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Exhaust questions

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drooartz

drooartz

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I'm not happy with the exhaust system I originally got for the Tunebug. The header is great, but the pipe and muffler I just don't like. So, I'm moving on.

Is this the Harley muffler that folks have been using?

https://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/HARLEY-00...6f#ht_500wt_956

Harley model names don't mean anything to me, but I think this was the one folks were mentioning. I'm not really near any dealers locally, so I'm going to go the eBay route.

I assume that if I could get my car to an exhaust shop, that they could fabricate up the pipe and hangers and such. Is this correct? I've never done this before.

I'm just looking at all my options before I do anything.
 
Also, is there a bracket that attaches the exhaust to the car at the header end? I see the one right before the rear axle, and the one for the muffler itself, but I'm not sure about the engine end.
 
The only thing that you should need at the front is a brace to hold the front part of the pipe and the transmission bell housing in a fixed relationship. I just make one out of EMT tubing (cheap steel stuff at the hardware store) but I am pretty sure that Moss and VB show them in the catalogs.
Bill
PS - that is really looking good Drew, be proud!
 
It looks like the one I have and mine is 1 3/4 dia. and a local muffler shop made the pipe from the header to the muffler fo 40.00 and it sounds nice. before you go ebay you should try craigs list you may find one cheaper and no shipping. I was lucky as I got mine free from a friend of a friend who had a harley.
 
What size pipe from the header? I can't remember what the stock inlet is on the Harley, but it necks down to 1 1/2 just past that. keep in mind if you run a 13/4"- 2" pipe, you'll still have a 1 1/2" restriction. 'Course, if you cut the baffle out, you now have a $40 exhast pipe tip. You can tap the center baffle plug out, but it'll still be 1 1/2" ( tap out the plug or the muffler will be too restrictive.)

If you use stock size pipe, you can cut the oversized H-D muffler flange off and run you pipe straight into the back of the muffler. Tap in on a bit and weld. Welding is optional has it has a pressed fit, but it is best to at least give it a tack weld.
 
Drew,
Thats the one I'm using on Bugsy my '68. I needed a couple of adapters to get to 1.5 or is it 1.75" pipe and tack welded the adapters. On mine there is a slot that a bolt with a washer on it would slide in but with the setup you've got a piece of flat bar stock and you can peruse some sort of universal hanger setup at local parts place. Here is a side view. Let me know if you need any other detail on how I did it. I'm working V.O. tomorrow and I can take other pics.
 

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That's a piece of rubber strap / universal hanger BTW that bolts up through the floor of the trunk. And a piece of right angle bracket from the junk box I adapted to fit the track spacing on the muffler. You could do the same with an L shaped bracket bolted to those two screw fittings on that muffler and then attach to the rubber strap universal bracket. I did tack weld the adapters together as no matter how tight I made then they came loose. 5 minutes and $20 gets the same done at local muffler shop. And it does sound GOOD!!!!! Not like a Rice Rocket with a Fart Can attached to it.
 
Thanks for the pictures and ideas, guys. I've got a bit of planning to do tomorrow.

Inside diameter of my header outlet is 1.5".

My assumption is now that if I can acquire a muffler of proper size, that I can take the car, muffler, bracketry such that I have, and maybe even the original 948-sized exhaust pipe (for a template) to a decent muffler shop and they can fix me up. I don't have a proper-sized exhaust pipe at all, or facilities to bend or weld, so I need someone with the tools and knowledge.

Now, how I'm going to get a non-running/non-registered car to a shop when I don't have a big enough trailer is another hurdle for tomorrow. :smile:

Billm said:
The only thing that you should need at the front is a brace to hold the front part of the pipe and the transmission bell housing in a fixed relationship.
Click to expand...
I rummaged through my boxes of bits and found these. I think this is the bracket for the transmission, and original strap that went from it to the pipe. Thankfully I don't toss things.

f_exhaust_bracket.jpg


Billm said:
PS - that is really looking good Drew, be proud!
Click to expand...
Thanks, Bill -- a boost is appreciated today. It's been a frustrating couple of days (not all car related, but it all adds up).
 
Neither of those parts is orginal Bugeye but look like they will work.
 
I think they're from the '74 Midget donor car. I loosely put them in place, and it does look they'll work just fine.

I don't even remember what the Bugeye had for a front attachment for the exhaust pipe. Should have taken a picture...
 
That part is for a 1098 and a 1275. Will work just fine.
 
I got the bracket bolted in yesterday. Since I'm running a 1275 anyways...

I'm going to play with (loosely) hanging the exhaust today. can't do the final until the muffler comes in, but will be a good project to get closer to completion.
 
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