Exhaust costs / questions

[Project1970]

Okay...because I want an excuse for a new exhaust (LOL)...the driver's side pipe interferes with my auto shifter. I'm debating biting the bullet and dropping in headers, complete with a new exhaust system.

How much money am I looking at to have the following?

*Good-fitting ceramic-coated headers, ideally that don't hang below frame - truck is lowered 2.5" front, 4" rear, don't want to lose any ground clearance. Having decent plug access would be a plus (Vortec heads if it makes a difference).

*High-grade fasteners and copper gaskets - I don't want to deal with exhaust leaks, ever.

*2.5" dual pipes with a crossover of some sort (H pipe probably, since an X looks too hard) and good-flowing mufflers

This is going in my '70 GMC...regarding noise level, I want about the same loudness as a stock LT1 fourth-generation F-body, maybe a little louder.

Oh, and I'm still going to need to figure out how to mount the factory A/C - it's on the exhaust and front of the engine now, the intake part of the bracket wouldn't work with a Vortec intake.

[jmil1974]

I'll give it a shot . . .

Headers - Hedman and Dynomax/Summit make some very decent ceramic coated jobbies for $250-300.
I'd get the Accel header plugs to ease things a bit (and using a wrench for plugs is no biggie, anyway).
I'd think the good gaskets and hardware would set you back about $30-40.
About $100-150 for a good set of mufflers (though this can easily be dropped to $40-80)
The rest of the exhaust and labor should be NO MORE THAN $200, including tips, IMO -- especially if you install the headers yourself.
This would bring you in about $700, full boat, all quality stuff that should last for years.

Just so you know, most headers will likely leak at some point. You have to go REALLY high dollar to 99% guarantee no leaks.
1. Headers like Sandersen, Doug Thorley, or Hedman Super HD line with thick ass flanges.
2. New headers and heads OR machine them to both be 100% flat.
3. Stage 8 locking header bolts
4. Ultra copper sealant on gasket around ports and collectors
5. Have bushed hangers as close to engine as possible so the flanges bear as little weight as possible and have room to flex.
6. Install, get em nice and hot and re tighten, THEN lock em down with the locks.

It cost me about $225 for 3" duals, no balance pipe, glass packs, 3.5" slash chrome tips here in TX about 2 years ago.

Within the nest 6 months, I'm going to add an H-pipe, switch to some quieter, smoother, more "tasteful" sounding mufflers, and have my pipes spread apart just a bit to make room for a receiver hitch. They're an inch or two too close right now. Mufflers I am considering are Dynomax's Hemi Turbos, Flowmaster 70 series, Magnaflow turbos, or some good old Thrush turbos if money is tight. I want quieter to suit the wife but no loss in power. I expect all this will cost $100-200, depending on which muffs I go for.

Hope this helps,
Jason

[busterwivell]

You're lucky to be in Tucson. Go see Cyril Leon at Leon's Exhaust in Tucson. He is a perfectionist. He has done the exhaust on all my vehicles, including 2 I've sold over the years. I've never had a problem. He always gets them to tuck up nice without any rattles, too. His prices are very reasonable.

[crazy longhorn]

I have hooker comps on the longhorn, with a 3/5 drop. Ground clearance is good, the collectors hang approx 2" below the frame & are parallel (much better than the Headmans that were on the truck). i couldnt say for plug clearance on the vortecs, but its good on my edelbrocks. The headers painted were $154, but closer to $400 in ceramic coated. a stock lenght of 14 guage 2 1/2" pipe, short pc of 2 1/4 (for H pipe), & clamps & hangers was $40. 2 Dynomax super turbo's were $65, 3 " tail pipe kit was $65, & stainless tips were $70. I installed the system in my garage, & have approx $400 in parts (tail pipes turned out the sides ahead of the tires). with ceramic headers, & shop installed exhaust, & depending on side or rear exit you can probably figure in the $700-900 range......

[Desert Rat]

Here in town they do 2 1/2" dual with Turbos or you can have Dynomax mufflers,aluminized exhaust w/chrome tips(i opted for no chrome)cost me $250 exit in stock location crossover pipe im assuming extra $50.for headers on my big blocks i use stock exhaust manifold gaskets no problems yet,or ever.when i have exhaust hooked to headers they flange the end,i dont use the header collector,and i use the stock donut gaskets for exhaust manifolds down there,and you can use the metal or material,if you buy good header gaskets,buy a set of the locking header bolts,dont think the gaskets leak until the bolts loosen up.

[nate68]

as far as a/c brackets go, go with Alan Grove brackets. they worked great for me. What a/c compressor are you running? if you havent done your a/c system i would recommend getting a Sanden compressor since they are about half as long as an A6 and work great with alan grove brackets and vortec heads. the brackets come with all the spacers that you need. it doesnt run off of the intake manifold like gm uses.

[Project1970]

jmil, crazy longhorn, and DR...thanks for the tips. I ballparked the figures myself and got in that range (though at the time I honestly had no idea what a shop charges for a full dual 2.5" setup on a SWB, heh)

buster...I don't know if I'll be able to give that a shot, unless I can survive the trip from Phoenix to Tucson with open headers...see, I live in Tucson for UA, but my garage is at my dad's in Chandler. I'd want to throw the headers on there...and as cool as it'd sound, I doubt my eardrums would last the 100-mile trip.

nate68...I did a little research and it looks like Jegs carries a part that just might work to use the exhaust to mount it still...maybe, not sure...and while the Alan Grove brackets look nice, I have a hard time paying $75 for a bracket. I'd probably try fabbing one up myself or getting someone local to do it before forking over that kind of cash...

[tim m]

You can try Apache muffler on Main and Country Club in Mesa. They did 3 of my vehicles and they were very reasonable and they did and awseome job.