Builds The Clustertruck Rides Again - Refurbishing a 1975 Chevota

[RWBeringer4x4]

The y-pipe looks nice, should make for clean exhaust routing.

That is the hope! It is pretty well-tread territory here on MUD so it should work nicely. I'm just glad there's a pre-fab product that fits. My understanding is there's no equivalent for the 2.5" manifolds.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

@Cdaniel - if you're still out there - I think you used the walker y-pipe - if so, what did you bolt to the 3-bolt flange down by the oil filter? Haven't been able to find a good example of what comes "next" after the y pipe.

 

[Cdaniel]

I found a mating piece with the flare for a donut gasket. Welded that to an adapter to up the diameter and match the muffler downstream. I'm not sure, but it probably came from Summit or Jegd.

@Cdaniel - if you're still out there - I think you used the walker y-pipe - if so, what did you bolt to the 3-bolt flange down by the oil filter? Haven't been able to find a good example of what comes "next" after the y pipe.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

I found a mating piece with the flare for a donut gasket. Welded that to an adapter to up the diameter and match the muffler downstream. I'm not sure, but it probably came from Summit or Jegd.

That's what I was afraid of - I can't for the life of me find a flare for 2" exhaust anywhere...plenty of the 3-bolt flanges, but no flared pieces under about 3" - guess I'll keep hunting, maybe check some local exhaust shops.

 

[Cdaniel]

The more I think about, I remember having a hard time sourcing a new piece. And I cut what I needed out of the old stuff that was made by an exhaust shop.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

The more I think about, I remember having a hard time sourcing a new piece. And I cut what I needed out of the old stuff that was made by an exhaust shop.

Yeah, I found a good write-up from texican over on pirate 4x4 - looks like he just cut the bottom flange and flare off and started welding there...I'd like to keep the flange if possible to make the whole exhaust system more "modular" for future replacement, but I may just follow suit for simplicity. Pretty annoying because obviously this is supposed to mate to SOMETHING. I suppose I could have a shop build me that something...

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

This shows some promise (though outrageously expensive)

CHEVROLET V8 2" OD OUTLET 3 BOLT EXHAUST MANIFOLD DOWN PIPE STUB W/DONUT GASKET | eBay

Seems like it would solve the problem, at the very least...

 

[Cdaniel]

Nice! Wish I would have found that. I'd pay that for a pair with gaskets.

This shows some promise (though outrageously expensive)

CHEVROLET V8 2" OD OUTLET 3 BOLT EXHAUST MANIFOLD DOWN PIPE STUB W/DONUT GASKET | eBay

Seems like it would solve the problem, at the very least...

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Nice! Wish I would have found that. I'd pay that for a pair with gaskets.

I think in this case, I'd only need one - wonder if he'd sell individually? Can't hurt to ask.

Of course - if you feel like re-doing your setup, I'd just order both and send one on to you.

 

[pb4ugo]

Have you considered having an exhaust shop do the work. When I did it, I paid less that $200 for all new, installed. I hate doing exhaust. I was able to tell them what I wanted and they nailed it. IIR, its 2 1/2" all the way back. They made and adapted their own flange, and altered it so the oil filter is easier to get to.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Have you considered having an exhaust shop do the work. When I did it, I paid less that $200 for all new, installed. I hate doing exhaust. I was able to tell them what I wanted and they nailed it. IIR, its 2 1/2" all the way back. They made and adapted their own flange, and altered it so the oil filter is easier to get to.

I have considered it - and even made a call about it, but the price I was quoted was something to the tune of $1100. I've seen plenty of posts here on MUD where exhaust shops did it for $2-$300 - no idea where they are finding these guys! Granted, I only called one shop, but that was a fairly discouraging number...

 

[Jdc1]

I have considered it - and even made a call about it, but the price I was quoted was something to the tune of $1100. I've seen plenty of posts here on MUD where exhaust shops did it for $2-$300 - no idea where they are finding these guys! Granted, I only called one shop, but that was a fairly discouraging number...

I've got a $250 to $300 quote for stainless if I bring the muffler. Might be worth shopping around. Tell them it's a gulp.... Jeep, and you'll probably get a better price than the $100k Landcruiser.

 

[pb4ugo]

You gotta find a good small independant shop. $1100 is just nutz. That price tells me he didn't want to do it or he didn't have the skills to do it.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

You gotta find a good small independant shop. $1100 is just nutz. That price tells me he didn't want to do it or he didn't have the skills to do it.

Yeah I was blown away...I told him, and I quote: "I don't need anything fancy, just basic 2 or 2.25" pipe, aluminized steel, no cat, and I already have the Y-pipe and muffler. I just need someone to weld it all together..."

And that was the quote I got!

 

[pb4ugo]

They really need to see it. I found a shop a friend used, so i knew their work. I set up an appt. They looked at it and I told them how I wanted it, They quoted it, I countered $20 less cause it was quoted at a pretty reasonable price. They said OK. I made sure My appt was Sat AM, so i could watched from afar to make sure they were doing it the way I wanted.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

They really need to see it. I found a shop a friend used, so i knew their work. I set up an appt. They looked at it and I told them how I wanted it, They quoted it, I countered $20 less cause it was quoted at a pretty reasonable price. They said OK. I made sure My appt was Sat AM, so i could watched from afar to make sure they were doing it the way I wanted.

Did you just drive it there with open headers? lol

 

[pb4ugo]

I've driven it with open headers in the past, and an exhaust shop was closer to home. The last time, when i went to ramshorns, I put it on my trailer, because it was about 1hr away, it was much colder out and didn't have the top on.

 

[handcannon]

Many many years ago I had a 67 Chevy pickup with a 327. The exhaust was similar to what you have there, ramshorns manifolds and a crossover. On one side there was an added piece between the manifold and exhaust pipe. It had a heat riser flapper in it, and was about 1" thick, or a little more, about what it looks like you need there.

In the stock intake manifold there was a small passage that allowed exhaust to travel from one head to the other, and under the carb, to warm it up. . This heat riser was set up with a heat actuated spring that opened the flapper as the motor heated up.

There was a flat gasket between the added piece and the manifold. Then a doughnut gasket, like what you have, was what sealed between the block and the exhaust pipe. You might need longer studs to make something like that work though.

For the oil pump, you could go to a remote oil filter set up to get you past the cramped space between the engine block and exhaust pipe. This would allow you to place the oil filter where you would have easy access, either from above in the engine compartment, or below, wherever you have easy access.

Don

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Many many years ago I had a 67 Chevy pickup with a 327. The exhaust was similar to what you have there, ramshorns manifolds and a crossover. On one side there was an added piece between the manifold and exhaust pipe. It had a heat riser flapper in it, and was about 1" thick, or a little more, about what it looks like you need there.

In the stock intake manifold there was a small passage that allowed exhaust to travel from one head to the other, and under the carb, to warm it up. . This heat riser was set up with a heat actuated spring that opened the flapper as the motor heated up.

There was a flat gasket between the added piece and the manifold. Then a doughnut gasket, like what you have, was what sealed between the block and the exhaust pipe. You might need longer studs to make something like that work though.

For the oil pump, you could go to a remote oil filter set up to get you past the cramped space between the engine block and exhaust pipe. This would allow you to place the oil filter where you would have easy access, either from above in the engine compartment, or below, wherever you have easy access.

Don

Thanks Don - I actually just ordered a heat riser "spacer" yesterday. My truck's heat riser is long gone and it has done just fine without it so far, but the nice thing about this conversion is that it's well established on Mud and other threads had overcome the same issue.

As for the oil filter - I think the exhaust can be routed to avoid it - again it has been done before, though it will be tight.


The next decision to be made is exhaust size. The truck had a single 2" exhaust heading straight out. Debating going to 2.25 or 2.5 single exhaust. 2.25 is probably sufficient for a 190HP 283, but if I decide to upgrade to a stock 350 someday it'd be nice if I didn't have to rebuild the exhaust...

On the other hand, the y-pipe meets at a 2" outlet so I'm not sure if opening the exhaust up downstream of that restriction really gains me anything.

 

[65swb45]

IOW, you want to grow into it!