Well after a few days of fab and Toms' (nospin) help I managed to stuff a Magnaflow X-pipe under the 1970 and keep the spare tire carrier. I know it is a long way from the motor so no thermodynamics lessons please. It sounds quieter to me and that was the main goal. I will find out in a few months if the dyno results are any better.

Most of cost was welding the stainless. If you have a mild steel/aluminized exhaust you could do all the work yourself.

Here is the before photo. Note that the Stainless WOrks system was too far apart and too low. It was right at the end f the strut rods and stopped me from greasing the Smart Struts ZERKS. Also could never get the tips lined up right:


Here is the marking out and dryfit:


Tack weld before going to the pros for stainless welds:


Here is the X-pipe placement. Not the smartstruts bracket which helps tuck it up under the rear end:


Here are the ball and cup joints that will make it easy to take the exhaust off for suspension work later. There are also some hangars at the center cross member to keep it all snug:


Added bung for the LM-1 up front also:


And finally all finished. Managed to lower tire carrier by 1&1/2" to fit a TTII 17x8 wheel in there with a 245/45/17 spare tire.

 

 

Looks good Pete. Just glad I'm not going to do Sue's vette.
Actually I think her 82 would be easier.

 

Great looking setup!!

 

Very nice... good that you managed to keep the spare tire carrier too. Very clean looking job.

 

very nice love your vette Looks bloody awesome. Hope mine can look as good as yours one day.
Daytona Yellow 70?? Mine is meant to be Daytona yellow. It looks so nice.

(im in trouble at the moment as I just burnt my dinner and my bf got angry at me...I was just in awe of your pics!)

 

Cosmic,

You will get to see it sooner then you think. I am shipping it to OZ (with me) in January 2006. Should arrive in Canberra in March hopefully.

Cheers,

Pete

 

Tom,

Now we have done the protoype I am sure we can do another one a lot faster and a lot cheaper in mild steel.

Pete

 

I had an 'x' installed on my 1970 BB Vette in the same location ; made it much quieter especially at speeds above 45 mph and i do believe i picked up some more low end torque . Your underside looks very sweet as im sure topside does as well.

 

Dave,

The underside will look nicer when I get it back on a lift and get rid off all the greasy hand prints!

The extra torque would be nice. Currently at 292 RW Ft/lb and 226 RWHP. Would like to get to 300 FTLB and 250HP. Hopefully leaning the carb a little and adding MSD will get me there. Have an LM1 kit to start tuning this week.

Top looks like a good 5 foot paint job. Painting it in next few years.

 

That is awesome, I bet it sounds good

 

Nice job. Same place I put my X-pipe .... hard to find a better location on our vettes .... just no room up front. I noticed a reduction in noise and the exhaust tone is now a higher pitch than before once I'm above 1000 rpm.