Mark D's 71 Camaro TT LS2

[mwhizard]

Hot side complete!!!
I finished the hot side of the turbo setup today. I needed some 1.75" flex pipes for the waste gate dump tubes. Vibrant makes them but there were none available locally, and they retail here at $58ea + $10 shipping. So, I thought, Hmmmm, I wonder whats inside those normal flex joints that are wrapped in braided stainless? I figured I could risk the $17ea, and at least cut one up and see. As soon as it arrived I looked inside it and it looked very similar to the Vibrant piece. Checked it with a magnet tool and sure enough, not sticky (=stainless steel). So I cut it up. The clamp rings on these are just crimped on so using a cutoff wheel I carefully broke the tension ring. I didn't cut all the way through, just most, then using a big screwdriver not to pry but to twist between the cut lines, it just popped the remaining steel and the ring slid off easily. The stainless wrap. I slid the big screwdriver under the skin then cutting disked through the wrap being carefull not to go too deep. the wrap is held in palce with a few spot welds, so I cut the wire with cutters, then dressed them clean with a grinder / dremmel.



Here's where the dump pipes re-enter the exhaust down pipes. I used a hole saw after tracing out where the pipes meet. Then fine tuned it with a carbide and a file.


All welded up

Installed