Okay, the title is a joke, really.

I was crawling under the car investigating a possible leak - the wife said she saw a plume of schtuff when I started the car up cold, and it wasn't out of the pipes - so I see the joint where the pipe enters the muffler. Half of the pipe is rusted clean through, looks like a nice big crack, half the diameter of the joint. Other half is rusting away, but still there. I had a mad thought to hack the elbow there clean off, but no, this is a perfect excuse to get a total exhaust system installed! Headers, true-duals, hi-perf cats, x-over, some sorta deep 'n' rich mufflers, (Flowmasters, or something similiar) so now I gotta sae my pennies so I can do it.

But I might just try the hacksaw bit just before I get it done, just to be a nut. j/k

 

make sure it is right before you get the exhaust done cause i hacked my muffler off right before the muffler and it sounded like $hit so i had to open my dumps and it still sounded like that

 

Sounds like a good excuse to get a good eaxhaust. Just tell the old lady that if you don't it is really bad for the car and it is better to do it all at once. Justify that it's life or death for the car and act like your pissed about it so it will seem like you really don't want to buy anything. It always works.

 

Unfortunately for me, the wife learns things VERY quickly (IQ of 157 or so) so I can't pull fast ones on her like that, and besides, she already said I could get it done - SHE'S the one who put my sig pic together, and she also wants it fully restored - at least on the outside.

 

So she is the brains AND wants you to restore it. Wow hang on to her. My girl is always like "I just don't get the whole camaro thing."

 

Yes - I am envied by all - my wife wants me to take care of my toy! "Fix this, paint it black, how about we wash it, Dear?" Like, don't twist my arm or nothing, okaaaay?

 

get a set of headers a new cat and a loudmouth system, It nice, simple, legal (if it matters in Hawaii), and it will have a nice muscular tone that gets some attention. Hopefully not from local law enforcement.


Oh yeah, she's a keeper. Thats how mine is. She doesnt pick up on it as easily, but she likes the track and on holidays and birthday she knows all i want is 3 things. Tools and parts.

 

Bahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!

 

yeah that wasnt a typo

 

do they have emissions in hawaii? if not, dont worry about the cats and do the duals, it sounds better, of course, that is just my opinion!

 

i just got my car not tooo long ago ( about 4 months) and the exhaust was rusted to hell, eventually the clamp holding it up came off and the pipe to the back dropped, i hacked it off at the cat (leaving the cat on(for now)) and i think it sounds ****ing awesome, it is loud and when i floor it or rev it up EVERYONE knows it! i'd like to leave it, but i'm putting on my flowmaster and dropping the cat, so it should still sound awesome, have fun with the duals man, they will kick *** when your done!

 

Emissions? Ha! Our State automobile saftey isnpection program is such a joke. They require all vehicles ot have this annual check to make sure all the saftey gear is up to snuff, like no glass cracks, all the lights work, good brakes (like they could check that while the car is just sitting there on a rack, I mean, drive it first, guys...) if it has been tampered with, like lowered too much (lower edge of license plate must be.... what, 12 inches off the ground, minimum? But just like everywhere else, they have stations that only check the mileage and let you go (for a 'tip') and I see more rattle-trap, rust-out, beater-pieces-of-crud than you can shake a stick at. And THEIR lights don't work...

But anyway, yeah. They don't check for emissions here. However, I'm not ruling out that possibility of new legislation changing that, Hawaii being a very democratic-oriented state.

 

WTF?

and yes, car chics kick ***. I am looking for one myself. :hail:

 

Oh so they rack it! hmm ya might want to have a look-a-like cat on there just incase since its still federal law to have them on (they just have look like a cat unless it gets smogged then its gotta work), after all they're gonna look at the underside rite?. but most muscle car fans are rebels 'N dont run cats.

 

I was planning on putting two high-flow cats on, actually. I figure I'll be one step ahead of the game if they ever decide to do emissions tests here. My only concern is if the underside of the car has enough space in which to mount all that hardware without ground-clearance problems. Funny thing is - I can see lots of "Smog-Test" wonder oil here at Wal-Mart and at Checkers!! Like, HUH?

(SCHTUFF was a mis-spelling, it's supposed to be shtuff, as in: smoke, vapor, steam, visible emissions, ect..)

And they only rack the car somethimes, too. When I bought the car, it was due, so I took it to Chevron. They drove it up onto the rack but never lifted it at all. It's just another excuse for the State to generate a few bucks, I figure, and it doesn't work, or I'd see less trashed-out grabage scows driving around here.

 

Emissions in hawaii? Hahaha yeah right. They don't even visually check your exhaust. They do have a 12" rule for your front plate, but a lot of cops around here don't even know that part.

The only thing they check for your "safety check" is if you have seatbelts, if your lights work, and that nothing catches fire. Sometimes they'll check for cracked lights, if your blinkers work, and other stupid crap. As he said, it's just another way for the state to make money. No one will fail you unless they are *******s or don't like you. (Happened to me twice.) Most places won't even put you on a rack.

I don't run cats either, I recommend you dump 'em. I've heard of really ******* cops stoppin' guys for being too loud, but if you fight it in court they will drop it. You'd get tired of it being so loud all the time anyway, so you'd probably want a cutout.

Laters.

 

wow, 3rd gens in hawaii, thats awesome. I was born there in the big pink military hospital. My dad was in the navy at the time and was stationed there. I only lived there for about 6 months so obviously I don't rememer anything. One of my professors teach's in Hawai every summer semester. He always brings back pictures. I hope to go back someday and see it.
Jason

 

Oh, cool. Tripler Army Medical Center. (or as us military people call it, Crippler...) I was active Army for three years here, got out, liked it so much I stayed. We don't see too many muscle cars here, the humid air does a real rust-job on steel. Plus, we're very limited on contact with others - no such thing as cruising to the next state... But it's fun here, and with rarity you get noticed a bit more.

 

Sorry to drag this one out of the grave (so to speak, it still might be 'warm'...) but I just found out that my tax return is pretty good for this year, and am looking for some options for a full-blown exhaust system. Glancing through the Summit catalog, I see quite a bit in cat-back systems and headers, I was considering buying stuff and taking it to a shop for them to put it on. (Exhaust Systems Hawaii, they do all sorts of work like that.) I don't want something that will attract cops to my car like flies to spilled soda, but I want a system that will free up some power and give the car a nice, distinct, clear rumble, both at idling and at cruising speeds. I don't have much in tools or time to do much myself, and I want to keep the entire parts cost down below 600 bucks, if possible. Any suggestions?

Oh yeah, stock 350 TPI for now, I got some long-range plans to do some mods to it later, so the system has to support room for growth later, while not being overkill now.

 

A lot of guys here are recommending the Banks cat-back system for the value. Do a search, I believe the company that everyone liked to deal with is called 'Entech' or something like that.

As far as headers go, I would read up on which ones will be the easiest to install and tackle the job yourself over a weekend.

You can probably get more power per dollar with a "value" cat-back like banks along with high quality headers. Just don't skimp on the headers or the y-pipe. Or are you going with true duals?

Laters,
Scott

 

the easiest way to do it is get a real good set of shorty headers, the y-pipe and cat back all together...

the edlebrock TES system comes to mind...there long tube heaaders, but come with a y-pipe...then bolt up there "dyno tuned to the TES" catback and youll be good to go...

of course you can buy whatever headers u want and have a shop fab you up a 3 inch y-pipe and install any catback u want, but it tends to get a little pricy when u have the shop do any custom work....much more cost effectice if you buy the whole system and have the install it...

i also think that hooker super comps have a y-pipe for there headers...

 

Am I correct in assuming that shorty headers require an extension to mount the cat to the factory location? (Hey, I might just run straight pipe there, no biggie.) I'm also doing a y-pipe setup, I can't see the need now or ever to go dual - unless I get a supercharger for dirt-cheap... I like the Edelbrock setup, doesn't look too terribly expensive. I was going to do it all at once, too, buy the components as I can, then if I can avoid smashing my knuckles, I MAY remove my old system and install the headers myself, then drive my outrageously loud car to the shop for the rest, unless I get real bold and do it all myself. Hey, save money... Any more thoughts?

 

You could do that. Buy it all together as a complete system and try to do as much as possible at home (doesn't have to be "by yourself"). If you can get close to or everything hooked up, you can drive your car to a muffler shop and have them weld up whatever needs to be finished without the open headers sound. Although, I think it'd be a nice one-way drive, then you'll see how much you'll like the whole system on your drive back.

Laters.