3 in" exhaust for a 66. Best place to get it?

[originalJD]

Hey everyone. It's been a while since I've posted. Anyway, ever since I got my 3 in" duel exhaust from summit for my Camaro I decided I want to go with the same type of system in my 66. Summit Raceing doesn't seem to have a 3in" kit available for a 66 c10. So I'm wondering if you guys could help me with my options. Like where I might find a kit for a reasonable price or what Kit may come close with little to no modification to fit?

Thank you in advance for any input on this subject.

Oh and if you have any pics of your 3in" exhaust system, Post-em here please? I'd like to see them.

[Nick's81]

think the cross member might have some thing to do with it

[Captainfab]

IMO a 2.5" exhaust should be just fine unless you have a really bad a$$ engine. Thrush makes a 2.5" exhaust system that will fit out trucks. It is marketed as for '66-'72's. Here it is on Summit's site.....

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/WLK-89027/

[originalJD]

Originally Posted by Nick's81

think the cross member might have some thing to do with it

Yes the cross member may have something to do with it. I'm willing to run the pipes out the side in front of the rear wheels.

Originally Posted by Captainfab

IMO a 2.5" exhaust should be just fine unless you have a really bad a$$ engine. Thrush makes a 2.5" exhaust system that will fit out trucks. It is marketed as for '66-'72's. Here it is on Summit's site.....

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/WLK-89027/

Thanks. I was checking Summit out earlier today. I did see they had 2.5 exhaust. And although 2.5 will work even though my motor going in is much more than mild. I just kinda fell in love with that sound a 3.000 system can produce. Especially with a high lift cam. The truck can be ugly as hell and still turn heads.

[Captainfab]

I'm not aware of anyone that makes a 3" exhaust system for our trucks. If you're willing to exit the exhaust in front of the rear wheels, you could probably fabricate it yourself with 3" exhaust bends. The Summit brand 3" X pipe kit with a couple of muflers will get you most of the way back to the rear wheels. Summit also sells the prebent elbows in 3". You can just cut them and piece it together and either have someone weld it up or use the stainless band clamps.

[originalJD]

Ya I guess I can just use peices of a kit. Seems to me if I got the same system thats in my camaro I could use it from headers to muffler.

[LILRED66]

A custom fabricated system at a local shop is my suggestion also. Most have the 3" pipe and the ability to bend it, avoiding a lot of cutting and welding. I have had a few 2.5" systems done for a little over $400.00 from the down tubes at the exhaust manifolds, out the rear, including stainless steel tips, Series 40 Flow Masters and hangers.

[vin63]

As the others mentioned, the trailing arm crossmember is not very friendly to large-diameter exhaust systems. I fabricated my 3-inch exhaust on my truck to the outside of the frame - I run a swept-back shorty header. My system has a turn-down on the muffler at the front of the rear tire, in line with the leading edge of the fender opening. I was able to do a few in the past for customers that went up and over the rearend housing and turned down behind the rear tire, but I don't have enough tire-to-frame clearance. Anyway, here are a few photos just before I welded on my hangers that might help you with ideas.

[originalJD]

Originally Posted by 63 & 64 Bowties

Have you checked with any local muffler shops? It used to be that local shops didn't do 3" but now with some of the newer full size trucks having 3" your local shop may be able to do it.

Yes. There is a local shop near by. And they do amazing work. This guy even does some really complex sculptures out of old exhaust parts and scrap auto parts. I've had work done by them on cars I've had in the past.

Originally Posted by LILRED66

A custom fabricated system at a local shop is my suggestion also. Most have the 3" pipe and the ability to bend it, avoiding a lot of cutting and welding. I have had a few 2.5" systems done for a little over $400.00 from the down tubes at the exhaust manifolds, out the rear, including stainless steel tips, Series 40 Flow Masters and hangers.

$400 for a complete system installed doesn't sound too bad. I beleive the local shop here would most likely have 3" pipe. And the materials would be fairly inexpensive too. It the labor cost that kinda scares me.

Originally Posted by vin63

[COLOR="Navy"]As the others mentioned, the trailing arm crossmember is not very friendly to large-diameter exhaust systems. I fabricated my 3-inch exhaust on my truck to the outside of the frame - I run a swept-back shorty header. My system has a turn-down on the muffler at the front of the rear tire, in line with the leading edge of the fender opening. I was able to do a few in the past for customers that went up and over the rearend housing and turned down behind the rear tire, but I don't have enough tire-to-frame clearance. Anyway, here are a few photos just before I welded on my hangers that might help you with ideas.

Thanks for the pics. The system your running looks awesome! Thats a great idea running it outside of the frame rails. Looks like it tucks up under there real nice. I'm gonna look into that. But I'm most likely to end up with long tube headers. However, I have never run shorty's before and I am starting to see some of the advantages of running them.

[vin63]

Originally Posted by originalJD

Thanks for the pics. The system your running looks awesome! Thats a great idea running it outside of the frame rails. Looks like it tucks up under there real nice. I'm gonna look into that. But I'm most likely to end up with long tube headers. However, I have never run shorty's before and I am starting to see some of the advantages of running them.

I had tried to make a 3-inch system work with a set of full-length headers and running the tubing inside of the frame rails, but with my truck so low, snaking the tubing around the trailing arms and the rearend housing was not going to work and still get full suspension travel, no matter how I routed and bent the tubing.