[Donovan]

I'm wondering if I was sent the wrong parts. I took the car and exhaust to one shop to have the mufflers and tailpipes put in and they refused. I had to go get the car and take everything home. Their reason was that the tailpipes were longer and didn't fit, they matched the pattern they had for a second gen. I felt they were mistaken so...

I took it to another shop that does older cars and got the same thing, the tailpipes are for a second gen and don't fit.

The stickers are still on the pipes. I have one marked P9111 and another marked P9110


Advice?

Thanks!

[Ccass]

Those tailpipes have been sold for a while for 1st gen Firebirds. They don't fit the 1st gen nearly as well as the 2nd gen but they will fit. Look on the PYpes site at the 69 Firebird. If your car is lowered or the rear suspension is sagging, the fit will be worse. When did you get this system? Who did you get it from?

[Ron H]

I was able to fit my 3" x-change with 3" tail pipes and original design race pro mufflers in.

[Donovan]

The car is lowered with Hotchkis springs.

There was no way it would fit without re-engineering the parts. At the time it was easier to do without, but I also was hoping there were correct tailpipes for it that I could replace them with.

I decided to pay extra to buy your muffler and tailpipes for the transverse setup because I want the better clearance. I appreciate the discount I was given on the new muffler and tails.

I got the system directly from you Chris. In fact I spoke with you to purchase it, and hash out all the details. I tend to be particular about this stuff, and I didn't want to make any complications. As I understand it, you didn't know at the time that you were selling 2nd gen tails in the kit? I know of another owner scratching his head about it too. He bought the system late last year. Stacey (at PY) says you'll have the correct tails in 1-3 months. I don't have my paperwork at this house, but it was probably 2005 for me.

I installed the system myself at a muffler shop, except the tailpipes. I had no problem measuring and cutting to get the first 3/4 of the system in. The tails were unexpected and messy, and I thought I might need a pro to do that part after trying the first time. If I had known I needed to modify both sections of the system to make it fit I probably would have opted for a different setup. Not whining here, but for a custom exhaust I would have expected that meant it was made to fit my car, hahaha. The only thing custom was the headpipe bends and flanges for the longbranch manifolds.
I figure from all the cutting that this is a 2nd gen system being sold as 1st gen. All except those headpipes, but they are not year specific anyway. If I hadn’t gotten access to the muffler shop and tools with a lift it would have been a bitch to install as is.

With the original purchase price, plus another $200 for the new muffler and tails, my time in the learning curve, who likes suprises? I figure you might wonder what I want from all this. I realize now that I think back on the effort and money spent on this and it irritates me. I bought a $200 full length system for a half ton GMC off of JC Whitney back in 98. It was full length, mandrel bent 2.5” and aluminized. Came with manifold headpipes and header extensions. I bolted it up in the driveway with half a day of work and no mods. It did not have the crossover but that would not affect install, only price.

I love the forum, I appreciate what it does for the Pontiac community, and I know you put a lot out there for us Chris. I was interested in supporting that. But can you see where I’m coming from?