(Pease read all, I really need help!) Alright guys, here's the deal- I'm interested in a 3" exhaust system for my '89 IROC-Z 5.7L. Today I called a few exhast shops and most places were quoting me between $300 and $400 which includes cat., pipe, tailpipes and work (not including muffler, because I want a Spintech and most places only carry Flow.) I called this one place and after I told the guy what I wanted, he gave me a 10 min. lecture on how important mandrel bending was and that I wouldn't be getting that for $300. He said it would be around $600. So after that, I called back the origional place back (the one for $300) and he said that he does not mandrel bend his pipe. He explaind to me that it was unimportant unless I had a really beefed-up motor that had headers (my motor is currently completely stock). I don't plan on headers, and the only mods I want to do are K&Ns, air foil, a chip, and some ignition upgrades. So who do I trust? It doesn't sound to me that mandrel bending is very important (for my engine anyways.) I just don't have and extra $300 laying around to have a damn pipe bent differently. Well thank you for the very much needed help. -89IRO

 

DO NOT waste your money on non mandrel bent piping. The dents will decrease HP, why not just buy a mandrel bent 3" cat-back, like pacesetter, $140 or so and put on any muffler you want??

 

don't hookers come mandrel bent??? dont waste ur money on the 600$ exaust. your better off ordering an exhaust from a catalog for anywhere between 250-350$ dont waste your money on a 600$ exhaust if you dont plan on putting that many mods into ur car. with the extra money u save then u could probably get one of those things u listed.

 

i think most aftermarket cat backs are madrel bent like edel, flow, etc..

 

Yeah, I know companies like flowmaster, dynomax, and hooker make a cat-back kit for $250-$350 but I want a SpinTech muffler but they don't make a mandrel-bent cat-back system. I want to do something different than everyone else- I don't want flowmaster or hooker. So are you guys saying I shouldn't go for the $350 non-mandrel bent system? I mean my motor doesn't have headers and it is stock so will there really be a problem? And another thing I see wrong with those cat-back kits is that it seems like a good deal- around $300 for most, but on top of that, I need a new cat., tips, and the installation price- about $250-$300 more! Are you guys telling me mandrel-bent tubing is worth an extra $100-$150 more???!!! Oh well, maybe I'm too cheap. Well, if this is the case, is there any kit out there where I can just get the mandrel bent tubing for my camaro, so I can add a my own muffler? Thanks guys, -89IRO

 

Dynomax sells a 2 piece I-pipe that's 3" and mandrel bent. I got mine from Summit.
p/n 44063 Front I pipe
p/n 43248 OA I pipe

It was about $130 for both.

 

Why would you need a new cat and tips? You may be able to install a cat back system at home too. That would save a good bit of money. You could at least install it and then bring it to a shop just to get the joints welded.

 

Catco Cat = $60
SLP I & OTA pipes = $130 3" Mandrel Bent
Spintech Muffler = $80???

You can cheap out on the tailpipes, by reusing the ones on the car now. Exhaust tips are nice but not necessary. So the only thing left is labor, assuming you are not doing the work yourself.

Buy just about any type of packed cat-back system (except Borla??) and the cost will still run you between 3-4 benjamins.

Spend any more money and you are getting screwed.

 

Get a hold of Spintech, when I was looking at that muffler 3 years ago, they were saying that a cat back was in testing at the time. It's probably not done yet but it never hurts to ask.

 

Alright, thanks for all the help but I don't think you guys know what I want. I need to find the cheapest way to have a Spintech muffler, a new cat (magna.), mandrel bent pipe, and I guess I don't need pipes, I will be fine with turn-downs. I going to an exhaust shop today to see what he will offer me. When he's done with the quote I'll ask him if it is mandrel-bent (most likely "no") and then I'll just ask how much more it will be to have it mandrel bent. I tried looking on jeg's and summit for just a mandrel-bent pipe kit but they just make them for damn mustangs. -89IRO

 

Never heard of a catback that isnt mandrel bent... that would get rid of the upgrade factor in getting the aftermarket exhaust.

 

As far as I know, all aftermarket cat=backs are mandrel bent.

However a shop can make a cat-back not mandrel bent.

 

You are going to have a difficult time finding a local shop that can make mandrel bends on pipes that large. The machinery is too expensive.

Read my earlier post. You CAN get mandrel bent exhaust parts individually.

 

Pukka- I just looked on SLP, and they do not sell any individual mandrel-bent pipes by themselves. All they got are like $500 exhaust systems. And yes, I have found exhaust shops in my area that will mandrel bend 3" pipe, but of course, it's and additional charge. But I think I have concluded that I will get non-mandrel bent pipe because I don't plan on headers or any large mods. to my engine. It is stock, and putting a high-flow cat and a new Spintech muff. will help it out plenty. Anyways, I think I already have a 3" pipe in the car but as it gets toward the back, near the origional mufflers, it gets smaller (like down to 2 7/8") So there is only a small pipe portion that may have to get bent. Oh by the way, which will give me a better sound, turndowns after the muffler or rectangular tips? -89IRO

 

I've got the same system that you're looking to get. A muffler shop non mandrel bent cat-back, high flow cat and Spintech muffler. I love the way it sounds, but I also have headers. I say get the rectangular tips. I have 3"x18" stainless angle cut tips.

It's all about Spintech!:hail:

 

Buy a hooker or flowmaster 3" catback system, or whichever system you want, most are mandrel bent, then have the exhaust shop weld it up for you. probably will cost a helluva lot less

 

OK, why spend $300 on a non mandrel bent pipe. when you can buy one from Pace Setter for $140 that IS mandrel bent.

don't waste money on a non mandrel bent one.

 

really. getting an exaust that isnt madrel bent defeats the whole purpose of an aftermarket system..

 

Mark A Shields- If I do that, which I can't find anywhere on the internet anyways, I still have to buy the muffler ($120) the cat. ($100) and the installation (about $150) This my friend, = about $500! Sorry,maybe a tenth of a second at the strip just isn't worth $200 to me. -89IRO

 

Well, sorry for even starting this thread guys, cause today I just learned that I have to do nothing with my stock pipe! By the way, did the stock pipe come mandrel-bent? -89IRO

 

i highly doubt that the stock stuff in mandrel-bent..

 

Not to frustrate you by asking too many questions, but how come you are replacing the cat? Keep the old one and that will cut down on the cost. Also, you can do most of the installation yourself (everything short of welding) to save some money too.

 

I need a new cat. because it is the origional one and it is just shot. I barely passed smog a few months back. If I put on a new muffler, I also want a new cat. The way I'm going with it, right now, I'm planning on spending a little over $300 when I'm finished with an exhaust shop. (Muffler, cat., and labor.) I'm re-using my tail pipes because they are perfectly fine, and I've already got a 3" pipe, so there is no reason to get anything but a new muff. and cat. I agree that a cat-back kit is a good deal if you are putting it all together yourself and you don't need a new cat., but I refuse to have flowcrapper or hooker, and I need a new cat. anyways. -89IRO

 

sorry, i didnt' mean to make you mad, and i'm a bit drunjk right nwo, but, just by a pacesetter, $140 cat0bakc, even comes woth a muffler, if you don't like that muffler, just buy any muffler, for cheaper than what you can get a shop to do.

don't be sorry for staqrting a thread, this is how we learn.

 

SLP sells parts that are not listed on their website. You have to call them to find out. That's how I got my parts.