79 Performance Exhaust.

[garion]

I'm building my purchase list for my front end, but I also need an exhaust too.. I'm looking at AR's performance exhaust, the 2" model... I'm willing to delete my cat (no emissions test, plus all the other stuff is gone anyways), will the 67-78 middle exhaust just bolt right on??

[vandor]

You'd also need a downpipe or header to connect to the early type exhaust that runs next to the drive-shaft tunnel, and the bracket that holds the end of the downpipe to the rear of the transmission. If you are handy you can fabricate the latter.

[garion]

Ugh.. So the path of the exhaust is different between the earlier Spiders?

*sigh* 1979, the bastard year for Spiders. Looks like I'll be investigating other options for a new exhaust.. I was hoping to go performance, but I'll probably just go standard for now.

[vandor]

The exhausts with converter and without one take different paths.

[carl]

I have seen later spiders with the early exhaust adn a modified downpipe clearly made up by a muffler shop.

[bradartigue]

Unless you're planning to spend about $4,000 in pistons, valves, head work, carburetion, etc. you won't overpower the stock 4-2-1 system. It won't make as much noise, but simply by removing the catalytic converter and having a pipe fabricated - or knocking the guts out of the cat and reinstalling - you'll eliminate the only real restriction.

[garion]

I was investigating my options.. I might do some upgrades in the future (I dream of dual carbs, modified heads, cams...)..

I'm just disappointed in the choices that us carb'ed 79-80 owners have... Maybe if there was a 3bolt to 4bolt test pipe, so I could get the performance exhaust.. All of the performance middle pipes I've found are all 4 bolt..

I really need to learn how to weld. Then I could make some of this stuff.

[fiat218]

4000

[Jrlovvorn]

I would also like to delete my 79's cat, but I have not found a test pipe or other solution, other than welding a few feet from a gas tank - which isn't in my safety plan...

[eugenel]

Vicks sells a kit. It aint cheap though. Its my next planned mod. My pipe's got more holes than metal in it. One side of the cat is broke off, one side of the glasspack is broke off and if the pipe is cold under hard accel it hits my rear axle. Exhaust note sounds nice though

[azruss]

take it to a muffler shop. You might be surprised at how inexpensive they could make a test pipe.

[rja]

take it to a muffler shop. You might be surprised at how inexpensive they could make a test pipe.

that's right, russ. support your local economy.

[garion]

Since someone necro-posted and revived this thread, I'll give an update:

I ended up getting new standard mid-muffler and rear muffler.. My cat was in good shape, so I didnt bother replacing it. I could have gotten away with a test pipe, but why spend the money? I'm happy with the performance currently.