mikeage2

hey guys.I just got my latest project,an 86 trams am.The motor is a 350 out of one of those old "heavy half"gmc pickup trucks....im either going to bump the compression up on it,or make it a 383...anyways.....i have to run headers and a new exhaust because the mexican that swapped motors in it before me took a sawzall to the y-pipe(half welded back togther),and the manifolds dont work with my lefthand dipstick motor(when i got the car,the dipstick and tube was in the rear cargo area along with the smog pump,and some other misc brackets and what not lol!!).Good thing i have under $100 in this one LOL!!!!!
what headers/exhaust kit should i get?about a year ago somebody posted that they bought a all the way back dual 3" kit from borla or flowmaster or something like that.id like all the way back,but whatever it is it gots to be 3"duals lol... and louudddddddd like 40 series flowmasters and hooker headers or some krap.....anybody know of the pipe kit im talking about?????
thanks
mike:lala:

Mark A Shields

To run dual 3" exhaust you better be pushing like 600 hp. Just get dual 2.25" exhaust or so.

Or if you want an easier install just get a 3" cat-back.

kfoley

The only kit that they make to do dual exhaust on a thirdgen is the dynomax kit that is 2.25". If you want 3" you'll have to have a custom job done, and good luck finding somebody to do it, I sure didn't. I ended up having to do it all myself. Don't get me wrong, they sound great and I think they were worth the effort but you might not think the same.

IHI

iTrader: (1)

I got Heddman full tubes that run into 2.5" true duals with an H pipe and Super Flow (Flow Masters at less cost) 40 series that dump right before the rearend. The exhaust has some serious bends as the headers don't drop down far enough to clear the tranny pan/shifter linkage/cross member, so I always figured I was losing out on some ponies with my exhaust. After I was put out the last race of the season I dropped the whole thing and ran open headers-sounded pretty sweet, and to EVERYONES amazement that was there when I took the cobbled up mess off, the car ran the exact same E.T. and mph that it had been running. Was happy cause it shows my system worked with my combo and now I'll never have the urge to uncork cause it ani't worth anything-just the way I like it.

mikeage2

yeah i know...all the exhaust shops around here say even 2+1/2 duals wont fit under a thirdgen....i always tell them i know of a bunch running around now with 2+1/2 or 3"duals(3rd gen members lol)...there is one that will do it....but they want to put cats back on for like a extra $250 each...screw that!!!
i will be running some type of headers but no crossover!!!i dod that with my last thirdgen and i was neve rhappy with it.My stock krap is trashed...and ,i dont want 1 pipe back....dual all the way to the back would be nice,with a h or x pipe somewhere along the way..like 40 series flowmasters(loooooouuuudddd please...not straightpipe loud tho)but i dont want to run a pair or chinkrocket mufflers thatll make my car sound like a angry bumblebee with rice shooting out of the tailpipes either.At the last tool sale here they had a pipe bender for like $300 ...i shouldve bought it. .....i have access to a hoist and a nice miller mig welder(im a tech at a dealership)...my welds arent always 100% eye pleasing,but they dont break or leak so im confident enough to do some fabbing.i was just hoping some company offered some type of dual pipe kit,so i wouldnt have to make a krapload of bends,just a connection to the headers. any ideas?

IHI

iTrader: (1)

From my experience with this and through other posts I've read I'll give you MY opinion. You can't beat true full tube headers for all out performance, you just can't, otherwise ervybody would be running 3/4 length header which are hands down better than manifolds. IF you opt for the full tube header save your money and buy the Hooker's. The collectors are located lower to the ground compared with the Heddman full tubes and will help simplifiy your exhaust design greatly. Otherwise, 3/4 would be ideal and would also give you more routing options since you would have that much more room to play with. Ground clerance is a serious issue with true duals under these cars, they just were'nt designed like the old cars and plus they're slug so low anyways. I have my back floorboards crushed to get the mufflers up higher, and with full tank of gas and a passenger a decent bump makes a hellava ruckus. *** knows I personally did'nt design the system I have now and it is the ugliest thing you've ever seen-but it does the job obviously, and after the major mods are done it will be removed and addressed. When I get the new 28" slicks out back and 28" tall in front that ought to help a bunch, it'll spare up roughly 1.5-2". But that'll be after the cage and new rear end.
Most exhaust shops are ******, but if you are lucky enough to find a decent, hot rodding brethren, you can usually pull the plates and tell them it's a race only vehicle and is not licsenced for street use, if you have to give'em a wink and they'll understand as long as you know if you get caught in a smog state, the car came that way when you bought it. But if you have the facility and time you could probably conger up some nice pipes on your own, those pump hydraulic tubing benders that your reffering to are junk. So you did'nt miss out on anything, all they do is crush exhaust pipe, not bend it.

PNYKILR

I had headmen headers and they fit perfect. dual 3 inch and better ground clearance then stock!!

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

I cant believe you pulled that off. That looks excellent. It appears you have a Turbo 350 though, I think the 700r4's take up slightly more space. I dont think there's any way I could have done that with my old dual 3 inch setup.

Regardless, that is extremely well done. Nice job.

Here's my old 3 inch dual setup when I had the 700failmatic and this was at likely slightly higher than stock ride height:




For the record I see NO issue whatsoever with the Hedmans. It's nice to have 1.75 inch primaries on the Hookers, but dollar for dollar the Hedmans are just far, far superior. They're easier to install too. The sit higher in the car which I consider to be a GOOD thing, and if you need to bring it lower some Hedman S-extensions are all you need.

Anyway I always wanted a manual, and that combined with the ability of the T56 to be coupled with those trick heavily notched crossmembers meant that I eventually with with a 3.5 inch single pipe. MUCH better ground clearance and it dumps out the back in the stock location. Pretty slick.

My opinion is you can do duals with 2.5 inch pipes and tall rear drag radials, but even then it's hard to make it practical. The exception is T56 and T5 applications. T5's require a little more work and they will pretty much require Hookers, but I've seen a heavily modified Hedman long tubes and T5 car that mw66nova did (he did my current exhaust, and the dual 3 inch setup above is currently on his car, actually) that ran the pipes VERY similar to PNYKLR above. Amazing ground clearance and it sounded downright nasty. If you're running a 700r4 stick with shorties a big single pipe (Look into Mufflex).

These are all the exhaust systems mentioned and then some, all done by mw66nova. My old 3 inch dual system is pictured at around 35 seconds. The Crazy T5 dual setup is at 41ish seconds, and my current system on my car is the last one pictured, and my car is dropped about an inch in those pics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3JT7jvb2ms

SKELITOR117

iTrader: (3)

You guys might find this interesting.
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/exha...setup-you.html

PNYKILR

My new set up that Im working on is dual 4 inch that the headers are turned outwards instead of back then turn down the rockers and out the sides before the rear tire. i cut out my rockers to make room to have perfect ground clearance. And yes i know that's part of the structure of the car so i made a funny car frame.

PNYKILR

It will exit through the ground FX past the door

PNYKILR

Rockers cut out. funny car frame.

mikeage2

i like that setup man. What a blast from the past!! Unfortunately at this point in my life i am again without a thirdgen. But dont fear, they always seem to find me.

one92rs

iTrader: (5)

that one system above with the mufflers and long tubes looks great. how does that sound.

DBLTKE

iTrader: (1)

What size is the exhaust? And what transmission was that? Solid or rubber motor mounts? I like how well that tucks. That's a Spohn crossmember right?

1983cameroman

bet it sounds sweet hope to you tube my cam with 468 tomm

ZZ3 Z28

I have a GMPP dual cat with 3" pipes and Flowmaster muff on my Z28. The only problem I had is I had to remove the passenger side frame connector.