Home › Forums › MGTD Kit Cars › VW Based Kits › VW exhaust system
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July 14, 2009 at 11:18 am #232677
I have a problem with the exhaust on my 1980 FF 69 VW. The extractor upper pipes press up on the fiberglass rear deck and have scorched the fiberglass. As soon as I bought the car , I shimed the deck up to clear it, but to get it up enough would leave the engine cover at an odd angle. The pipes are wrapped with insulation, but that is not enough. The pipes have a glass pack type of muffler that is ok at speed, but has an annoying “wannntt” when shifting. I am tempted to try a ” exhaust street system gt style “. It is # 3487 at http://www.doghouserepair.com. It appears to be lower and would clear the deck and the heat issues. I don’t know what the “gt” sound would be like. Would I notice a change in the preformance going from the extractors ? Has anyone tried this unit ? Thanks, Rollie
July 16, 2009 at 9:45 am #239269That EMPI system has the single outlet, like a real TD had. If you are worried about heat, the ceramic coating is the way to go.
I have a ’74 Beetle that I am going to put the EMPI # 55-3417 GT exahust on. Currently the car has a “gutted” Mexican exhaust that is WAY too LOUD! I don’t want the heat, so the ceramic coating is worth it too me.
The Empi GT systems, no matter what style tips, 2, 4, or single are mellow and not really loud.
July 16, 2009 at 4:45 pm #239270Thanks ! I like the idea of a mellow sound. I have to smile when someone with a small car with a loud muffler screams through the gears, as a large suv purrrs past it to the next light. I like the #55-3417, but it has the #2 & #4 pipes still high, and for some reason the rear deck will actually sit on them unless shimmed up. Guess I will try the #3487 as it will bring it down. I was most worried about the sound being annoying, I won’t miss a few hp if it runs and sounds good. Thanks Rollie
August 5, 2009 at 7:22 pm #239271Well I put the muffler on, and it is a total success ! It clears the deck by a lot and eliminates the heat issue in that area. I really like the sound, kind of a deep burble. No popping on decelleration and at 60 mph , you can still hear it , but it is not load. And…. The muffler doesn’t show and the single pipe looks great ! Thanks for the advice folks, I couldn’t be more pleased. Also, if it has lost any power by removing the extractors, I cannot tell it. Rollie
August 5, 2009 at 9:20 pm #239272Another item on the to-do list done!
We love to hear about progress!Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
October 26, 2009 at 11:11 am #239273Rollie wrote:Well I put the muffler on, and it is a total success ! It clears the deck by a lot and eliminates the heat issue in that area. I really like the sound, kind of a deep burble. No popping on decelleration and at 60 mph , you can still hear it , but it is not load. And…. The muffler doesn’t show and the single pipe looks great ! Thanks for the advice folks, I couldn’t be more pleased. Also, if it has lost any power by removing the extractors, I cannot tell it. RollieOctober 26, 2009 at 11:15 am #239274Rollie:
Im restoring a MIGI and have the same problem with muffler clearance. Just to make sure, did you install the #3487? I was not totally sure from the E-mail chatter if you installaed the 3417 or the 3487.
Tom A
October 28, 2009 at 1:28 pm #239275Tom, he installed the #3487 (single outlet tip)
I installed the #3418 ceramic coated on my ’74 Beetle and lost the flexible heater tubes that go from the doghouse to the heater boxes. Looks like #3487, #3417 do not have this problem.
Pink MG40114.5631481481
October 29, 2009 at 6:43 pm #239276Hi, ” pink mg ” is correct, I installed the #3487. He is correct again in that #3487 allows you to retain the heat tubes. I have about 1500 miles on it, and think it is perfect. I can hear conversation at 60 mph, but if I give it the gas, it has a nice sound. It really doesn’t sound much like a VW eather. The big advantage is the lower operating temperature. On a hot day, it used to run 230+ at only 55 mph. With the new setup, 210 at 60+ mph. I also changed to synthetic oil. On the old setup, the rear deck was sitting on the pipes. It also seems to run better ! Good luck with your project and thanks to ” pink mg “.
October 29, 2009 at 9:20 pm #239277Nothing like running cooler…glad it worked. You made a great selection and I found a great vendor at Doghouse. Phil is a great help and the prices make it worth the 5 day wait on the cross continent shipping. So, thanks to you Rollie
May 14, 2010 at 12:01 pm #239278Has anyone tried the 3417 on their car? (I like the looks)The previous owner of my car cut out the bottom of the rear panel to clear a 4 pipe system so as long as it doesn’t hit the bumber it’s ok. My car is so low that I don’t want a pipe coming out low and scraping. I have already lost one pipe backing up in to a high curb. We’ve got “speed bumps” in Calif that are hugh! The muffler on my MGA scapes on some of them.
Thanks
Chuck
May 14, 2010 at 12:02 pm #239279Has any one tried the 3417 on their fiberfab car?
May 14, 2010 at 1:13 pm #239280I installed a Bugpack #2031-13 ceramic coated header and their #2542-13 quiet pack header on the first Pink MG that Bill Collins bought and called Angelica.
It seems that “by mistake” I chose “the best all around header for stock and slightly modified VW engines up to 1776cc” according to the guys on http://www.samba.com/vw forum.
It fit the CMC/FiberFab car no problem, but didn’t look much like stock. The performance was weel worth it though.
I am currently building a Volksrod and again bought the same exhaust for it.
Whatever you get, I suggest the extra $$ for the ceramic coating though.
May 14, 2010 at 1:41 pm #239281Hi
Does the Bugpack #2031-13 retain the heater boxes? And how quiet is it? My 1600 has dual carbs without chokes and in the morning I wake up all the neighbors and my girlfriend with all the popping and backfiring of the cold engine. My girl B
‘s about it! ( It might be cheaper to get a new girlfriend who appreciates exhaust noise, you think?)Thanks
Chuck
May 14, 2010 at 6:41 pm #239282No such thing as a cheap new girlfriend!
Well, there is. But she probably would not be a keeper.I looked at the picture of the 2031-13. Yes, you may retain your hater boxes with that muffler.
Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
May 17, 2010 at 2:07 pm #239283Rollie, Paul is correct.
Most aftermarket street exhaust use the stock heater boxes. If you see only two header flange to head connections and two flanged pipes, it uses the stock heater boxes.
My exhaust was very quiet without sacrificing any performance. I rather liked the Porsche like exhaust note myself, but Bill Collins thought is was ugly and replaced it.
June 21, 2010 at 2:43 pm #239284Hi Guys
Thanks for all the info on mufflers. I want something just loud enough to hide the sewing machine sound of the lifters! That’s a whole ‘nuther thread, however!
Which tips give you the most ground clearance? My tips scrape going down my drive way and If I back up I can dig in and really tear something up. So, I’m looking for somethig that swoops up after it clears the MiGi rear bumper. Any Ideas out there?
chuck
June 22, 2010 at 7:41 am #239285Chuck, I wonder if you maybe should be thinking of lifting up your back suspension. I am. I think I’m about an inch and a half low in back (noticeable mainly by the way the headlights are aimed), and so my new pipe (the Empi 3487 system, illustrated install story here) has scraped a time or two when backing out of the drive. It’s maybe 2 inches longer than it absolutely needs to be, so cutting off the end is an option. But I believe the fix involves re-indexing the rear torsion bars. That looks to be an absolute joy. Air shocks or coil overs would be quicker, but will over-stiffen the suspension.
June 22, 2010 at 9:31 am #239286Never, never, put air shocks or coil-overs on a VW. You will end up driving a block of concrete.
Got that? Never!
And you could always adjust the headlights Ed.
PMOSSBERG40351.4611921296
Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
June 22, 2010 at 11:09 am #239287Yeah, that was my first thought. I’ll actually have to look up how to do that job in the BCW manual. I am that much of a noob.
Won’t fix the rear camber situation though or the ride height. I found a nice how-to series a while back on doing the rear torsion bar adjustment the right way, and it looked arduous and crazy-dangerous, with lots of heavy stuff subject to popping out under tension….
And that was on a stock bug. Word on the street is you can’t do the job on a BCW without taking the body off the car.
So I hope you’ll forgive my momentary lapse in suggesting that a one-hour, $100 lift shock installation might be an option. I was not thinking straight.
edsnova40351.466099537
June 22, 2010 at 12:43 pm #239288Headlights…the shell is held on to the bracket by a single bolt running through the bracket. The shell “should” be able to slide on that bolt. So loosen it, adjust the light as necessary and tighten it up.
And you may be right about turning the rear torsion bars. Hard to say from pictures, but it is very possible the body blocks access.
Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
June 22, 2010 at 3:26 pm #239289Thanks, Paul. I’ll get to that this week. (The headlights, not the rear suspension). Meanwhile, no one has answered Chuck’s question!
I’d vote “the stock tips.” But I know nothing.
August 19, 2010 at 2:02 pm #239290Hi
I installed the 3417 with 1 outlet pipe (a very long pipe!) Might need a red flag on that tailpipe it’s sooo long…
The sound is great, nice and quiet until you punch it then it has a nice throaty sound.
I did have clearance problems so I moved the fiberglass cover back about 5/8 inch and it just clears now. Had to redill one hole and add spacers to mount the bumper. I’m going to line the inside of the cover with an aluminum sheet to reflect some of the heat. I had an MGA with wooden floor BOARDS that I caught on fire with mufler heat before I added a metal sheet on the bottom side of the board!
Thanks for the advice on the muffler. It was a few bucks cheaper from Cip1 than Doghouse.
Chuck
July 29, 2011 at 7:26 am #239291Had a new muffler put on yesterday. I went with the recommendations of this forum and installed the EMPI 3487. The difference in the noise output was phenomenal (night and day difference) When I first got the FF it had a muffler that looked like it had been brazed on a half dozen times and very loud. At the time I changed it with a 4 tip exhaust by EMPI and the noise wasn’t any different than what was on it when bought. A pleasurable ride is now even more pleasurable. Thanks
December 29, 2011 at 8:09 am #239292I put on the empi muffler and love the sound but it hit the trunk lid. After
a short time the fiberglass started to melt. I don’t know if my Daytona
mini is different enough that this muffler will not work but I am open to
ideas.
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