I attempted to install my chambered exhaust this weekend. On the passenger side, things seems to line up well until I went to install the tip hanger. The brackets I was given in the Midamerica Kit pulled the tip way up to where its up against the top of the cutout in the rear valence.

The drivers side is even worse. The pipe is not near the cutout in the horizontal plane. When you try to push the pipe towards the cutout it immediately springs back towards the center. I dont think there is a problem with it in the vertical plane, I just have it angled down to clear the valence so I could drive the car without blowing exhaust up towards the gas tank.

Can anyone tell me if I have my pipes twisted or turned in the wrong direction? If anyone has comparable rear shots of a Chambered exhaust install, please post.
Thanks.

 

Gee, that looks awful. Can't you use your old bracket for the right side?
Welcome to the "problems with awesome new exhaust" club.
BTW, how does it sound?

 

I had similar issues with my MidAmerica kit. Had to bring it to a muffler shop and they cut/chopped/welded for 3 hours to get it fitted correctly.

 

The old hanger was welded to the old muffler by the previous owner. So I had to buy new hangers. And then use the small little adapters that come in the kit to hang the chambered to the stock muffler hangers.

 

Thats exactly what I didnt want to hear. I have a bad feeling that there might be a bend or two that arent perfect. But I wanted to get opinions on how it looked, i.e do I have the pipes angled correctly, before I get to the cutting/welding stage.

 

Even though the photo is a '75, with a '80 bumper and '73 exhaust, I was still able to use the stock early style '73 hangers and the basic principles of Vette exhaust still apply to your car. I think you need to play with alignment some more and use '73 style hangers. The '73 hangers will mount in your frame holes, but they are a different style that clamps to the pipe which will allow you to adjust the tailpipe location to the body. The hangers for your car originally attached to the muffler which won't work with chambered exhaust. I always do the final alignment with the car at normal ride height. I put a short scissor jack under the front pipe and try to get about 1" clearance between the differential and the pipe. Put a jack stand under the tail pipe for support and move the exhaust closer or away from the driveshaft and turn the tail pipe so it will match the rear opening. Use a magnetic protractor to align the pipes so that both sides will be the same angles. When you think you have both sides perfect, tack weld all of the the joints, undo the supports and recheck the angles. I don't think you need to resort to cutting and welding yet.

 

Eckler's system went on amazingly well. I did use some "modified" NAPA strap hangers at the tips to get things lined up and even. All said and done though the right side is just a bit lower at the spare tire carrier. Considering there are no rattles or squeaks, I left well enogh alone!

 

I used mid americas set up and had similar results, I twisted the sh_t out of them to make them fit. Later I felt it was too load so I bought a pair of Dynomax race bullets, with these spliced in place the pipes lined up better, and the car sounded better.

 

Wow.. I might be able to walk you through it later tonite

 

I have this system for my 79, I bought it this past March. I have the one for headers. For some the fit is good. For most it is worse. As for me, I wont know for sure until I have it done.

 

I used a new set made by the other supplier wh makes these systems- it was the worse fit system I ever used. It didn't fit at all and I too had to have a shop cut and bend it. I used it on 2 vettes and then took them off and sold them. 2.5" with 40 or 50 series or decent muffflers is what I use now.
I wish you luck with it but if they don't line up you'll have to have them fit.

 

Can anyone tell me by looking in the first picture if the angle on the end of the chambered section is correct relative to the ground. Or should these pipes angle slightly upward at the ends.

 

You need to adjust the pipes, I can tell from the angles they are not sitting in there correctly. On the right side, you need to rotate the front pipe counterclockwise to about 2 o'clock, and obtain about 1" space between the pipe and the diff. Make sure there is about 1" clearance between the bend and the spring as well by changing the front pipe length (push or pull). Then twist the tail pipe to correct the angle in side the valance cutout . Do the same thing with the left side. '73 tail pipes are the only ones that are different and have a compound angle after the muffler, but I don't see that on yours, so they look normal to me in that photo. Try to get about 4"-4.5" ground clearance under the diff. You'll know when the front pipe is rotated in the right position when you have good floor pan/tunnel clearance. The outlet pipe and extension should be parallel with the car, not the ground, but with many of these systems they angle towards the sky a little. The trick on Vette's is getting the extensions at the right angles and to do it requires adjusting the front and rear pipes which takes time, and a second hand is helpful to move the pipes.

From your photo, I doubt it needs cutting and welding. I don't buy from Mid America but if the exhaust does not fit, return it and buy another from Allen's. I've done several of these and they are the only supplier I can count on for a good consistant quality. If this is the first Vette system you've installed, you may consider taking it to a shop.

 

IMO, don't waste your time. Take it to a muffler shop and let them cut and re-allign the pipes and weld in place. Cost me $160 for 2 hrs of work.

They look/sound good, but the fit is very poor for what I paid for them.

 

Isn't MidAmerica a supporting member ?? They should be made aware of this.

 

When you refer to the front pipe are you talking about the down pipe from the manifold, or the center pipe with the baffles in it?

 

The center pipe. Get the rear bend at about 2:00 when viewed from the rear. It's too horizontal right now, which makes the exhaust too low and the rear won't fit the the valance good. Once you start turning the pipes, you'll be surprised how everything lines up, hopefully!

See if you can get someone to give you a hand.

 

Ok, I was pretty sure you were talking about the center section. I had planned on turning it a little to see if that helped things. I just wasnt sure if the bend in that center section was supposed to be horizontal or angled slightly upwards, but now that you say about 30 degrees I know where to put it.

I think that I might have the original 2" hanger under the transmission, and I think it might be causing that left side to be pushed inwards.

I only get the weekends to work on my car since its garaged 100 miles away. I had to hurry up and install the exhaust Saturday night so a friend of mine could drive the car before he left town on Sunday afternoon. Hopefully I will get more time this weekend to readjust things and see if I can't get it to line up better.

 

Extra set of hands when it comes to "tweaking" those pipes under the car. Doesn't mark them up like channel locks and helps to keep your grubby hands off the pipes.

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I concur. I contacted MAD a few minutes ago to tell them of the issues forum owners have been having concerning their chambered exhaust system kits and to log on to this forum read this thread and past threads about their chambered exhaust system kit.