L31 Extreme Budget Build

[Scooterwrench]

No real experience with them, but I know I would like to V-band the Thorley collectors on my 97 Express if the headers are off it again at some point. Do you have to weld the flanges into place? I use the clamps I do because it has worked as well if not better than welding for me and makes it a lot easier to construct an exhaust laying on your back under a vehicle on jack stands. Now days the basic exhaust pipe quality is terrible and I have found the exhaust tubing sold even by reputable companies cracking near the welds.

My brothers Freightliner uses V-bands on the exhaust and he has never had any problems. Be good for us guys with left side tanks where you have to cross the left side over. Remove the bands and remove that section of exhaust for tranny removal.

 

[Sean Buick 76]

No real experience with them, but I know I would like to V-band the Thorley collectors on my 97 Express if the headers are off it again at some point. Do you have to weld the flanges into place? I use the clamps I do because it has worked as well if not better than welding for me and makes it a lot easier to construct an exhaust laying on your back under a vehicle on jack stands. Now days the basic exhaust pipe quality is terrible and I have found the exhaust tubing sold even by reputable companies cracking near the welds.

Yes they need to be welded to the tubes and my welding sucks so it’s $ but man oh man are they easy take apart and put back together in seconds.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

That's a cool trick!
I think y'all may be overtightening those flange bolts. I pull them till the flange just starts to bend and stop right there and haven't had any leak problems. Like I said before making the socket fit the ball stops all that initial loosening up till they do it themselves. I've never done it but I always thought to use springs like GM used on the manifolds.

I go by the torque value necessary for the bolt I am using. A proper flange should be capable of handling the torque for the included hardware.

 

[Scooterwrench]

I go by the torque value necessary for the bolt I am using. A proper flange should be capable of handling the torque for the included hardware.

You can't do that on these because the flanges don't come together. The flanges would have to be a 1/2" thick to handle that much torque without bending.
That's why they furnish self locking nuts that really suck but you can replace them with good Bowman nuts or double nut 'em.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

I did not get to work on this much this morning, but trying to finish it up this evening. Taking a quick break but it is coming together nicely. Passenger header is on now and mocking up the passenger side tubing routing and cat placement to chop the pipes. I went ahead and put the muffler on it because the crossover in the muffler being a dual in/dual out will make the tailpipes less restrictive overall and the tone should be a lot better.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

This was the pile of rotted out scrap metal I removed that has not been in use since the stock 305 TBI was in it. The old pellet box was also completely rotted through when I removed it with the 305 years ago

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[Supercharged111]

That's a cool trick!
I think y'all may be overtightening those flange bolts. I pull them till the flange just starts to bend and stop right there and haven't had any leak problems. Like I said before making the socket fit the ball stops all that initial loosening up till they do it themselves. I've never done it but I always thought to use springs like GM used on the manifolds.

I'm not, I go just until the flange begins to deflect. I'm not sure what was giving way there.

I did v-bands on the dually as the stock cat flange was terribly distorted.

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Nevermind the crappy welds, it's still hanging on. I got these from www.frozenboost.com, they're right up the road from me. I'd use them again for sure but not on the Camaro. Any time I have an off track excursion I run the risk of dragging something and I had a couple big ones last weekend so I probably have some fresh cracks in the trans tunnel.

 

[Scooterwrench]

I'm not, I go just until the flange begins to deflect. I'm not sure what was giving way there.

I did v-bands on the dually as the stock cat flange was terribly distorted.

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Nevermind the crappy welds, it's still hanging on. I got these from www.frozenboost.com, they're right up the road from me. I'd use them again for sure but not on the Camaro. Any time I have an off track excursion I run the risk of dragging something and I had a couple big ones last weekend so I probably have some fresh cracks in the trans tunnel.

Them are damn fine gorilla welds.

 

[SNCTMPL]

Here’s a couple of shots of the whole showroom of the Sparks store. No where near the size of your store, but it is awesome having it a mile from my office.

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[HotrodZ06]

How do you get into the summit bargin cave at arlington? Only been there once so much going on with a House of Hotrods car show didn't even know it existed.