Basic exhaust question

[Mathius]

I've got several things I want to get done to my '76 Chevy Malibu over the next week or so.. First, I want to finish my floor pan. It just needs some small patches to finish off the floor pans I installed last summer. Second, I want to install a set of bucket seats. Mostly this will require fabbing some mounts. Very basic.

The last thing I want to do is fix my exhaust. I bought a Summit Racing dual exhaust kit last year. It's a bolt together 2.25" kit, with true duals (two mufflers). The car has headers. I'm very disappointed with the "bolt together" fit of everything. The pipes separate just above the rear axle and have to be clamped there. Gravity is constantly pulling the two tubes apart on either side of the exhaust and I have had to replace several exhaust clamps, but it still sags.

The only reason I didn't weld it together was for ease of removal.

I've been wanting to do a side exit exhaust for a while. Not a true side pipe that runs the whole length of the door, just a short exhaust that exits just before the rear tire. This one I intend to weld together. This will be my first true custom exhaust. I know they aren't exactly rocket science. I'm going to weld together several pipes, I won't need a pipe bender for this task.

So I have my 90 degree stainless bends, and the rest of the exhaust should be fairly straight, just a bit of a curve to bring the muffler ports where I want them. Seeings how this is my first attempt, I intend to reuse the front half of the Summit kit, and just make some mods and dump it on the sides of the car.

My question after all this, is what do you guys prefer as far as exhaust hangers?



I stopped at Autozone and Murray's auto parts today to take a look, and I saw several different designs.

One was just a simple block of rubber with a whole in the center for exansion and two holes on each end for some round stock to fit through.

I also saw one that clamps around the pipe like an exhaust bracket and has a rubber strip above it.

Another had a looped piece of rubber and a small tab at the bottom to weld to the pipe, or slip through an exhaust bracket.

I guess really the setup depends on how I want to fabricate the mount on my car's frame.

So I was just curious what you guys prefer?

Mathius

[toxicz28]

I like the late model oem hangers. (rubber and round stock) Just make sure you tig weld it.

[Mathius]

I like the late model oem hangers. (rubber and round stock) Just make sure you tig weld it.

The magical tig welder :bsjerk:

I'll be sure to have some elves sprinkle fairy dust on it too.

Mathius

[parsonsj]

The best hangers I know of are from Stainless Works. A cool little silicone rubber setup, it's easy to fab too.

jp

[Mathius]

The best hangers I know of are from Stainless Works. A cool little silicone rubber setup, it's easy to fab too.

jp

I got a set of those with the summit kit. One of them the bolt sheared right off while I was driving, the whole exhaust sagged and I lost the grommet. Luckily the rear hanger was strong enough to hold the exhaust up or I'd have been dragging tail pipe. Funny thing is the rear hanger was just something my dad and I fabbed up out of scrap steel.

I hope the stainless works one are better quality.

I think I'm just gonna use some rubber bushing style ones I picked up and bend some round bar. I'm not real sure how I'm gonna mount it to the frame or where, but I'll worry about that when I get under the car.

Mathius

[toxicz28]

The magical tig welder :bsjerk:

I'll be sure to have some elves sprinkle fairy dust on it too.

Mathius

Easy there turbo it was a joke.

[Mathius]

Easy there turbo it was a joke.

I know, but some people here will actually believe you.

Mathius