price on his Flowmasters. I ordered the pipes from Ecklers and Flowmasters from Summit and have $450 in this so far. I willl have a muffler shop install and weld everything up. Maybe I can get through this for under $600.
12-17-2004, 03:13 PM
#6
Team Owner
I went thru the same thing with my 68 L-36 (427). I bought the flowmaster 50s from Summit. I bought exhaust pipes from Allens. I bought another set from Zip. You need elbows to connect the flowmaster mufflers to the exhaust pipes. That makes for a lot of clamped connections if you are doing it yourself. A few months ago I took the whole mess to a specialty exhaust shop and they bent me a new set of pipes and used my existing flowmaster 50s. As you can see I wasted a ton of money before doing what I should have done in the first place and getting it right!
One interesting thing the shop did. The Flo 50s are big mufflers. To make them fit, the shop cut off the extended outlet of the muffler and welded the stock style tip directly to the muffler. They also cut off the 2 1/4" end of the exhaust tip to keep everything 2 1/2" and still keep the stock appearance.
One interesting thing the shop did. The Flo 50s are big mufflers. To make them fit, the shop cut off the extended outlet of the muffler and welded the stock style tip directly to the muffler. They also cut off the 2 1/4" end of the exhaust tip to keep everything 2 1/2" and still keep the stock appearance.
Last edited by PRNDL; 12-17-2004 at 03:15 PM.
12-17-2004, 04:11 PM
#7
Melting Slicks
Using your own parts
I'll add to the discussion to go to a local shop (a GOOD one) for the job to be done correctly. However, if you go with your own parts, be prepared to walk out with them as well, or be shown the door. Most reputable shops (mine included) will not install parts they do not sell themselves, mostly for the warranty recourse issue, but also, it's very disrespectful. What you're saying to them is "Basically, I think you're ripping me off on parts, and by the way...will you only charge me $10 to put on my stuff? I don't want to get ripped off..." 
When you buy parts at Summit, Jegs, or any other discounter, it's automatically assumed you have both the skills and resources to do the job yourself. Otherwise, you pay a FAIR (notice I said fair, not excessive) markup at your local shop. If you had any idea of the overhead a shop has, they're really NOT making a killing on your individual part, though you might think they are. I personally give all my customers a fair shake, and if I get a special deep discount on a part, I pass it along to them, though it's perfectly within my right not to. It all boils down to this - finding a shop you trust and patronizing them.
You don't buy a steak at Wal Mart (to save a few bucks), and take it to a place like Delmonico's (world famous steak house), ask them to prepare it for you, and give you their total dining experience. The same applies to Corvette shops or GOOD local shops (which are getting harder and harder to find). Being in Florida, what we call these type of people are "gator-arms" (alligators have short front arms, and thusly can't reach a wallet!), and I'll close with- Don't be a gator-arm!
end of rant
oh, and by the way.... I typically get about $400 for a custom bent system (manifolds back) including Flowmasters. Tips are extra, simply because their are so many styles to choose from (be sure to use stainless for longevity over chrome)
When you buy parts at Summit, Jegs, or any other discounter, it's automatically assumed you have both the skills and resources to do the job yourself. Otherwise, you pay a FAIR (notice I said fair, not excessive) markup at your local shop. If you had any idea of the overhead a shop has, they're really NOT making a killing on your individual part, though you might think they are. I personally give all my customers a fair shake, and if I get a special deep discount on a part, I pass it along to them, though it's perfectly within my right not to. It all boils down to this - finding a shop you trust and patronizing them.
You don't buy a steak at Wal Mart (to save a few bucks), and take it to a place like Delmonico's (world famous steak house), ask them to prepare it for you, and give you their total dining experience. The same applies to Corvette shops or GOOD local shops (which are getting harder and harder to find). Being in Florida, what we call these type of people are "gator-arms" (alligators have short front arms, and thusly can't reach a wallet!), and I'll close with- Don't be a gator-arm!
end of rant
oh, and by the way.... I typically get about $400 for a custom bent system (manifolds back) including Flowmasters. Tips are extra, simply because their are so many styles to choose from (be sure to use stainless for longevity over chrome)
Last edited by RacerX70CC; 12-17-2004 at 04:14 PM.
12-17-2004, 04:31 PM
#8
Race Director
Originally Posted by RacerX70CC
You don't buy a steak at Wal Mart (to save a few bucks), and take it to a place like Delmonico's (world famous steak house), ask them to prepare it for you, and give you their total dining experience. The same applies to Corvette shops or GOOD local shops (which are getting harder and harder to find). Being in Florida, what we call these type of people are "gator-arms" (alligators have short front arms, and thusly can't reach a wallet!), and I'll close with- Don't be a gator-arm!
).
12-17-2004, 04:51 PM
#9
Team Owner
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by RacerX70CC
I'll add to the discussion to go to a local shop (a GOOD one) for the job to be done correctly. However, if you go with your own parts, be prepared to walk out with them as well, or be shown the door. Most reputable shops (mine included) will not install parts they do not sell themselves, mostly for the warranty recourse issue, but also, it's very disrespectful. What you're saying to them is "Basically, I think you're ripping me off on parts, and by the way...will you only charge me $10 to put on my stuff? I don't want to get ripped off..."
When you buy parts at Summit, Jegs, or any other discounter, it's automatically assumed you have both the skills and resources to do the job yourself. Otherwise, you pay a FAIR (notice I said fair, not excessive) markup at your local shop. If you had any idea of the overhead a shop has, they're really NOT making a killing on your individual part, though you might think they are. I personally give all my customers a fair shake, and if I get a special deep discount on a part, I pass it along to them, though it's perfectly within my right not to. It all boils down to this - finding a shop you trust and patronizing them.
You don't buy a steak at Wal Mart (to save a few bucks), and take it to a place like Delmonico's (world famous steak house), ask them to prepare it for you, and give you their total dining experience. The same applies to Corvette shops or GOOD local shops (which are getting harder and harder to find). Being in Florida, what we call these type of people are "gator-arms" (alligators have short front arms, and thusly can't reach a wallet!), and I'll close with- Don't be a gator-arm!
end of rant
oh, and by the way.... I typically get about $400 for a custom bent system (manifolds back) including Flowmasters. Tips are extra, simply because their are so many styles to choose from (be sure to use stainless for longevity over chrome)
When you buy parts at Summit, Jegs, or any other discounter, it's automatically assumed you have both the skills and resources to do the job yourself. Otherwise, you pay a FAIR (notice I said fair, not excessive) markup at your local shop. If you had any idea of the overhead a shop has, they're really NOT making a killing on your individual part, though you might think they are. I personally give all my customers a fair shake, and if I get a special deep discount on a part, I pass it along to them, though it's perfectly within my right not to. It all boils down to this - finding a shop you trust and patronizing them.
You don't buy a steak at Wal Mart (to save a few bucks), and take it to a place like Delmonico's (world famous steak house), ask them to prepare it for you, and give you their total dining experience. The same applies to Corvette shops or GOOD local shops (which are getting harder and harder to find). Being in Florida, what we call these type of people are "gator-arms" (alligators have short front arms, and thusly can't reach a wallet!), and I'll close with- Don't be a gator-arm!
end of rant
oh, and by the way.... I typically get about $400 for a custom bent system (manifolds back) including Flowmasters. Tips are extra, simply because their are so many styles to choose from (be sure to use stainless for longevity over chrome)
12-17-2004, 05:03 PM
#10
Melting Slicks
Member Since: May 2001
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I bought my exhaust system from Corvette Central and it fit perfectly. It matched the original in nearly every detail except the original wasn't aluminized.
I've since installed headers and fabbed my own pipes to run from the header collectors and connect with the existing pipes.
BTW, a buddy of mine with a '76 Corvette went to a local muffler shop (one of the big franchised stores) and got hosed. He had to take the car back to them repeatedly for them to figure out where the pipes were rattling against the frame. To this day, I'm still convinced the shop didn't do a thing with his car except let him park it there for the day figuring he'd get frustrated eventually and go away.
He finally got fed up and crawled under the thing himself and fixed the problem.
It all depends on the quality of the shop doing the work.
I've since installed headers and fabbed my own pipes to run from the header collectors and connect with the existing pipes.
BTW, a buddy of mine with a '76 Corvette went to a local muffler shop (one of the big franchised stores) and got hosed. He had to take the car back to them repeatedly for them to figure out where the pipes were rattling against the frame. To this day, I'm still convinced the shop didn't do a thing with his car except let him park it there for the day figuring he'd get frustrated eventually and go away.
He finally got fed up and crawled under the thing himself and fixed the problem.
It all depends on the quality of the shop doing the work.
12-18-2004, 04:43 PM
#11
Melting Slicks
Originally Posted by CA-Legal-Vette
Words of wisdom. I'll try to remember this (no guarantees though. My gator arms are legendary ).
).
You get that way being on the other side of the counter (owner vs being a customer) 
