[1978 T/A]

I wanted to know if any of you guys have bought an exhaust kit from Torque Tech or Pypes and run a bullet style muffler. I noticed these pre-bent systems are designed for an offset muffler, but I want to run a bullet muffler and was curious as so to what some of y'all did.

Also looking for some feedback on tail pipe fitment. I have heard accounts of the Pypes tails not fitting too well and not tucking into the quarter. I have a huge pet peeve of the tail pipes being visible.

This would be a full 3" header back system.

[1978 T/A]

Decided to purchase Torque Tech x pipe and to have the tails fabbed. Anyone know of a good source to get a misc collection of mandrel bent pipes? Trying to find a kit big enough to do two sets of tails as I have a friend that wants to go half on a pipe kit.

[2002Z4CSS]

What do you mean by a bullet style muffler?

[1978 T/A]

http://marylandspeed.com/kooks-race-...14-p-4281.html

These

[Formulajones]

My father and I both run 3" Torque Tech (his 69 GTO and my chevelle) and their 3" tails tuck up nicely and can't be seen from the side or rear of the car when installed correctly. Just the turn down at the end is visible. Speaking of which they offer 2 different tailpipe designs. If you order the straight back tailpipes designed for exhaust tips, there is no way they will tuck up behind the quarters, it's physically impossible since it's a straight shot back and it has to clear the rear valance or bumper. The turn down style tailpipes (that we use) are made to tuck up behind the quarters with a 45 degree turndown at the end to clear the rear valance (or bumper in the case of 69 GTO's)
However as with any A-body system they are all designed for offest mufflers just as the factory did. If you want bullets you'll have to fab your tailpipes on your own. Seems you found that out already.

The only Pypes systems I've run are on my F-bodies in the 2 1/2" transverse muffler variety. Fitment is perfect.

[1978 T/A]

I'm just trying to weigh my options on whether it would be more cost effective and easier to order a full system from TT and modify the tails or purchase a pipe bend kit. I haven't really come across a set that seems suitable to do tail pipes.

I'm glad to hear on the fitment of the TT tails though.

[Formulajones]

What I've done in the past, rather than try to modify the tailpipes, because they make an immediate turn to get over the rearend housing, they are difficult at best to cut/move/bend and make them function correctly without a bottle neck.

So in a case where the outlet of the muffler isn't far enough over, I simply heat and bend the pipes in front of the mufflers and basically make the mufflers sit at about a 20 degree angle rather than sitting square.

This was done on my fathers 69 goat when he went with a race muffler (center inlet/center outlet) so the mufflers were angled just enough to pick up the tailpipes in the stock location, and allowed the use of factory muffler hangers as well.

Just another option...

[1978 T/A]

Do you have any pictures of that? Were you able to use brackets to hold the muffler to the pipes or did you have to weld the entire system?

[Formulajones]

Yes factory hangers at the mufflers, with a little finagling since the mufflers are a little crooked. If memory serves me, I believe the tailpipes were welded because they were cut slightly angled to help make the transition to the mufflers so the tailpipes sit straight in the quarter panels. Keeping in mind the tailpipes are designed to make a straight shot into the mufflers when the right offset muffler is used.

There is no easy way to do it really accept to go with a correct offset muffler.

I'll see if I can dig up some pics or see if my father has any. Might be a good time to ask him since he just finished a 571 from Bischoff so the car is currently apart.

[1978 T/A]

Thanks for the insight. It sounds like I'll be better off modifying an offset style system. You mentioned that you heated and bent the pipes. Would welding in an s shaped pipe to the x before the muffler work as well? I would really like to keep it where the mufflers are straight and is held in by clamps.

[Formulajones]

There isn't much wiggle room with those factory muffler clamps. Not really sure how far you could move the mufflers over, or if it would be enough. Your idea might work however if going for max flow I'm not sure how another pair of "S" turns would affect it.
My fathers mufflers aren't really moved over per say, it's more like the mufflers are turned slightly. He's running a Dr. Gas X pipe that's custom, with 3 1/2 inch from the header collectors into the X, then the X transforms to 3" coming out into the mufflers with a slight turn. The mufflers are fairly small older race mufflers from Topline if I remember right, and the tailpipes are torque tech.

I run a very similar setup but I used a little more restrictive offset inlet/offset outlet mufflers on mine per the way the pipes are designed, it was a simple bolt on deal for me.

[1978 T/A]

I'm going to see how my buddy feels about splitting a pipe kit to try and make tails for both our cars. I'll prolly get the best fitment going this route, but if not it's good to know that someone has modified the Torque Tech system to run bullet mufflers.