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If you run long tube headers and a 2.5” true dual exhaust system under the car you will get the best performance upgrade for your money.
1 5/8” ceramic coated primary tubes are perfect for your 355.
Side pipes are cool, but they are loud and you could actually see a loss in performance at the lower rpm range.
You have a big restriction under your car, where everything goes through one pipe. You should fix that if you go under the car. But, yes, long tube headers going into your stock exhaust should give you a small gain. But why?
Perhaps Corvette Central has a dual exhaust kit for an 82 that goes around the obstructions? 80s have the same crossmember issue, which was easier to avoid with sidepipes. We may be down to only one company making crossmembers for our cars, but they can be swapped out.
for what it's worth back in May I purchased a true dual exhaust with no cat for my 1980 with the single side cross member from Corvette Central with magna flow mufflers, easy install, fit perfect, great clearance and sounded good for about $950.
There's also Hedman side exit headers which I have on my black L82 with 2.5 inch pipe going straight to a couple glass packs with the 69 style covers. I really doubt anything else makes as much or more power over this system on a up to a 425 ish hp car , the side exit headers exit behind the front tire where the front frame curves up so there's no ground clearance issues
From: Arizona - If you don’t know CFI, STOP proliferating the myths around it...
If you just want to do some true dual exhaust system on your 82 with 1 5/8" headers, you can go this route and works just fine, including the crossmember from G-Force. Direct bolt in. Here is what I did on my 82. Hooker max flow mufflers also. The way I did the exhaust, I can install or remove it by myself as one piece in 15-20 minutes. All SS tubes. As far as side pipes go, I have thought about installing side pipes on mine, but they would be flat or matt finish to blend with the rocker panel and a C3 has to sit low for it to work with side pipes IMO. An *** high C3 looks horrible with side pipes. My car sits level and low.
Last edited by Buccaneer; Dec 7, 2023 at 07:19 PM.
You will gain a tremendous amount of power (if your engine can be tuned for it) with any long-tube header system you choose, sidepipes or otherwise. But you'll be leaving a few percent on the table vs. a tuned, X-piped, 3", under-car dual exhaust. When you have 500+ HP and are road racing, this might matter to you.
The issues with true-dual systems for your 82 are:
1. The transmission crossmember only has a single notch for transmission crossmember EDIT: the exhaust pipe (2 into 1 into 2)
2. Only 74 and before cars supported true-dual exhausts with no catalytic converters. You can certainly add them later, but they aren't "stock", so you won't see them listed.
Personally, I'd think sidepipes would look out of place on an 82 CE, but it's your car. And it's fun to be unique sometimes, too.
Thanks for the advise. Yes I've been looking and I don't see at all CE with side pipes. All though I love how they look, and sound I'm trying to keep the elegant look of the CE as well I want as much HP as I can LOL. I found on Corvette Central part # 323126 a dual exhaust for the 82 that you don't have to change or modify the transmission cross member. Since the driver power seat sits low. it routes/bends the pipe over to the right and strait back. Should improve performance as well.
I have always loved the looks and most of the time the noise they release into the atmosphere. I finally chose to go with a set of Allen's Chambered Exhaust system which puts out the side pipe noise but the noise is behind me. For Headers I chose to use HEDMANN's Long tube headers with 2-1/8" tubes.
Side Pipes look great on a fast car, a Chambered Exhaust system keeps everything hidden and there are no Mufflers hanging out the back. I have had the same headers and Chambered Exhaust for over 25 years without any problems. My exhaust is loud enough to set off car alarms but not bad while cruising on highways. I rode in a 1967 C2 for a couple of hours and I was hard of hearing for a period afterwards. The 1967 C2 was a 327-350 horsepower and you had to slip the clutch to get it going and it only made power up high in the rev's. After that ride I decided that side pipes and NOT for me or my cars.
My 427 purrs down the road allowing me to speak with my passenger or listen to the sound system. Try that in a convertible Corvette with side pipes. Having a Functional L-88 Hood and intake system means I do have a bit more intake sound than most Corvettes. With high compression the exhaust makes a Popping sound and since the two exhaust sides are NOT connected with a X-Pipe or a crossover. I prefer listening to the popping at idle than the rumbling most system have on both sides all the time.
I hope you all have a Wonderful and Merry Christmas and an Incredible New Year!
Thanks for the advise. Yes I've been looking and I don't see at all CE with side pipes. All though I love how they look, and sound I'm trying to keep the elegant look of the CE as well I want as much HP as I can LOL. I found on Corvette Central part # 323126 a dual exhaust for the 82 that you don't have to change or modify the transmission cross member. Since the driver power seat sits low. it routes/bends the pipe over to the right and strait back. Should improve performance as well.
I have this system I purchased for my 80 and like it allot, I currently have a side pipe set up but have this system wrapped in plastic for the future to reinstall, I agree with above the 82 CE would look better with under the car exhaust and for the money to CC magnaflow true dual is a great option
If you just want to do some true dual exhaust system on your 82 with 1 5/8" headers, you can go this route and works just fine, including the crossmember from G-Force. Direct bolt in. Here is what I did on my 82. Hooker max flow mufflers also. The way I did the exhaust, I can install or remove it by myself as one piece in 15-20 minutes. All SS tubes. As far as side pipes go, I have thought about installing side pipes on mine, but they would be flat or matt finish to blend with the rocker panel and a C3 has to sit low for it to work with side pipes IMO. An *** high C3 looks horrible with side pipes. My car sits level and low.
Looks awesome. What size pipes did you run? Are the 2 1/2" or 3"? I saw a kit from CC that's a 2 1/2 and driver side crosses over for the crossmember. You did not have issue with the driver side electric seat?
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