Anyone with Side Pipe Experience on a GT?

[paul.catherine]

Hi all,

I've seen a couple pics of GT's with exhaust sidepipes ... Does anyone have any thoughts, tips or "gotchya's on side exhaust on a GT (aside from hanging pipes to get easily burned), like hanging or routing issues, sound, fat pipes and low torque issues (I hear I should run 1-5/8" pipe as long as I can if I wanna keep my torque ok).., etc etc...

Thanks in advance!

Paul
1973 Yellow GT
Flagstaff AZ

[RallyBob]

Originally Posted by paul.catherine Hi all, I've seen a couple pics of GT's with exhaust sidepipes ... Does anyone have any thoughts, tips or "gotchya's on side exhaust on a GT (aside from hanging pipes to get easily burned), like hanging or routing issues, sound, fat pipes and low torque issues (I hear I should run 1-5/8" pipe as long as I can if I wanna keep my torque ok).., etc etc... Thanks in advance! Paul 1973 Yellow GT Flagstaff AZ

If you want to keep the pipes 'functional' from a power point of view, I do have a little bit of advice. Run the entire main exhaust tube off the headpipe into one sidepipe and leave it at that. The other sidepipe will be strictly for looks.

A lot of folks have 'split' the stock headpipe and run one into each sidepipe. Power suffers greatly with this technique...two exhaust pulses per side are not enough to give any torque or power. It might look cool, but you won't be climbing hills very well if you make both sides funtional!

[opelspyder]

I put side pipes on a GT, now it was customized, and the reinforcing flatbar I used to connect the jack points worked great...but without them, I wouldn't have any good ideas on mounting them. The problem is either you have to figure a way to "T" them together, or run each pipe of the 4-2 headpipe separate, which I never noticed power issue when I "T" them, but the front of the pipes are so far forward, that running them from the head pipe to the sides can be tricky to run neatly and make it work. Dallas had them run out of separate pipes, and it sounded funny, and probably hurt a little on the power. I used Patriot pipes from Pertronix. They looked nice, but not sure I wouldn't come up with something better, as I am not the best at running exhaust pipe. I like to have exhaust run into 1 pipe and then split out, or some way for a "H" pipe for balance. Truth is the GT is so short, you don't have all the length to map out an elaborate exhaust system, unless you engineer some pipe technique into it. Would I put them on again, probably not. The side pipes have baffles built in that help on creating a muffled effect, and backpressure. I have always felt that getting the proper amount of backpressure from an exhaust system on the GT, didn't hurt when trying to tune one.
Keith
Keith

[ungermm]

I'm going with side pipes on my current project since the car came with them. I'm thinking of using a flex pipe with an aftermarket header. I think the flex pipe will cut down on the vibration. And I was thinking that maybe I should use rubber dampers or washers where the pipes mount below the doors. I do have a stock exhaust manifold that I could use instead of the header. Any thoughts on what the best way to go would be?
Jerry

[paul.catherine]

Wow - great advice - I think one pipe makes real sense then...

But I also like the H idea, the combined single 1-5/8ths" pipe down from the two stock manifolds combines to one pipe at least with a couple feet's worth of room to then slit off to two out pipes... then one could run 2 small pipes (<1.5"), one to each side pipe and run that pipe down some ways inside the at least the curve of the sidepipe...

Maybe my thoughts are all imaginary thinking, but wouldn't the back pressure remain sufficient if you maybe used two 1" or so pipes (split off from the down point where all exhaust combines) out to both sidepipes?

I agree the single pipe makes most sense, but running the "sound" out one side soulds like it could make for an imbalanced rumble....

A bit of a dilemma eh?

Thanks for continued thoughts!
Paul
73 Yellow GT
Flagstaff AZ

[opelspyder]

A couple things...
That flexpipe is usually a temporary thing, and it is garbage. I tried that stuff already for this purpose. It leaks too much also
The problem with trying to make all the pipes connect and then split out is, there is not any room. Where the exhaust points out at the bottom, it immediately has to go to the left and right to connect to the front of the side pipe, unless you send the pipe back, split it off, and then run it back forward. I think by doing that you are really choking the system are you not?? There is only a few inches of space on the sides to mount the front of your pipe to make it look right, you don't want them to start in the middle of the door area,you want them up behind the front fender point, and it brings it too close to the headpipe exit if you are looking from the side of the car in relation. Also you talk about going down to one inch pipe-I don't know about that, becaust IIRC those side pipes are 2" pipe and bigger, meaning then you would have to step it upwith reducers and such. I think the 1" would be a mistake as well.
When I sold the Spyder, I had the side pipes disconnected, and I was running factory exhaust out the back...people really had questions then.
Seemed like when trying to plumb the pipes, I had an aluminum oil pan, and I hadto make sure that access to the oil plug was clear
Keith

[MICAH1]

Back in the late 70's I ran side pipes on my first opel (B&W photo), but found the noise level way to high and could not hear the radio at any volume, plus the pipes would always scorch my legs/pants.

The other photo (2nd) was taken in Carlisle at one of our national events. Can't remember the guy (Michigan Opeler Hauge?), but his side pipes made very little noise.

Third photo was also taken in Carlisle that same year.

It's up to you. I had a two inch pipe connected just below the stock exhaust pipe a few inches past the split, and ran to both sides. I felt that I got good response, but after a year or so, I went back to the original exhaust design. If you go with this make sure you purchase pipes with LOW MUFFLER NOISE!!!!!

[Mike Preble]

The middle picture above is of a man at the 2002 Carlisle show. He was into stainless steel and most of his engine was covered in it.

He stated that he took his dual pipe exhaust down pipe and reversed it coming off the exhaust manifold so that it came down and forward so he could have the pipes going slightly forward and able to make a smoother transition to the side pipes. He said that he would have had to make an "s" curve with the pipes to get them far enough forward to enter the side pipes. He said that was how he was able to use side pipes that were long enough to fit the whole length from front wheels to rear wheels and not use shorter pipes that I personally feel look kind of funky (technical term).

But the back pressure is an issue if you are thinking of power. He was into the show of his vehicle.

[ungermm]

Originally Posted by opelspyder A couple things... That flexpipe is usually a temporary thing, and it is garbage. I tried that stuff already for this purpose. It leaks too much also Keith

I think you thought I meant the older version of flexpipe that you can bend to take exhaust in a route you want it to go. I mean the short straight (6 - 8 inch) type of braided stainless steel pipe that comes stock in many late model cars.
Jerry

[opelspyder]

I did think you were talking about that cheap flex pipe, now the stainless braided is nice, used on a lot of OEM today, but is it available that small?
Keith

[RallyBob]

Keith, there are a lot of different sizes available. Just a couple of examples:

Vibrant Performance ::.

Vibrant Performance ::.

[paul.catherine]

Love the B&W photo at Left!

Sounds like the "S" snake would be the option if any, to consider... Since I mostly want to show off my Yellow GT than press the ponies (I think I'll wait to buy a supercharger for that, LOL), if I can ascend small hills to work, here in Flagstaff AZ, I will be satisfied.

I also agree that you gotta do the sidpipes the whole length... I agree with "funky"... Full length, for show, is more, "far out"... LOL ... I ordered 58-inch chrome pipes, so I think I will be good for this whole "experiment"....

As for noisy - I used to run some loud stuff on a supercharged Miata and a turbocharged Lotus, and love that note. I probably won't be driving long trips in it anyway... Right now I have the conventional pipe aft, and a Cherry Bomb straight-through (no resonator), and to me, it sounds a bit too quiet as is...

Thanks again - now if I use the "S", I guess how I meander underneath and avoid blocking the tranny and oil pans, will be an interesting exercise! worst case I will save the old pipes

Thanks again!
Paul
73 Yellow GT
Flagstaff AZ

[PROPEL]

Originally Posted by RallyBob A lot of folks have 'split' the stock headpipe and run one into each sidepipe. Power suffers greatly with this technique...two exhaust pulses per side are not enough to give any torque or power. It might look cool, but you won't be climbing hills very well if you make both sides funtional!

One sidepipe alone can look way cool! Especially, if it's hanging off the driver's side...

[paul.catherine]

Sweet! Where there's only one sidepipe - there are plenty of Hellas!

So those that have hung show pipes - I presume the tradition hangar use is in effect?

I guess one wants to go around the jack point, too, as alluded to above....

Paul
73 Yellow GT
Flagstaff AZ

[PROPEL]

Originally Posted by paul.catherine Sweet! Where there's only one sidepipe - there are plenty of Hellas!

Yes, just one sidepipe coming off the FI crossflow head. The exhaust system was added to a Conrero GT for the Tour de Corse - Rallye de France.

[bert73]

Originally Posted by opelspyder I did think you were talking about that cheap flex pipe, now the stainless braided is nice, used on a lot of OEM today, but is it available that small? Keith

see this specs for cheap flex pipe: Maximum available size: 24.3 Mpix.(4027 x 6040 pix.)
Lowest (724x469 pix.) resolution version: 85.- Euro
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Errors using inadequate data are much less than those using no data at all.
Miata Parts

[Wolf Spyder]

I have them on my car. The issue I ran into was that the Head pipe tubes from the manifold come together so far back that mandrel bends were needed to get the connection back up to the inlets of the side pipes. Not a good thing for free flowing exhaust. Also to make both side work would require additional creative tubing.

In the end I never hooked them up. But I do love the look. Biggest issue I run into now is ground clearance.

[PROPEL]

Although it still needs some more work, as it's hanging a bit low...

[jordan]

Originally Posted by PROPEL Although it still needs some more work, as it's hanging a bit low...

Walter, on the avatar and 2x on the gt...I like.

[paul.catherine]

Originally Posted by PROPEL Although it still needs some more work, as it's hanging a bit low...

Man this is sweet!

Paul
Flagstaff AZ
73 Yellow GT

[paul.catherine]

Well I bought a Patriot Exhaust Shielded Side Pipe H1060 kit and it seems the sidepipe is a narrow-throated "long muffler", a la:

Patriot Exhaust Shielded Side Pipe H1050

or a parts view at:
Patriot Exhaust H1060 - Patriot Side Exhaust - Overview - SummitRacing.com

The interior of the [dark] side pipes seems to be star shaped and about an inch diameter of unobstructed flow... so what the hey, will put 'em on and see what happens~

:-)

Paul
Flagstaff AZ
73 Yellow GT