I'm like a broken record. This is insane, and can't believe I still can't figure out what to do.

Hi I'm Troy McClure, you might remember me from such threads as "I really have no idea what to do" and "wow, I'm recursive!"

Anyways, situation:

1989, dual cat car. Bought and installed 2055's w/AIR. Also bought 2 2.5" catalytic converters.

Wanted to: have 2 2.5" (that is stock... right?) mandrel bent exhaust pipes fabricated from where the 2055 "Y" in the y-pipe begins, to each cat, and then into the I-pipe. So it would be in the same location as stock.

Problem: Well money has always been one. But really I can't find anyone within acceptable driving distance that has a mandrel bender. wonderful.

Questions:

ok, I've read and read and read the mandrel vs. non-mandrel! answers inside! threads. However, the dead horse needs beaten for my brain to comprehend a straight flat out answer.

So...

It's not like I'm going to ever push more than >300hp in mods, years down the road, so should I say **** it and get non-mandrel bent pipes? Or is there something out there I could convert to work? (Hedman 68491 "y"pipe?)

Also, I'm going to use the AIR, so I guess I can just use the AIR pipes off the old exhaust right?

Friends say "hell just make it single cat or throw a glasspack on there!" uhhhhh..........no. That's just not going to happen.


Ok, I'm done.

 

roflmao
you sound just like me!
I'm in the same boat sorta, but i think i'm just gonna get 3" non mandrel bent and not worry about it for now.....

 

Your story sounds similar to mine. I've got the hooker 2055's on along with a new ignition system but I can't find any shop around that does mandrel bending. Now I'm stuck driving a 4cly. mu$tang while I wait on some custom mandrel bent pieces that are on backorder with Summit Racing.

 

You would be better off just using a single 3" cat that slips onto the end of the 3" y-pipe that comes with the 2055's. You can then run a TPI cat-back of your choice that will mate to the single cat. Having any cat-back fabbed up is often more money or equal to a pre fabbed mandrel unit from one of nearly 20 possible choices for these cars. You can buy a direct fit TPI cat for under $100 or you can get a universal slip fit 3" one for $40 or less. A cat-back can be had for $300 and you will be on your way.

 

Best Way to start a thread ever

 

 

I went the single 3" cat route and I don't like it. It's too loud.

Next winter, i'm thinking of going with dual cats. I think two 2.5's will flow the same, but be a little less loud.

In your case, i'd buy a bag of mandrel bends, rent a sawzall,and start putting everything together. mig it up and be done. I've had to make the last two y-pipes for my car to clear oil pans, offset heads, etc.

-- Joe

 

if you can weld, just do like anesthes says, and buy some mandrel bends from summit, or (I like) JCwhitney, good prices, and nice selection. Figure out how you want to run it, and cut, and weld together sections. When you get good at it, its like art. Its the way I do stuff, and it works out great. For the cost of the pipe and a little welding, I can never justify these insane $500-up exhaust systems then end up looking like chicken-**** from the so called 'pros'

i'll try this, here is a pic(blurry) of my grafted universal 3" into the existing system on my car. sorry if it doesn't work.

 

another shot of the mandrel bend

 

UPDATE:

Finally got the exhaust done. However, I had to sacrifice. Finding someone to mandrel bend the exhaust was out of the question, so I chose another route. I ordered the dual cat Catco system from Summit, but it wasn't that easy. Since headers are longer than the stock manifolds, the exhaust would have hung down entirely too low. We are talking approximately 5inches. Therefore, I had to cut the height off the pipes, and have them reflanged. Ah, but it didn't stop there.

Now because the pipes had to be cut, they lost some of their neccessary bends. Specifically, the passenger side pipe. So after about 3 trips to an inexperienced exhaust shop (not including the another two only to find out they couldn't do what I wanted), the pipe still refused to line up. I gave up at that point. I went to Midas and in 90minutes they had the pipes fitting, and I was slightly ecstatic. Midas didn't ruin the pipes, or put any craptastic bends in them, thankfully.

So I rehooked the AIR up using that AIR pipe repair kit, and the car now runs. Well, kinda, doesn't always want to start. Oh well!

Also, I'm not sure how well the Catco cats flow, but I've still got my Random Technology High Flows laying around, maybe one day I'll get those on instead..... yea.... one day....


edit: I also have to thank everyone who has helped me in various threads, including this one. I took all suggestions into thought. This all started because I wanted to keep AIR and also the dual cat setup. Looking back, oh how easy removing the AIR and converting to single cat would have been... but I'm stubborn.

 

post pics for the rest of us!