Opinion poll on custom exhaust setup

[jsera]

Hey guys,

I'm getting exhaust done on my 72 stepside truck later this week and have a couple questions looking for opinions. As background info, Im building my truck to a near show quality (not quite barrett but maybe mecum lol).

The questions:

1) Position: Im playing with the idea of having the pipes exit to the sides of the truck, either under the steps (with dual or even quad tips on each side (hot wheels-esque) or dual on each side behind the rear tires or just two or quad pipes straight out the back or lastly dump somewhere underneath and call it a day

2) Finish: Plain ol' aluminized pipe or send em out for silver ceramic coating to match my long tube headers (thinking about that undercarriage glamor shot on barrett jackson the day I decide to sell it... A guy can dream right?)

Pics/opinions welcome!

[jsera]

Pics:

[OARNGESI]

I would exit behind the rear wheels and by all means do the coatings if your budget allows

[truckster]

I prefer behind the wheels. It looks more finished to me, and it also gives a little better sound insulation for the cab.

[weq92f]

Mount your exhaust dump/cutout behind the cab just under the bed having that route to your 4 pipes exiting directly under each step. Route the normal, muffled pipes straight out the back.


-klb

[PeterHall]

I'd vote for mandrel bent stainless for the full exhuast.

Otherwise aluminized pipe and some paint looks great. I wouldnt get it ceramic coated unless you wear doing it for heat manangement.

[jessemthompson]

Go all the way out behind the rear wheels. In front of the rear wheels and you won't enjoy driving it. Too much drone in the cab.

[garyd1961]

I would go straight out the back, single tipped pipes. Sounds better than one out each side.

[Andy4639]

I have a LWB fleet bed truck and ran mine all the way out back turned to each corner of the truck and angled down.

[special-K]

No matter what you do, single outlets, That multi-tip stuff is for imports

[robs71]

Originally Posted by special-k

no matter what you do, single outlets, that multi-tip stuff is for imports

x2

[70cst]

Originally Posted by robs71

x2

x3

[jsera]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

I have a LWB fleet bed truck and ran mine all the way out back turned to each corner of the truck and angled down.

Andy, how are your clearances from exhaust to bed (in my case would be wood) and to the axle and panhard bar? I was looking under my truck last night and realized that with the 4" drop the clearances for taking the exhaust all the way back kinda sucks...

[jsera]

How about something like this on each side? I don't think it looks ricey?

[Andy4639]

Originally Posted by jsera

Andy, how are your clearances from exhaust to bed (in my case would be wood) and to the axle and panhard bar? I was looking under my truck last night and realized that with the 4" drop the clearances for taking the exhaust all the way back kinda sucks...

Mine is close for sure but nothing hit's.

Compared to my Impala,

You should see the 64 SS Impala if you want close.
The double tips are fine just don't put one of those bee mufflers on it!

[jsera]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

Mine is close for sure but nothing hit's.

Compared to my Impala,

You should see the 64 SS Impala if you want close.
The double tips are fine just don't put one of those bee mufflers on it!

all clear when you jack it off the suspension too?

[Andy4639]

Originally Posted by jsera

all clear when you jack it off the suspension too?

Yes nothing hit's even when the rear air bags are all the way down.

You Tube

[LS short box]

My .02 is as follows.

I don't like the muffler shop pinch bends. I'd use mandrel bent pieces welded together. A bit of a pain but it just looks so much better. Doesn't have to be stainless. You can buy kits with bends and straight sections.

Also depending on the progress of you build I wouldn't run it under the cross member I would punch holes in the cross member and run the pipes thru the cross member so you can't see the exhaust pipes from the side.

I would run the exhaust all the way to the back but out the side before the bumper. At the end of the pipe instead of leaving it cut 90 degrees I like to cut them at an angle so the end is more or less square to the ground leaving maybe and inch or so below the rear bed side.

Again just .02.

[jsera]

Originally Posted by LS short box

My .02 is as follows.

I don't like the muffler shop pinch bends. I'd use mandrel bent pieces welded together. A bit of a pain but it just looks so much better. Doesn't have to be stainless. You can buy kits with bends and straight sections.

Also depending on the progress of you build I wouldn't run it under the cross member I would punch holes in the cross member and run the pipes thru the cross member so you can't see the exhaust pipes from the side.

I would run the exhaust all the way to the back but out the side before the bumper. At the end of the pipe instead of leaving it cut 90 degrees I like to cut them at an angle so the end is more or less square to the ground leaving maybe and inch or so below the rear bed side.

Again just .02.

depending on the progress--mechanically its all in one piece so I cant remove the crossmember now. is there a way to do it with the crossmember in place?

[Tomo]

I talked my dad into putting the stainless flowmaster kit on his 70. He was hesitant but now I think it's one of his favorite parts - the sound! Fits great and they give you exit options. If I remember right we modified 1 of the options - they exit straight out the back with a very very slight down bend (cleanest look in my opinion)

http://www.flowmastermufflers.com/19...st-kit-817654/

[jsera]

Originally Posted by Tomo

I talked my dad into putting the stainless flowmaster kit on his 70. He was hesitant but now I think it's one of his favorite parts - the sound! Fits great and they give you exit options. If I remember right we modified 1 of the options - they exit straight out the back with a very very slight down bend (cleanest look in my opinion)

http://www.flowmastermufflers.com/19...st-kit-817654/

how's the finish of the stainless? pics on flowmasters site looks like plain aluminized pipe

[LS short box]

I cut the hole in the cross member with a plasma cutter with the cross member in place in the frame and then welded in two round rings to reinforce the area around the holes. I did 4" holes so I would have 1/2 clearance around the 3" exhaust pipe.

[midniteblues]

If your going that far you can allways add those electric cut outs and dumps somewhere. And still go out the back.

Diggin the hot wheels kinda thing too just to be lil' differnt but it's not for everyone.
I think the one Stacey David did with the wobbly up sweeps were cool.but its not for me.

I prefer them anywhere out the back.
I chose this way cause it was either cutouts on the bumper or having exhaust tips a few inches off the ground under the bumper.

I had the camaro's exhaust exiting in this same location except for more pointing to the ground and I didn't like all the dirt and dust it kicked up.

It looks here like my bumper will catch the fumes but it really just "looks" that way.


I shoulda stuck with my original plan and narrowed one of the many spare bumpers i have and made the exhaust cutouts in it like I wanted too.

But I like it this way too.

[70 shorty]

On my stepside, my pipes come out under the steps at a 45 degree angle and I love it that way. Wouldn't want it any other way. On a truck as nice looking as yours I think ceramic coating the entire exhaust system would be a very nice touch.

[jsera]

Just got my truck back from the muffler shop last night and it looks awesome! I went with the Quad tips under each step and Im glad I didn't stick with the norm it looks great and really unique. Props to the shop that did it, Muffler City in Jacksonville incase anyone around Jax needs some help in the future.

Note: the angle of the close ups makes it look like they stick out a lot but theyre just barely protruding as seen in the first pic.