An Exhausting Decision
- Thread starter Analog Kid
- Start date
THIS is in your stable???
Yes, Stan. At least for another week. It has been a good driver for me since the body/paint was done by someone else before I got it and isn't perfect but still very nice, and I completely refurbished it mechanically so it is turn-key now. Drives like new and gets a lot of stares. One guy saw it and really wants it so he is coming by on Friday with cash to drive it and buy it more than likely. He won't be disappointed. I went through everything! I have a lot more 71s so I will move on to my triple black coupe. That one I probably won't drive as much because it will be showroom and everything including body/paint will be done at my place. It will be a keeper though.
After having all the fuselage 300s, the 71 models are clearly my favorite ones. But I have too many of them now (around 7) so something had to give. I told the guy coming on Friday what I have in it and he didn't flinch, and after talking more, I decided it would be going to a good home. Most folks here do flinch when they ask since few realize what goes into one of these to make them nice, and that isn't even counting my labor. So if I can recover the cost of parts and outside work that I can't perform such as a complete engine rebuild, and it goes to a good home, they are gone.
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
Good for you, Steve, and good for the buyer. I don’t think one can hope for a better car than one to which you’ve given your stamp of approval.
I just purchased an entire system from a vendor who sells on ebay. 1968 Town and Country with factory 383HP. I had to send pieces back 2 times, including the original head pipe from the driver's side to get the correct bends and the flange bolt holes clocked correctly. I don't know if the data card was wrong, or if the execution was off. 1 piece is still wrong, but I am tired of the back and forth stuff. And for what it is worth, the tailpipes on the data cards are not 100 percent accurate. The pipes do not exit where Mother Mopar had them come out. If I had it to do over again, I would have dealt with a local shop.
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
Yeow. Not even close. Jeezes.
furyusvip
Member
So...what did that ebay kit end up costing you? #askingforafriend
What a drag. Talking to a friend who's a rep for an exhaust chain shop, he says data bend cards are made from info supplied by the factory. I'd say the execution was off not the card.
Pete Kaczmarski
Senior Member
If not cheaper, as my '69 Grand Prix was completely done last year with tax for $400. "One can only preach so much until people act on their own".
Local shops can use the bend cards and the actual car for fit up. Plus it is installed. The trick sometimes is getting it to the shop, when it may not be quite road worthy.
My local shop built a beautiful Y- pipe and mid pipe to connect to my NOS muffler and resonator. I also supplied the hangers. His charge for build and install was under $400 plus my NOS parts total around $650 - $700 installed.
He used the build card plus I had a hacked up piece of the original factory Y-pipe with instructions to replicate it as closely as possible with the right sizes. I will have to say he nailed it.
Pics below.
68 Polara restore back on
bluefury361
Old Man with a Hat
I think the little extra cost of a tti system is worth it. Comes complete, fits right, high quality, shipped quickly. No back and forth, trying to get it right BS. A clamped system, as it should be. No cheap, short cut welding to rust out. JMHO.
When the cars were newer, I always liked to use OEM-spec brands of replacement exhaust system parts. OEM quality, fit, and function.
Problem with local shops is that they CAN vary in the quality of the pipes they use AND there can also be variances in the person running the bending machine. Also, they'll maintain that welding everything is the best way to do it, providing they get the pipe bends right to start with. CLEARING all that needs to be cleared, hopefully. They might be proud of their work, but I ended up replacing almost all of it with the OEM-spec replacement parts, when possible. Just my experiences.
So, realize these things when shopping for a shop to do the work. Look at what others in your area have had done for them, too. Hopefully on stock passenger cars rather than street rods. More "tucking in in" is needed on the '60s+ systems due to floor pan configurations, wherewas a '30s body street rod might not be quite so much of a challenge in this respect.
Enjoy!
CBODY67
Problem with local shops is that they CAN vary in the quality of the pipes they use AND there can also be variances in the person running the bending machine. Also, they'll maintain that welding everything is the best way to do it, providing they get the pipe bends right to start with. CLEARING all that needs to be cleared, hopefully. They might be proud of their work, but I ended up replacing almost all of it with the OEM-spec replacement parts, when possible. Just my experiences.
So, realize these things when shopping for a shop to do the work. Look at what others in your area have had done for them, too. Hopefully on stock passenger cars rather than street rods. More "tucking in in" is needed on the '60s+ systems due to floor pan configurations, wherewas a '30s body street rod might not be quite so much of a challenge in this respect.
Enjoy!
CBODY67
Gerald Morris
Senior Member
Waldron would be my choice if I were to order from anyone out of town. Maybe TTI. Otherwise I would have to do business with a local shop I could watch and have swift recourse to if needful.
Not that I have paid anyone for exhaust work since the 1980's (I did know a Midas guy back then who did jobs after hours for beer money, but he got fired when it turned out he wasn't feeding the company kitty and was stealing the pipe)... I do agree a local independent can be your best source. BUT... pricing and skill sets vary dramatically as you move around the country.
Auto Repair Labor Rates Explained | AAA Automotive
So the fine folks at aaa think $47-$215 per hour covers this, that's a big spread... but I bet you'd have a hard time finding $47 anywhere around here, and dealer rates are around $175, not that I do much shopping.
The farther below the Mason-Dixon line you go, the less likely you are to have an exhaust system rot away. All of my FL vehicles have always had 100% original components... because if it ain't broke, don't fix it. With Factory stainless systems becoming the norm in the 1990's, even in the rust belt, folks don't typically need new exhaust components nearly as often.
So a good exhaust guy, on his own and with plenty of pipe work... much easier to find in WI than in FL.
Local exhaust chain stores advertise everything other than exhaust work, they just don't have enough demand to make "lifetime warranty mufflers" an advertising focus. You should see how the "technicians" run away when something rusty rolls in
.Two 67's
Member
Midas on West Liberty Ave
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