'79 K5 exhaust question

[Metalshapes]

Hey fellas, I acquired a '79 K5 that is 99 percent stock except for the headers and some cobbled up hack job of true dual exhaust that the PO put on. I want to go back with a stock layout so I need to know which side the "Y" pipe collects on, I'm thinking the drivers side because of the differential and front driveline. Also, in '79 did they have the dual exit behind the drivers side rear tire or was it just a single? Pics and advise are greatly appreciated.

[68Timber]

Wish I could help. I've only had one with stock exhaust and it was an 83. It did have the Y-pipe, muffler, and tail pipes on the drivers side. For awhile anyway, I'm a duals junkie.

[Metalshapes]

Originally Posted by BRUISER

Wish I could help. I've only had one with stock exhaust and it was an 83. It did have the Y-pipe, muffler, and tail pipes on the drivers side. For awhile anyway, I'm a duals junkie.

LOL I know what you mean, and normally I am also but this one is a little different, the dash has not been cut for an aftermarket stereo and there is headers, it even has the original factory floor mats, other than that it has not been messed with at all, so I figured I would do this one justice by putting it back the way it came, manifolds, single exhaust, and the factory stereo if and when I can find one.

[68Timber]

Exhaust seems to be the one thing you can always get a pass on if you skip going back original but I can appreciate making it 100%. Post up some pics!

[Metalshapes]

I'm in the process of laying out my resto thread, fyi it will be pic heavy, it will also feature in depth techy stuff, from the easy all the way to the hard.

[K5owner]

Honestly a good single exhaust with quality cat (if so equipped) straight through muffler (magnaflow) and 2 3/4 to 3 inch piping will flow well and sound good while not killing performance like the factory exhaust did.

[mattcrp1]

I am in the process of doing my exhaust on my 76 truck. I went to my local muffler shop and they have a "universal" type muffler back pipe for a reasonable price, less than summit delivered, and it is a 3" mandrel bent pipe.

[Metalshapes]

Originally Posted by mattcrp1

I am in the process of doing my exhaust on my 76 truck. I went to my local muffler shop and they have a "universal" type muffler back pipe for a reasonable price, less than summit delivered, and it is a 3" mandrel bent pipe.

sweet!!! I just got back from my exhaust shop and they're by far not the cheapest in town but they do excellent work, they hit me with a $1000 ish price tag, custom from the manifolds back and guaranteed that if I need to I can take some of it out if I have to remove trans/transfer case.

[motornut]

Walker does make a dual (2.25)setup (both sides)used on my 78 and some others make the full length kits.
some rusty shots of my 79K

[motornut]

Originally Posted by Metalshapes

sweet!!! I just got back from my exhaust shop and they're by far not the cheapest in town but they do excellent work, they hit me with a $1000 ish price tag, custom from the manifolds back and guaranteed that if I need to I can take some of it out if I have to remove trans/transfer case.

thats about what my 79C custom bent cost.
2.25 pipe to H to flowmaster 40s
I removed "stock" at home,installed the "new"manifolds,and straight pipes,drove it in.
I'm told some muffler places can't remove the "cat",but will fix the "leak"

[motornut]

the duals on the 78 K,now with turndowns after the Cherry bombs

[68Timber]

Some of the exhaust prices I see quoted online blow my mind. Two or three weeks back I paid $180 for custom duals from the manifolds to the back with full tail pipes and 2 1/4" aluminized pipe. I provided some lightly used turbo mufflers. When I was a teen, every muffler shop in town would run duals w/cheap mufflers for $99.95 out the back, hasn't gone up much at all.

[kevinr1970]

Originally Posted by BRUISER

Some of the exhaust prices I see quoted online blow my mind. Two or three weeks back I paid $180 for custom duals from the manifolds to the back with full tail pipes and 2 1/4" aluminized pipe. I provided some lightly used turbo mufflers. When I was a teen, every muffler shop in town would run duals w/cheap mufflers for $99.95 out the back, hasn't gone up much at all.

x2
I was quoted ~$1000 for duals on my crew cab 4x4 WITH stainless headers with massive flanges, and pretty much whatever muffler I wanted (FM,MF, etc).
I priced out the exhaust kit, mufflers, headers through Summit / Jegs and with a mandrel bent kit it was about the same price, about a $100 less for non-mandrel kit.
But the with the shop it was installed!

As for this post, I can understand a super low mile original, or something that is going to be shown as all original, but I think at this point (and cost) I would go with a quality headers and true duals.
$.02