Stainless exhausts

[Red'n'Black]

I'm considering putting one on the Legacy. The rear section, at least, will need replacing for the next MoT anyway.

The factory cat seems to be working fine so I want to keep that.

I don't mind fitting it myself, but making one from scratch is way beyond my time and skills at the moment.

Preferably not stupid loud.

Any experiences, or suppliers to recommend / avoid?

 

[Nomad]

I had a big bore system from Mongoose on a sporty Nissan, it did wonders for performance but it was LOUD.
The background drone on a motorway was something I wasn't expecting, livable but would have been better if it wasn't there - I was told a lot of stainless systems have a drone but can't remember why..

 

[addjunkie]

If you use your google fu…..” stainless steel exhaust components” there are loads of places will sell you the bits you need to make one to fit

 

[Ruffian]

There are plenty of legacy exhausts available.
Especially if a common model.

 

[winchman]

Cybox on the Wirral have made and fitted two for me

Bespoke Exhausts Merseyside - Cybox Automotive

Bespoke Exhausts Merseyside - Custom & Sports Exhausts - Performance - Wirral - Bromborough - Cybox Exhausts are manufactured exclusively.

www.cybox.co.uk

They have some connection to Peco if you remember them?

 

[Cobbler]

They have some connection to Peco if you remember them?

That’s going back a bit, I remember their so called exhaust booster I think it was called, basically one pipe in & two out that fitted on the end of your exhaust. Supposed to increase power, less fuel, I doubt if it did anything at all really though.

 

[MetalMonkey]

Really it varies a lot by which model of vehicle it is being fitted to as to which brands come out better for fitment, longevity and noise - so you are best of having a look at an owners forum/club for ideas and opinions.
I've used Mongoose and Scorpion in the past, and I've made some up from scratch.

You want something with a decent grade of stainless (304/316) - I've seen ones made out of 416 which barely lasted any longer than a mild system.
Make sure you get one which has stainless welds - a lot of the powerflow ones were made from stainless boxes and pipe fabricated with mild steel mig welds, which of course were the bits that rotted through.

 

[Robotstar5]

They have some connection to Peco if you remember them?

A blast from the past,I fitted one of their boxes on my Mini in about 1980.

 

[Bobtail4x4]

I have had two exhausts built on the car by tony banks in leeds,
one on a scimitar one on a defender 130 camper

 

[addjunkie]

Ive made a few buying components myself one on a car, the others bikes/ trikes….takes flipping ages….If time was money would have been cheaper to have paid a proper bloke to do 20 exhausts to my one.

 

[addjunkie]

A blast from the past,I fitted one of their boxes on my Mini in about 1980.

Thats coz your old like me!

 

[arther dailey]

Cybox on the Wirral have made and fitted two for me

Bespoke Exhausts Merseyside - Cybox Automotive

Bespoke Exhausts Merseyside - Custom & Sports Exhausts - Performance - Wirral - Bromborough - Cybox Exhausts are manufactured exclusively.

www.cybox.co.uk

They have some connection to Peco if you remember them?

wow, peco ! I had a big bore on my mini as a lad over 50 year ago, interestingly it used a drop of oil but when I went to sell replaced the original pipe and it stopped using oil ?? but did nt sound anywhere near as nice to a lad of course

 

[Popcorn]

Cybox on the Wirral have made and fitted two for me

Bespoke Exhausts Merseyside - Cybox Automotive

Bespoke Exhausts Merseyside - Custom & Sports Exhausts - Performance - Wirral - Bromborough - Cybox Exhausts are manufactured exclusively.

www.cybox.co.uk

They have some connection to Peco if you remember them?

Peco Twin Bore Power Waster, but the best looking exhaust for a mini. As far as I know they're still on the go.

 

[arther dailey]

Really it varies a lot by which model of vehicle it is being fitted to as to which brands come out better for fitment, longevity and noise - so you are best of having a look at an owners forum/club for ideas and opinions.
I've used Mongoose and Scorpion in the past, and I've made some up from scratch.

You want something with a decent grade of stainless (304/316) - I've seen ones made out of 416 which barely lasted any longer than a mild system.
Make sure you get one which has stainless welds - a lot of the powerflow ones were made from stainless boxes and pipe fabricated with mild steel mig welds, which of course were the bits that rotted through.

thats worth while knowing , I am cnsidering one for my L200, but how do you know the internals are nt just mild steel and will just rot out ??thanks in advance

 

[ajlelectronics]

Any experiences, or suppliers to recommend / avoid?

I used the idiots at the A46/M4 junction after a recommendation. The saga is long and involved but even at the end of it all, the exhaust manifolds sound as if they are blowing which I think is the design or gauge. These 'stainless' parts are now also completely rusted in a way that 304 doesn't.

 

[Greeves246]

When I worked for Motad they decided that as the VFR750 had stainless down pipes it was only worth making a silencer. However it soon became apparent that the Japanese stainless was only stainlessish. Our stainless down pipes became a really good seller!

 

[Misterg]

When I worked for Motad they decided that as the VFR750 had stainless down pipes it was only worth making a silencer. However it soon became apparent that the Japanese stainless was only stainlessish. Our stainless down pipes became a really good seller!

The collector box on my VFR ended up being mostly MIG wire .

 

[Red'n'Black]

Ive made a few buying components myself one on a car, the others bikes/ trikes….takes flipping ages….If time was money would have been cheaper to have paid a proper bloke to do 20 exhausts to my one.

That's kind of what I was getting at - I have enough projects on the go as it is, it'd never get finished. I'm right at the beginning of the learning curve with stainless and TIG. Plus the car is my daily driver and I can't have it off the road indefinitely.

There are a few off-the-shelf systems for the Legacy but mostly for the turbo'd models, mine is N/A.

Still thanks for all the replies so far, a few names to check out.

 

[MetalMonkey]

thats worth while knowing , I am cnsidering one for my L200, but how do you know the internals are nt just mild steel and will just rot out ??thanks in advance

I'm not sure you really can without cutting it open.
But I would assume if the rest of the system has been well made with decent stainless throughout, you might be in for a fighting chance the internals are good too.
They mostly tend to go around the seams, so decent stainless weld there will help.

I'm not sure how common it is now, but it used to be an issue mainly with powerflow and custom made exhausts as they were done in situ on the vehicle, and because they were franchised the quality of the work and components varied greatly.
They would often just mig them up quick and dirty with mild wire and some horrific crushed bends.

If you are buying a decent off the shelf system, hopefully it has been welded up properly at the factory with nice free flowing drawn bends.

 

[Bornfree]

That's kind of what I was getting at - I have enough projects on the go as it is, it'd never get finished. I'm right at the beginning of the learning curve with stainless and TIG. Plus the car is my daily driver and I can't have it off the road indefinitely.

There are a few off-the-shelf systems for the Legacy but mostly for the turbo'd models, mine is N/A.

Still thanks for all the replies so far, a few names to check out.

You don't have it do the whole thing in one go. I made mine over three weekends and kept the car on the road by fitting flanges where the original ones are. Still not cheap though the parts were just under £300.