Custom Exhaust Thread

[bmw325ix]

I have good luck with v bands, when mocking up you always must tighten the all the way down each time. I tout I could get away with out it once and it came back to bite me. The vibrant assemblies come with a fine pitch T bolt and some sort of soft metal nut, they work great when it's all done but they do not like to come on and off all the time while I'm mocking things up. To get around this I just bought some regular long hardware store bolts and put those in. I also carry a spare t bolt and nut in my glove box, but that's me being over prepared.

The biggest difference I have seen between different v band brands is how much room they take up. If you have a pipe and want to add a vibrant v band assembly it's going to add 1 inch to the over all length. I had another cheaper brand and it was closer to 2 inches which was a real pain and ive never bought one of those again. I plan to try out using a double slip fit since the lower over profile makes it easier to fit with out worrying about hitting the ground or something.

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[9bells]

Originally Posted by bmw325ix

9Bells, what wall thickness pipes do you use?

It varies with the job. 304 is always 16ga, 321 can be as little as 20ga, and the Inconel is usually 20ga.

I use alot of sanitary stuff, yes, especially for mock-up. The clamps require no tools, and are easily spun tight as you go.

I like the male-female arrangement, and had some long before vibrant. Never been a huge fan of their stuff.
I love v-bands, and I haven't had any trouble with them anywhere. There is for sure a wide quality gap out there, I stick to the few I like.

[Scargod]

Originally Posted by 9bells

It varies with the job. 304 is always 16ga, 321 can be as little as 20ga, and the Inconel is usually 20ga.

I use alot of sanitary stuff, yes, especially for mock-up. The clamps require no tools, and are easily spun tight as you go.

I like the male-female arrangement, and had some long before vibrant. Never been a huge fan of their stuff.
I love v-bands, and I haven't had any trouble with them anywhere. There is for sure a wide quality gap out there, I stick to the few I like.

Some great ideas. You do beautiful work. I used to do TIG years ago and taught other to do it.
Vibrant's pricey and I read that their nuts and/or bolts are soft.
Please share what brands of V-bands you like and particularly the male~female varieties.

[9bells]

The male-female I use are my own design, and I get them machined locally.
If I'm not using the sanitary clamps, I prefer clampco, but there is another good one, but it escapes me. I get most of that stuff through Columbia River Mandrel Bending. Adam Fortier and the boys over there have been treating me like gold for over 10 years. They sell alot of what is needed for fab. Bends, lots of flanges now, reasonably priced collectors,etc.

[olsen726]

Another +1 for columbia mandrel bends.. thats where I get most of my flanges and piping.

[9bells]

Equal lengthmadness on a volvo powered 7 replica

All put together and the rest of the custom set-up

Very custom S2000 exhaust..

Rear y section to go up into the bumper outlets

v8 M3 mid-pipe, sounds so good. Went to a top speed event in this car. What a drive!!

Toyota based 7 exhaust


v8 7 exhaust


Custom rear section and repairs on this...


Subby stuff...EWG install on new piece, muffler delete,etc

[bugeyesubie]

hey thats my up pipe in that picture above! need to get that sand blasted still

[9bells]

Originally Posted by bugeyesubie

hey thats my up pipe in that picture above! need to get that sand blasted still

You bet! I was hoping you had it all together and driving by now!!!
Getting close?

[bugeyesubie]

I wish... it's just an empty shell and the build has been delayed a few years (bought a house and truck for work). but the build will be better and it will be more thorough!

[9bells]

Originally Posted by bugeyesubie

I wish... it's just an empty shell and the build has been delayed a few years (bought a house and truck for work). but the build will be better and it will be more thorough!

Yes, well a house is certainly more important. I remember you mentioned that earlier.
It was looking like a pretty serious deal before, more thorough is exciting!

[revin-it02]

K

Originally Posted by bjm

Finally have this setup running in the car... two engine builds later it's making 550whp @ 26psi

Symmons Plains Test Day November 2012 - YouTube

I love love love that turn down on that exhaust. Could you make another of those or add that to an existing axle back? I have a blitz nur spec and was wondering if it could be modified to have that. Absolutely gorgeous.

[RockNRace03]

hi guys. i've been working for an exotic car performance exhaust company for the past 7 months or so. i started out pushing brooms and helping in any way i could. in that time I've learned to tig weld and fabricate exhaust for some of the most exotic cars in the world. today i built the hardest thing to date. although not as exotic as some stuff. bmw 135i twin turbo down pipes.
first side




other side

polished

close up of weld


let me know what you think

[WhatTurboLag?]

Those ****ers are a pita to install, we did em on my buddy's car. Never ever again lol

[RockNRace03]

Originally Posted by WhatTurboLag?

Those ****ers are a pita to install, we did em on my buddy's car. Never ever again lol

i could imagine.

if it makes you feel any better they are also a pain to build and have to be perfect for the very tight space im assuming the fit in. they also dont like to come out of the fixture when you weld the last piece in

[snowrxboard]

Possibly first to have quad tips on GD?!? Fab done by Area1320

[Mikie13]

Originally Posted by snowrxboard

Possibly first to have quad tips on GD?!? Fab done by Area1320

Absolutely love this.

[Irv Weissmanhowerton]

Full v-band, ss, tig welded rotated set-up, with e.l. header and cai manifold, alot of it was pie cut for the bends, came out real clean

[Irv Weissmanhowerton]

with a bit of other stuff on the side, caging, long travel suspension here on a ranger edge, along with 3 or 4 link rear susp, some work on lightweight bumper beams, coolant overflow, power steering, and air/oil seperaters or catch cans, rear roll center susp all on heims (lateral links, trailing arms/knuckles)




this truck has a grand national turbo v6, during some mock-up here for the build

[Irv Weissmanhowerton]

this was going on a really expensive sprint car motor in a buggy

[Irv Weissmanhowerton]

ducati


this other bike owner wanted to keep the akro mufflers, was an mv agusta

this buggy has the whole new chasis/cage and all you see here, plus now fitted with a wrx engine back there

[Irv Weissmanhowerton]

charger bolt in cage, and prob fits other cars

lotus elise

[waynoSTI]

So many cool ideas in this thread! very good workmanship too!

[RockNRace03]

i never get the pie cut thing. why not just buy tight radius 180's

[bmw325ix]

Pie cuts allow more flexibility in tight situations. You can make the bends sort of rotate and they go. It's also become something of a trend, people like the look. Also some in materials it's easier to make a pie cut bend rather then pay for a bent piece.

[Scargod]

How do you deal with stalactites inside the tube? I'm sure they have a name, in welding.
Does a good welder not have a problem?
Seems I've heard of inert gas being pumped into/through the tubing during welding?