native1031

I have an 84 H.O. 305 and the exhaust is all rusted out. My catalytic converter took a **** the other day so I figured replace it all.

Is there anyone who is willing to help walk me through what parts I should buy and witch way I should go(true dual or stock setup)? I want to replace everything from heads down, no emissions bs.

Alot of you guys have different opinions, I know. Im simply trying to get away from the arguments and criticism, and just have a one on one with someone.

Sorry if all that above makes me sound like an ***, but please pm me if you can help.

iroc stangs

Whats your budget, do you want more peformance or equal to stock, what sound do you want, you want it to sound like a stocker or a bad azz ride? loud or quite?

Personaly, I would love to see this EXACT setup be done

Hooker 2055's (include y-pipe)

magnaflow 3in cat

and magnaflow 3in catback

for all the parts it should actually be fairly cheap (well compared to other headers-tips setups) and I imagine would sound amazing with an nice deep rumble, and not to loud.

native1031

Well, I want to keep the car as much stock as possible. My budget is a humiliating 200 as of rite now. I can most likely get up to 100 more tops.

I like the stock sound; dont mind if its a little louder or more quiet. I just dont want it to be too loud or sound like crap.

Would it be cheaper to just buy the piping the the system? Including getting the bends and welds.

iroc stangs

Theres really not much that you can do with 300 ( I know how that goes tho lmao) I guess your just going have to find some awesome deal on a used cat/catback, but you aint going get headers to, sorry.

native1031

Yea, I figured it mite be like that. My friend used to own a berlinetta, sold it due to over heating, and he put on true duals for under 200 some how.

Im not sure about his clearance; all I know is he ran the pipes along the drive shaft and then over the rear end. I think he mite have just ran pipes now that i think about it, no muffler or anything.

Anyways, would it be cheaper to buy stock set up then? Maybe I can buy the parts as I get the money.(Before something else comes up that i have to spend money on you know haha) I still mite go with shorty headers, but does that mean custom y-pipe?

camaronewbie

For your application, stock stuff is fine. If your I-pipe is rusted out, they are that expensive to replace, any advance/autozone/oreilly's stock replacement. Any aftermarket cat is going to flow more than factory, like Catco or whomever - again, whatever is cheap is just as good as any other. Muffler - for the price can't go wrong with a Hooker Aerochamber, about $80 or so, not much more than any other muffler, but flows better than any other brand, and has nice quiet sound until your foot is in it. OK, its a "brand name", but it's cheap and a really great muffler!

Not going to get headers and Y-pipe in your budget, so get cat/muffler/I-pipe fixed/replaced for now, and save for headers/Y-pipe. When header cash becomes available, I'd skip fancy "coated" headers - I bought coated, and 2 years later they are spotted with rust like any others. Unless you are going to pay $300 extra for Jet Coat, pass on coating. Clean with brake fluid to get the factory junk paint off them (it's only sprayed lightly to keep the metal from rusting on the warehouse shelf), and spray them with super high temp BBQ paint or something really high temp, let dry, and install. Hedmann makes fine headers for our car, and they have Y-pipes that fit right in with stock cat/I-pipe configurations with little issues at all - best bang for the buck.

Take note - everyone and his brother wants to install some brand name all inclusive $800+ catback system ordered from Summit/Jegs. All they get for all that cash is a very expensive sticker. Stock I-pipe and stock cat flows plenty for my 350, and would flow plenty for 90% of 3rd gens out there. But folks like spending money on fancy brand names and being able to tell everyone they have a "JoeBlow brand 3in catback system". Ignorance is bliss I supposed for the folks that have deeper pockets than they do brain cells - but its their wallet and car, whatever makes them happy.

But in reality, to folks like us with limited budgets ... there's nothing worth $800 in any of those prepackaged catback systems, just brand recognition. Seek cheap, and you'll be just as well off. Hooker, Hedman, Magnaflow, Flowmaster ... they all will mail you a sticker if you write them and ask. Put together the best bang for the buck options you can find, and no one can tell the difference on Saturday night.

iroc stangs

Good tips camaronewbie

I just want to throw in, if you want to pinch EVERY penny you can, for 40bucks you can get an just like stock, and it'll save you a few bucks over the mentioned aerochamber

but if you want to throw a few additional dollars at her, go right ahead for the aerochamber

native1031

Thanks alot camaronewbie.

I wanted to delete the cat since i dont have to worry about emissions? Ill most likely buy the I-pipe, muffler and tips first. then get the headers and y-pipe.

Whats the stock diameter? Would I be able to get 2.5in or even 3in I-pipe and everything?

I mite spend the extra 40; dont want to be too cheap

camaronewbie

Stock should be 2.5 I'm pretty sure. Cat delete should be easily done on your own cheaply - just need a chunk of straight pipe to replace the cat with.

Here's another tighta$$ tip - in the old days we used metal coat hangers and a $15 torch (small propane tank with tip screwed on it) to weld things not needing to sustain weight, like exhaust. The metal coat hanger acts as a solder if you will - just heat up the exhaust tubing and let the heat draw the metal from the coat hanger tip into the joint, just like soldering. Several of my exhaust 'welds' I did myself like this, and 4 years later no issues. I wouldn't 'weld' an axle like this, but for exhaust it's a fine method that you can do yourself for almost no cost - the hard part these days is finding the metal coat hangers! Saves another $50 at the muffler shop!

native1031

Alright thanks. I guess I pretty much have it all planned out.

Any suggestion on low-cost headers? Summit racing has a pair for 100 part# SUM-G9005

Link to the site here
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-G9005/

camaronewbie

Not sure those will work - they HAVE to be 3rd gen Fbody specific, and those are not - they claim they fit, but I've never seen any that aren't 3rd gen ONLY that would fit.

Look at these: http://www.summitracing.com/search/D.../?Ns=Price|Asc

native1031

When I click the link im set to a list of headers. Can I choose from any of them or was there a specific one? Maybe the part # would help?

Thanks for all the help

camaronewbie

I was just giving you a list, low price to hi price, of what Summit had that were specifically for 3rd gen's. I noticed that Summit brand didn't show up - although the applications state it'll fit, I would doubt it and wouldn't want to risk it myself.

There's many opinions ... I have no issues with my Hedmann's at all, except I wished I hadn't paid for the coted ones since the coating is not that great looking anyway.

native1031

ahhhh i see. Whats your opinion on the flowtech or the hooker comp? I kinda want the hooker heads so it could go with the hooker aerochamber muffler, but my money will decide for me in the end.

native1031

And I guess my last question is do these headers hook up to stock y-pipe unless it states otherwise?

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

Buy headers with a Y pipe or your purchase will be a wasted effort, IMO.

JamesC

native1031

Thats what I will most likely do.

Thanks

Hopefully soon it will be all together

native1031

Ok hopefuly the last one. Does anyone know where to get a 3" i-pipe?

The B-Man

Just a heads up, those headers do fit. I have them on my car, they just have to be cleaned up a bit when ya get them (ports and bolt holes). Other than that a coat of hi-temp and they work great.

native1031

Sweet thanks BMAN. Did you use a y-pipe?

The B-Man

No I didnt bother lookin for one cause I ran true duals

native1031

Nice. I can only dream of true duals at this point

Shadow Z

iTrader: (2)

I used to be the same way.

Then I started making money.. Then I bought a Mustang.. Then I bought a T56 6 speed/Centerforce DFX/aluminum driveshaft for that Mustang, plus close to another grand between the SCT tuner, offroad X pipe, and new front bumper.. Now I have a couple grand set aside for a single turbo build, to aim for 400+ RWHP with that Mustang later this year.

Sooner or later I'll build a decent forged 383 stroker for the IROC and get it back on the road. I have a guilty conscience for leaving the IROC sit. I really miss hearing that obnoxious carbed Gen 1 small block.

Shadow Z

iTrader: (2)

And on that note, why not just go for true duals now? Well, whenever you can save a few hundred more. May as well get what you want now, and do it right the first time.

I was facing the same ordeal. Bent shift fork, bad shift keys, and bad synchros on my TR3650 5 speed. I was going to pick up another cheap 5 speed just as a temporary replacement, but realized I'd save money and headaches by going for the stronger T56 now.

Summit sells a universal offroad X pipe kit for a whole like 85 dollars. Not sure if you strictly want a catted setup or not, but that would be really cheap and easy to have done. Universal X pipe, and any decent shop can easily route some piping for you, and hang a couple Aero Chambers, or Dynomax mufflers, etc. But hey, that's just what I would do.

native1031

I will not take my car to a shop; I want to do as much work as possible on this car. Ive never had anything good come from taking any of my cars to any shop around where I live.

I dont want to call it being cheap, but if I saved up more for a better exhaust, ide want to do it for everything else.

Shadow Z

iTrader: (2)

That's the name of the game if you want a quicker car. I don't know what your plans are for yours though.

native1031

The only thing I really want to change is the motor. Ide like to do an lt1 swap sometime in the future. Wont the 3" setup im talking about work for it still?