An Exhausting Decision

Analog Kid

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So I've decided to go ahead and get my exhaust system replaced on my '72 Fury III (360 engine - single exhaust) and I was looking to get some feedback on the estimates I've received. Pipes are pretty rusty and I've had to sleeve a section where it has a leak. I've also got some funds available to spend so that always helps with the decision making process.

So I got two estimates. The first guy started calling around to get prices on the parts and after the second call I stopped him and told him he probably wasn't going to find anything locally. I said that I could possibly source the parts and asked if he could do the labor. He said he could do it for $150. I was happy with that but afterwards I started looking for the parts and looked at both TTI and Walker but didn't find anything for a 1972 360 single exhaust. Looks like they only sell the dual exhaust systems.

The second estimate came from a custom shop. The guy here said he could fabricate all the pipes and supply a Magnaflow muffler for $750. His plan was to cut the old pipes before the flanges and weld the new ones on. I said I was worried about there being a leak at the flange but he started the car up, checked it and said he didn't think it was leaking.

So I'm kind of leaning towards the second estimate - only because I can't find the parts for a single exhaust. If anyone knows where to get them then please let me know. However with the second estimate does it sound like leaving the old flange connections in place is a good idea? The guy at the custom shop initially started talking about putting in a dual setup and told me most guys with cars like these have headers put in and do away with the old manifolds. I really don't want to do that since the car is very original and I would like to keep it that way.

Any thoughts here would be appreciated. Thanks in advance for the responses.

Dave
 
I stayed with single exhaust on my ‘68. I had a local shop make the Y pipe and intermediate pipe. I supplied a NOS Muffler, Resonator and hangers. His total bill was $400. So all in I was probably around $650 to $700.
I believe Waldron Exhaust has single systems. Well for ‘68 anyway.
 
This year I had a custom shop build everything by hand. No cutting of old flanges. This car was a 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix, 400 motor, dual exhaust, no resonators. The mufflers were economy stock mufflers. He did it all for $350 plus tax. I would check with local car club members for their vendor they would suggest. Also do your own internet search. Read the peoples comments. I think you will find one a lot cheaper and have it done at a custom shop. The tech has 30 plus years experience and works for an repair facility.
 
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I personally would go with a dual exhaust system. better performance and sounds nicer. not much pricier. I doubt anyone would complain if the exhaust is stock or not. not too many out there with stock exhaust anyhow. just my 2 cents. tti makes a very nice system for any mopar.
 
The estimate you got from the custom shop sounds pretty pricey. For $750 he could at least replace all the pipe not just short cut it by leaving the flanges in place and welding the pipe to it. The old gaskets wont last forever.
 
I would ask around maybe in areas sightly outside your area that have great reports for their work on our older cars. There's got to be some in your area. I had a dual exhaust made 2 years ago with two Magnaflow mufflers all done at the shop for 700 bucks.
 
Any decent muffler shop can get the data bend cards for your system and bend up a perfect factory style/fit system. Shouldn't cost more that $500.

Data Bend Cards. No brainer for me.

Shows EXACTLY where to bend the pipes.
 
Any decent muffler shop can get the data bend cards for your system and bend up a perfect factory style/fit system. Shouldn't cost more that $500

So are you thinking like a Midas or a Meineke place would be able to do this? Does that price typically include stainless steel pipes?

I am in Northern Virginia/DC area....prices are higher than average here due to the cost of living...so I'm expecting to pay a bit more.

Also....I've slowly developed a few rules about taking my car to auto shops....

1st rule - if they can't pronounce the word "Plymouth" then sorry - no deal.

2nd rule - if I tell them it's a 1972 Plymouth and they ask if it's a Voyager - no way.
 
You chain stores are (Midas, Meineke, etc) are gonna be pricey. Any decent shop can make new flanges and use the old collars. Like others have said, ask around. You say you want to keep the car original? Original as in single exhaust or original as in OEM piping, bends, hangers, etc?
 
Original as in single exhaust or original as in OEM piping, bends, hangers, etc?

I'm just thinking as in single exhaust. I'm not trying to make the car into something it's not although now some of the comments here have me thinking maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have dual.

Would converting to dual take away from it's survivor status? As far as I can tell the car is pretty much original....I'm the 2nd owner.

I did a dual conversion with a '74 Fury that I had in high school and it was actually done by the first place I got an estimate from. However that was 30 years ago and the guy that did it is long gone. The feeling I got from the guy there now was that he wouldn't be up for doing a custom system (he was talking in the thousands) ....or maybe he would farm it out to the second guy I went to.

I'll look around some more and see what other places I can find.
 
I am doing a Y pipe for my 1971 Chrysler 300 with a standard performance 440 this coming week as well. I want to also keep it all stock. My 440HP cars get duals as the factory also did them.

Like you, I just prefer stock.

When I first got my car a couple years ago, I had the exhaust system replaced from the Y pipe back, with the guy copying the original system very well and I supplied the hanger that goes up in the rear wheel housing which was an NOS one. But after struggling with the original Y pipe and not being able to get the flanges to stop leaking, I am now having the Y pipe refabricated as original. The same guy is doing the work at an independent shop (not a chain) and he is an old timer who knows well how to do these systems. I can't recall what everything behind the Y pipe cost me the first time around, but it wasn't that much. He is doing my Y pipe up front as original for $180, although I have to leave the car with him for a day to get it made as he is a very busy guy and has to fit in other cars during the day too. So I believe a complete exact copy of your original system is doable nicely by an experienced older pro if you can find one in your area for around $500, and mine is being done in Southern California which usually isn't known for anything inexpensive.

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I was in the exact same shoes with both of my Dodges three weeks ago.

1. went single-pipe OEM from Waldron for the exhaust in Medina, my ‘71 T-code. PO had installed noisy duals. I felt like a naughty kid, GREAT fun for a short while, but too noisy for my taste and would drone on the highway. I want her back to nice and quiet. @71Polara383 will install the Waldron, which should be shipped in September right after CATL (8-week lead time).

2. For Poppy, my ‘70 convertible that you know, I went custom-made, original-like by my C-body specialist in Beltsville, MD. He does the job himself. Price is higher (bit higher than your price range but the whole thing is included past the manifolds) but I could not wait as the exhaust was broken in half and what was left was paper thin in places (like you, I had to fleece a part last year). He’ll blast bead and POR whatever is needed for the supports.

Hope this helps.
 
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Personally I think your custom shop sounds fair. I got a similar quote. I also trust these guys with my classic, yours probably similar, used to working on classic cars and have a good reputation. When I make the decision I know it will be something I won't need to worry about many years.

Also I know they will be able to replicate the correct turn down factory look, on the exhaust tips, one of my personal pet peeves.
 
So are you thinking like a Midas or a Meineke place would be able to do this? Does that price typically include stainless steel pipes?

I am in Northern Virginia/DC area....prices are higher than average here due to the cost of living...so I'm expecting to pay a bit more.

Also....I've slowly developed a few rules about taking my car to auto shops....

1st rule - if they can't pronounce the word "Plymouth" then sorry - no deal.

2nd rule - if I tell them it's a 1972 Plymouth and they ask if it's a Voyager - no way.

Yes, a chain shop , even independant shops should have access to bend cards, and yes, they can do it in stainless. However, having a prebent system shipped to you from Waldron's is a very good alternative, and can be installed by yourself.
 
I’m going single exhaust as well, just like it was from the factory. I’ve thought about the duals with hp manifolds, but the added expense and potential louder exhaust while cruising makes it impractical.

I agree with th above, stay away from chain stores, they pretty much only know how to order from a catalog. There is a local shop here that will do custom work, even for late model cars if they don’t have the parts in stock.

I lucked out a few years ago and found an NOS Y pipe from a local member here. They are out there, just search a bit.

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Can't speak about the quality of Waldron's, but TTI systems are really impressive.
Todd Marsh at Marsh Racing beat everyone on price when I bought mine, if you decide to go duals.
 
Use the Walker Exhaust catalog as a picture source of what the system "looks" like AND to look at the factory mounts, many of which were unique to Chrysler products. Use it as a research tool as most of the parts are long discontinued from them. Their parts illustrations will also indicate what size clamps to use AND give you specs for the muffler (back in the specs chart). But, typically, all C-body mufflers are the same case size, with few exceptions.

As for finding NOS parts, that's a crap-shoot. At this point in time, probably the only ones might be in some lone auto supply store that used to sell exhaust items, usually mufflers and tail pipes.

Back in the earlier '70s, many muffler shops went to a "straight pipe" inventory and stocked mufflers by pipe size. AFTER they bought the pipe bender machines. By observation, the quality of their pipes did not really meet OEM specs, though. But some operators were better at bending pipes than others. Most did not put all of the kinks in the factory pipes they tried to copy, either, which caused some contact noise under the car, by observation. And, their prices were not that much cheaper thaIn getting a Walker pipe, either.

Problem with "custom systems" is that most shops want to weld them solid, NO clamps. Which is presuming a LOT, especially that the system will hold up as they built it, with no problems later on. But it also means that several years later, when something wears out, a torch will be needed, rather than "a wrench", to make any repairs.

In prior times, I only used Walker Exhaust items, when available. Other times, I'd look around for other OEM-spec pre-made parts from other OEM brands of exhaust parts. For things I could replace myself.

At this point in time, a pre-bent system from Waldrons or others is the best option that I know of. Will need some quality clamps, though, but mimics the factory OEM pipes. A quality aluminized-steel OEM pipe is good enough, generally. Or a pipe material spec for the later cat-converter cars with more stainless in it, than what the prior pipes were. That current stainless-laden alloy is plenty good and better than the pre-'75 OEM pipe materials, by observation. So, no need for the "full stainless" system.

I concur that a quality shop with a high-caliber bender can use "bend cards" to build anything that needs to be built. And have it fit "as expected". Just make sure of the quality of the pipe being used! I also concur that shopping out "on the fringes" where the shop's pace might be a bit slower, and less expensive, might work. Just will take a bit more time to shop correctly.

If you do get a pre-bent system, lay it all out on the ground to see if it looks correct for what's under the car BEFORE taking the car to the shop. Or take the new stuff to the shop and let them look it over, possibly even fab it up (slide the pipes together, not clamped) to see if there will be any issues BEFORE it's done. If they'll work with you like that, then everybody can benefit. You with a good finished job. Then with not having their rack tired-up too long with your car on it.

Just some thoughts,
CBODY67
 
So are you thinking like a Midas or a Meineke place would be able to do this? Does that price typically include stainless steel pipes?
If the quote for $750 was stainless then do it, if it is aluminized I would still shop around
 
$750? That sure is a lot of money for an unknown quality exhaust system. While you might not want duals (not sure why, but okay) the 2.5" header back TTI system with dynomax hemi mufflers is $690 but that includes brackets hangers and everything. Sure, you'd still need a muffler shop to bend some pipe from the crossmember to the Manifolds, but at least you KNOW the rest of the system is going to fit (and you can get replacement parts) in the future. I know the small blocks are slightly more difficult to hook up than the big blocks, but why pay top dollar for something that may not be as nice? No one has ever said "man...I wish I didn't get that TTI exhaust system". You won't 'kill' the car by using dual 2.5" exhaust (that's a myth disproved by engine masters) and you won't have any additional rattles once it's installed. Either way, good luck! (Photo:We installed the three inch TTI exhaust system in my friend's driveway)

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