Who has built their own exhaust?

Years ago in Hot Rod magazine, there was a vendor that offered mail order custom bent stainless exhaust. They sent a pattern kit that consisted of corrugated cardboard tubing ( similar to defroster duct ) that was wrapped with a silver metal tape. The customer would mock up the exhaust with the tubing then fill the tube with expandable foam. This would solidify in the tube making it rigid. This would be shipped back to the manufacture for fabbing the real system. My suggestion is using the cheap flexible tubing to get the bend and angles prior to cutting and welding up a bunch of tubing. Keep up the good work. I enjoy following a local guy gettin' it done.

 

I went to a place in York, PA yesterday to get some bent up tube from an out of business header/cam manufacturer. I am not sure I have quite enough bends to make a custom exhaust.

50 bucks for 50 lbs of tubing. I might have gotten a bit more....

 

I consider that a win

 

theres more and they ship. Nothing for buick though.

 

Go grab a lotto ticket while you're at it! That is quite a score. That's enough bends to build 10 jeeps! And for that price, it's like you paid a normal price for the straight section and got the bends for free! Well done, Sir. Definitely worth the drive.

 

Wow, a dollar a pound! Should have spent $100, then you would have been set for your next two or three projects

 

there is probably enough there to build custom headers, and 3 exhaust systems minus the straight pipe. I will probably never use it all. Gonna try though! Maybe I will make my entire exhaust system all squiggly.!hahah!

 

Yes. Its gonna bolt to the exhaust manifolds in the stock Buick method, probably with a doughnut. I may put another joint in. We shall all see how it goes. This might be terrible, who knows? There could be drama!

 

Where are you guys shopping? Back in March (before I decided to swap in my V6) I had a complete exhaust (including muffler) built from the header back and installed for $200 cash at my local shop.

 

I am not shopping. Zero chance of me getting anything done for 200 bucks. I assume the was a single pipe for an Fhead? Nothing is anywhere close to stock on mine and I don't have good experience with having anybody do anything for me vehicle wise around here. Plus, I want to make it myself. Just because I can. I will start on it when I get done with the body work and update this thread when I do.

 

Not an Fhead, but close: it was a single for a 153...but that included all the bends, hangers and installation. I get wanting to make your own, but the prior post where it cost $450 without even the mufflers seems a little high.

 

I went to a ton of muffler shops around here prior to building my own. The costs were ridiculously high, from $250 - $650. As I stated earlier I figure no one wanted to take the time to build it so they just quoted me super high prices.

 

I'll have to hide this thread from my exhaust guy then. I dont have the patience to build my own, and need something done when I finish this V6 swap. The good news is it looks like I'll be able to re-use most my existing set up, just need to build a crossover system and tie into the old one.

 

I built my own. Mostly because I like things just so. Bought Sanderson block huggers from Novak and pre-bent & straight tube from Columbia River Mandrel Bending.

I enjoyed doing it and have never regretted it. http://www.earlycj5.com/xf_cj5/index.php?threads/v6-block-hugger-diy-exhaust.100633/

 

Wow, GREAT thread. Thanks for posting it up.

 

I've been searching threads & posts for exhaust upgrade info. because I'd like to have mine upgraded soon.
I'd sure like it if a few of you could offer a couple of good suggestions on what would be an ideal exhaust upgrade.
I drive a 232l I6 with a MC2100 carb, standard cast intake and exhaust manifolds, nothing special.
The exhaust from the engine flows into a single intake muffler (the brand is unknown) then doubles out to dual tailpipes.
The entire system has no holes but the muffler sounds shot, my pipes hang below the frame a bit in a few places, a couple of hangers are bad and it's just too loud, not deep or throaty.
In all, it needs an upgrade and I doubt that I have the skills or tools to DIY plus I'd prefer to have the system welded rather than bolted as it is now.
I'm not sure about Stainless, but sounds like 2 1/4" 16 gage steel would be a good choice, and weather I should consider my stock manifold vs headers, although I wouldn't mind quiet running for a change.

 

I would stick with the stock manifold and run a single system out the back corner. I don't know anybody down by you but "MG's Exhaust" in east St Cloud would do a good job for what your looking to do. I haven't had anything done there lately but they have always done good work in the past.

 

I built one for a 89 chevy p/u with a 454, summit has some nice quality exhaust pipes, I bought a 10 foot section from them and it is much better quality than what you get from flaps. This truck is strictly a plow truck and it's been on since august and not even a bit of surface rust yet, I replaced a section on my other p/u with a piece from flaps and it already rotted off, not even a year.