Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ray White]

Maybe I am expecting too much but I was genuinely shocked when I had a quote for a stainless steel exhaust for my Dodge Brothers. The quote including V.A.T. was £600. This would be for a 2" front pipe, a 1.75" tail pipe and a basic silencer. There would be no welding required and no flange needed as I have the special manifold attachment nut and pipe. The overall length is 9' 3".

If this is the going rate then that's fine. I just thought it a bit steep for such a basic system. Perhaps I should settle for mild steel?

http://s1204.photobucket.com/user/Trundles/media/P8100049.jpg.html

[Rick]

I had a m/s exhaust made up by JP Exhausts in Macc, using the original as a template. The receipt will be around here somewhere if interested.

RJ
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[Riley Blue]

£600 including VAT doesn't sound too bad for a custom made system of that length and pipe diameter in stainless steel.
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David

1963 Riley 1.5
1965 Riley 1.5

[Ray White]

Thank you David. I'm obviously out of touch with these things.

Rick. If m/s is the way to go then what you paid would be a useful guide. Thank you.

There seems little point in spending more than I need to on a car that only gets Summer use.

[goneps]

Ray,

The mild steel exhaust system has been on my Morris for best part of twenty years and shows no sign of deterioration, so the question is, "why go to the expense of stainless?"

The silencer is a bog-standard BMC 1100 item, substituted for the much smaller and noisier original type—a Morris Eight makes quite enough racket without adding a rasping exhaust.

And there's another reason not to use stainless; it's much more resonant and therefore noisier, even if identical. Admittedly I used original-pattern s/s pipes and silencers on my BMW motorcycle, which spoiled the whisper quietness for which the breed was renowned, but original silencers were ridiculously expensive and rotted through in six months.

Mild steel systems seem to last indefinitely these days, even on low-mileage cars, so the cost of stainless is simply not justified.

Richard

[Bitumen Boy]

A few years ago I sold my Acclaim because of the likely cost of a custom exhaust, after the supply of NOS parts had dried up. Other owners were paying £400 - £500 then, which was getting on for the market value of the whole car! I couldn't face that sort of a bill, so sold the car on while the old, secondhand exhaust was still sound. Given inflation over the last few years, £600 inc VAT doesn't sound too bad IMO.

[Ray White]

I have mixed feelings about stainless and mild steel. I used to get through mild steel silencers on my GT6 in no time so when I replaced it with stainless I never had to look at it again - and the sound was great for a sports car. However, when I paid through the nose for a custom built system for the Austin Swallow, I was terribly disappointed. The noise was unacceptable and a loss of power (something to do with back pressure I gather). I ended up making my own which works well.

When I looked around it seemed that everyone was using stainless so when I asked for a quote that is what I got. I went to Nuvolari then later Gough. I found to my surprise that they were the same people!
Subsequently, I requested a quote in mild steel and they replied today that it would be £50 cheaper. That does seem steep but I will shop around.

[MikeEdwards]

Exhausts do seem to have gone up quite steeply - I paid £350 for a full stainless system (2 silencers) for my Firenza when I rebuilt it, and I think the same company charges nearly £700 for the same thing now.

I'd have expected it to be a bit easier to shop around though now, especially if you have one to copy, because of the more widespread availability of pipe benders - it used to be you'd have to travel some distance to find someone who could make a system to suit your car, now they seem to be everywhere. You can get a range of standard silencers from places like Demon Tweeks or Jetex which helps quite a bit too.

[Ray White]

Thanks chaps. Some good advise there. When I made the system for the Swallow I hired a pipe bender. That was fine for small bore pipe used on Austin Sevens. I do have a heavy duty pipe bender but it tends to squash the pipe. That, I expect has more to do with the thin metal that they use these days. It could, on the other hand, be down to the user!

Actually, although my exhaust pipe is rusty, it only has one small hole that could be patched. The silencer is rotten though, so I will definitely need a new one. Looking on Ebay all the silencers seem to be equal opening at each end and they all seem to be stainless steel. I have a mig welder but I don't get on with stainless welding. I will keep looking for a mild steel silencer but finding one 18" long with a 2" inlet and 1.75" outlet is looking bleak. The other option is to just get a silencer made professionally but then I might as well get the whole lot made and swallow the cost.

Perhaps I'm just a tight wad!

[ukdave2002]

Ray

I had to modify a stainless steel exhaust recently, and with the right flux it brazed quite nicely.

I have also used JP in Macc (they didnt make the exhasut I had to modify !!)


Dave

[lowdrag]

I've had stainless for 30 years now, and it is guaranteed for life, which meant that after 22 years, when I hit a raised railway in the Alps, took off a foot or two and then destroyed the rear boxes, that I got new ones for free. Having mild steel is all well, but my Opel Manta in 1980 rusted through in 18 months. It really depends on how much you use the car and in what weathers. Plus how it is garaged of course.

[Ray White]

I have made the decision to replace the silencer and keep the front and rear pipes which are not in bad condition. The new silencer is mild steel with 2" outlets. I have therefore ordered a reducer - 2" to 1.75" and U clamps.

I could repair the one small hole in the tail pipe by welding on a patch but from experience I think there might be a risk of burning through and end up chasing a hole so I will probably use an exhaust bandage around the pipe. These work effectively in extending the life of a system. I feel the car doesn't get enough use to warrant a lot of expense. The total comes to £65.

[JohnDale]

Hi Ray, it might be worth contacting the guy that I have used for a long time whose work/supply has been spot on every time. everyexhaustpart1@gmail.com
He also sells via eBay with seller name everyexhaustpart
Cheers,JD.
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1958 Ford Zephyr Mk2 Convertible
1976 Ford Granada Ghia.

[Ray White]

[Phil - Nottingham]

I have used Goughs of Watnall twice - but not since 1999 when the last full system was fitted and both are still going strong - price was aound £300 fitted I think
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