I'm installing the "Pypes Performance SCC10S" exhaust but decided to use the Dynamax muffler rather than the street pro mufflers on a '75 coupe. I ordered a length of 2.5" Stainless pipe from Summit since I knew about the gap between the collector and the S mandrel bend pipe before the cross member.

Ok, I did a rough fit without any clamps and bungee corded the mufflers in place with the tailpipes installed. Problems encountered:

The two mandrel bend pipes at the cross member don't even come close to the lining up with the collectors.
The X-Pipe goes into the cross member brace at an angle, in other words it almost hits at the bottom behind the tranny and almost hits at the top at the tranny side.
In order to attach the hanger at the rear pipe going into the muffler it hits the bolt for the spare tire carrier.
I received 2 sets of band clamps and the rest were regular muffler clamps which I don't understand the reasoning for it.
There are only two sets of hanger points provided, one before the muffler and one after.
In conclusion, I've turned, moved, adjusted, repositioned, switch upside down the exhaust for 6 hours and I can't get it to fit.



I'm not questioning the quality of this exhaust system, I just wish it came with better instruction since I still believe there must be a better way to get this exhaust to fit.


Any suggestions?

 

I did notice in readin the intructions that it states, "Begin by installing your new one piece direct fit x-pipe through the holes in you transmission cross-member. The rear legs must sit level with the center section of the rear. These should not
point towards the ground. "

I have since turned it around and am although a slightly better fit am still basically having the same problems.

 

Yours fits better than mine did! Lots of custom work required... Good luck!

 

I wish I had some words of wisdom that would help but I had to custom fit everything. I had Smart Struts¨ from VBP which rendered the rear pipes useless, the "S" pipe came to close to my floor and would have required welding up 3 pieces of pipe to attach to my headers. I ended up having custom pipes bent so I would have only one piece of pipe from my headers to the transmission brace holes. I basically used the "X" pipe and the mufflers. By the way, the "X" pipe also had to be custom bent to fit. Probably made 20 trips to the exhaust shop over 3 weekend to get it to work. In hindsight the quote I had for $1400 for a full 2 1/2 " mandrel system was probably the way to go for me.

 

Frank, It sucks that they don't fit right out of the box. Can you return them and get your money back?

 

I know this isn't the only system that Pypes has sold so there must be something I'm doing wrong. I've tried dozen's of possibilites but I can't figure it out. I can work with the exhaust after the tranny cross member by maybe bending it someone, which I know your not suppost to do but I can't figure out how to work with the picture below. Can anyone tell me how this is suppost to work? Getting my money back is one option but after spending several days working on this I'm still going to try to figure it out since other members seem to have some sort of sucess, even if they had to rework it somehow.

 

I went with the 3" offset header collector extensions from hedman. Then the flowmaster 3"-2.5" long reducer. A little bend here and there and some cutting and splicing and... success.

I like the 3" to 2.5" exhaust I have now. That and some other tweaks and I will be back to the dyno.

 

So am I to understand that the Pypes Exhaust System for the C3 is not a bolt on system and that there needs to be some custom work in order for it to fit properly? If so it's not mentioned in the installation instructions.

 

I was deciding on a Pypes system. I think they still have fitment problems as they did from day one. Mind you its only what I have read. No disrespect to Pypes due to no personal experience. I think I'll be driving into my local shop and pay them for exactly what I want. If Pypes gets it together I think they can sell a ton of systems. Just not happening now. Again this is only based on posts like yours. DO a Pypes seach and you will see what I have read.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ighlight=pypes

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ighlight=pypes

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...ighlight=pypes

These are a few. Good luck and hopefully Pypes can remedy their problems.

If they do get it together they can consider me a customer. Till then Chances are I'll be fitted custom before they have a well re-engineered product.

 

Thanks for the reply rayluka, I read the links and most of there back end fitment problem were solved due to the spare tire carrier not being installed, mine is since I want to carry a spare tire. As for the header collector, it would appear that most brought it to exhaust shop and had a custom pipe manufactured to solve the issue I'm having. I had no idea that would end up being the case, and if so than I wouldn't have purchase a straight piece of 2.5" stainless pipe to close the gap.
As it stands now, I've used up so much time on this exhaust that.................well let's just say it's so frustrating that I've come to ask the help of this forum. I would contact Pypes directly but I seem to have the same problem as other members have and it doesn't seem it was solved in there case.

I'm still going to try to make it fit since I want to give this system the benefit of the doubt, but as it stands now, I've run out of options.

Does anyone have some suggestions? Maybe I've missed a process?

Thanks

 

Since there has been no more new suggestions then it's either time to start modifying this Pypes exhaust or put it up for sale and go with another Vendor.

 

I'm thinking your this far into it, do you have a shop that could get to finish the job.? With that in mind I would definitely give pypes service a call and using respect (basically not being a hothead like. I can be a real *** at times) get resolution. Or if not...and you didn't cut anything request a refund. In the meantime, get a quote as to what a reputable shop would cost to complete and remedy your problem with their product.Then discuss that with Pypes, weigh the differences. My .02

Best of luck. I will follow this post as I really would like a direct bolt on and they do sound nice from what I have heard on their website.

I also wanna throw in a disclaimer that I have nothing against their product as I haven't purchased one. Its because I am waiting to see if they can resolve this c3 problem.

 

I would probably take it to a local shop with the pipes you have that are off just a little and the guys can make it fit in no time and have you on the road. Probably only cost about $20 or so for that. I had to take my Magnaflow system yesterday to get it fitted up to the headers. I was at the same point you are at and I could not get it to work for me. I tried everything too. Let those guys finish it up for you and enjoy the system.

 

Let someone finish it at an exhaust shop for you!

 

Just got my 75 back today, and had magnaflow cats put on in the custom duel to flowmasters. Same deal, let a shop deal with the bends.

They can do it faster, and probably less headache for you.

Then you get it back with what you wanted, that works.

Id also complain to Pypes that its not a direct fit. But thats just me, I hate the aftermath of big company-small consumer issues.

Good luck !!

 

If it makes you feel any better, I bought true duals from Mid America a few years ago and spent more time custom trimming the pipes and fitting and unfitting them on the car, then a simple bolt on installation. It was a nightmare but the pipes fit great today. Does anyone know of a simple bolt on installation for true duals? Mine are stainless steel,but I may have to change them sometime in the future, especially after 25 years of ownership that I need to fit dual cats to pass emissions if someone decides to break my shoes (hasn't happened yet but who knows). The plan would be install two cats off the head pipe, pass emissions, reinstall catless head pipe.

 

I have a similar situation going on with my exhaust not lining up because I added headers.

I'm not even entertaining the possibility of attempting to mess with it myself. I've had custom exhaust work done in shops before & for the headache of messing with it myself vs 30 min & very little money at a shop, you just can't go wrong with letting a pro that does it everyday fix it right for you.

I guarantee you'll watch him slice & dice it with a plasma cutter, bend it with a 10 ton hydraulic pipe bender, weld it right up lickity split & you'll think "wow you made that look really easy" & it IS, for him, just not for me & you.

 

My neighbour is a license mechanic here in Ontario and had a friend that works at a muffler shop drop by my place to give me an estimate.

So far we noticed several problems:

Front mandrel bends would have to mate up with the collector with a custom pipe, there would be no cost of material since I would supply a straight Stainless pipe.
The rear of the X-Pipe would have to be widened since the mufflers touch on both sides of the spare tire carrier, even after he adjusted both rear pipes that go under the spring.
The driver’s side exhaust pipe would have to be extended by approximately 2" since it's shorter on the driver’s side.

The labour cost would end up being $210.00 to do this but he would want the car at his shop and that's not possible since the front end is still apart and the E-Brakes are all apart so I'll have to either do it myself or wait until the car is drivable. I would still have to install the exhaust myself. The 2" extension on the driver’s side I requested to be fully welded, although he did mention that it would almost be the same price just to make up a new pipe.

By the way, I'm located in Canada were auto shop pricing is higher than in the US.


Thanks for all the input so far.

 

Sorry I didn't jump in here sooner. I just was informed about this topic.

Brampton, I can't give you a 100% solution here but I can give you a couple of tips. Based on your pictures and the brand of headers you have, you will have to modify the S-pipe supplied and probably add another piece of pipe to match up with the LH header. Those headers, although full length, are angled quite a bit. Also the LH header is a lot closer to the trans than the RH side. You mentioned about wishing Pypes would inform you of this..... Read #3 of the instructions again. It covers your situation pretty clearly. The instructions again review this issue in #8. I think your other main problem is you are basing your entire installation on mating up with the headers first and then allowing the system to fit the car based on the header position when you should be doing the exact opposite. You should be positioning the system (especially the tailpipes) first and then working your way forward. The tailpipes can only go in one position at one angle for proper installation. Any deviation from that will certainly make it appear as they dont fit. I can't help you in that area because you didn't really show any good pictures of the tailpipes and mufflers at the back of the car. The other potential problem is your choice of mufflers. The Dynomax muffler is a decent muffler. However, we never tested it for fit and never intended the SCC10 system to be sold without mufflers. You must have pulled some strings to get the system without mufflers.

My suggestion is to try re-installing everything again but from the back forward this time. What should be remaining is a possible fit issue between the collectors and the S-bends. This section can then be finished by your local shop fairly easily.

 

I see that a decent amount of negative feedback has been posted about this system. I agree that Pypes has had their share of complaints. However we have also had our share of compliments. How can this be? Here are my thoughts on why;

1. The Pypes system is fairly new and as with any new system, instructions, details, nuances of various years are still unknown. Only time and topics like this will help inform the C3 community and help new owners have more information available to make their installation experience better. Pypes currently has a local open door policy for C3 Corvette owners. Bring you car and system in, and if we can't get it to fit properly out of the box, we'll pay for the entire installation and system! That's how confident we are that it fits.

2. The reason for this system being developed was to give the C3 owner a 'performance' exhaust option. Until this system became available, there were no (not one) 2.5" mandrel bent X-pipe systems available. We feel that since the C3 community has nothing to gauge the quality or fit of our system except for oem crimp bent type systems, it's easy for the Pypes system to come up short of expectations. We completely agree that OEM systems install easier. We completely agree that your local shop can 'custom bend' you a system that fits very nicely. What neither option can do, is give you an extra 25-40hp. My point is that the rest of the musclecar hobby is use to modifications to mate up to various header brands, rerouting of brake lines, larger pipe clearance issues and utilizing different hangers and hanger positions. They deal with these issues to gain that extra horsepower. The C3 community is not use to any of this because it hasn't been available. I would maintain that if you continue to positively post your comments and pictures of your installations, the C3 community will get up to speed pretty quickly and you will see that you have a pretty good option in Pypes.