Stainless 3" mandrel bent exhaust system...going to give it a try

[dsd1967]

I had a TTI system on a 69 Dart 340 and was thoroughly impressed with the fit and quality. I seriously wanted to go back to TTI on the 67 Belvedere build I'm doing, but the $800 price tag plus another $70-$100 in shipping got me to looking for alternatives.

I ended up going with the below system from World Wide Performace for a total bill of $290 shipped to my door. I won't have my car done for several months....but I can give first impressions on fit up and quality in the next few weeks. I figured for the $600 difference between this deal and TTI....I could deal with a few inconveniences.

And yes I know it's for a 68-70...and that is intentional. I'm putting the 68-70 trunk pan and fuel tank on my 67 so I can run the exhaust all the way out the back with a mini-tub on the car.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dual-Split...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

 

[zyzzyx]

Thanks for the heads up! I read the listing and can't figure out what grade of SS
it actually is. If it's 409, it's not worth dealing with because it will rust but if it's
309 or 309L it should be fine. The reason I'm stressing this is my replacement
exhaust system on my Wife's Sequoia is 409 and every part lasts about two years
and then has to be replaced. Between the salt and the cheap steel, it doesn't last.

 

[gkent]

Raise your hand if you drive your musclecar through any kind of salt !!!

 

[33 IMP]

I put salt on my fries at in-n-outs drive thru. Does that count?

 

[dsd1967]

I figure it’s 409 stainless based on the price. If it lasts 2 years on your wife’s daily driver that will probably be close to the rest of this vehicles life.

I’m more concerned if it will sound okay. We’ll find out eventually.

 

[33 IMP]

If the picture is actually representative of what is in the kit (not a given), it looks like flowmaster clones.
I happen to love the "flowmaster sound" , some don't, and there is the possibility of droning. There's less droning using tailpipes.
Let us know how it turns out.

 

[Mopar Hunter]

Thanks for the heads up! I read the listing and can't figure out what grade of SS
it actually is. If it's 409, it's not worth dealing with because it will rust but if it's
309 or 309L it should be fine. The reason I'm stressing this is my replacement
exhaust system on my Wife's Sequoia is 409 and every part lasts about two years
and then has to be replaced. Between the salt and the cheap steel, it doesn't last.

TTi sells 304 stainless steel systems.

 

[zyzzyx]

Yeah, I put salt on my fries too but I'm one of those guys that likes to
buy these type of things once, Even if they cost more. Sounds like a great deal though!
Only one left!

 

[RJRENTON]

I figure it’s 409 stainless based on the price. If it lasts 2 years on your wife’s daily driver that will probably be close to the rest of this vehicles life.

I’m more concerned if it will sound okay. We’ll find out eventually.

FYI...If the material is in fact 409 stainless steel, it is a FERRITIC STAINLESS STEEL, which is basically a iron and chrome blend, without nickel. There are several different types including aluminized and 409 ultraform developed for corrosion resistance and formability. Which is better than carbon steel pipe for corrosion resistance. Most people think that stainless steel looks like your kitchen sink bowls, which is stainless steel 304 alloy, which is 18-8 or 18% nickel, 8% chrome and the balance iron. This type of stainless steel is called austinetic stainless and is non magnetic.
BOB RENTON

 

[gkent]

I'd be more concerned about the thickness of the tubing than whether its 409 or whatever. Very few restos or modifieds use stainless and I don't hear many complaints. But the thickness will certainly have an impact of the noise level as well as the strength and how long the hanger brackets last before the welds tear and the system falls off.

 

[zyzzyx]

A guy named Tony answered my question from World Performance. They
are 409 SS, and 16Ga., or 0.0598. Just under 1/16"

 

[dsd1967]

I just checked the TTI site, and that is the same thickness they use for their tubing....that's good news at least.

 

[RJRENTON]

A guy named Tony answered my question from World Performance. They
are 409 SS, and 16Ga., or 0.0598. Just under 1/16"

Yes....Tubing is sized by the OD X WALL THICKNESS which as you note. It could be either welded or seamless. Mandrel bent tubing is a process used in the formation of the tube bend. A mandrel (cylindrical form slightly smaller than the ID) is inserted in the ID of the tube approximately 1/16" less than the tangent point of the bend radius, to prevent the tube collapsing during the formation of the bend and is slowly retracted as the bend is formed. It also prevents wrinkling of the tube wall in the bend radius. Ferretic stainless steel is not shiny and resembles carbon steel pipe. Most small light gauge OD pipe is mandrel bent to prevent distortion.
BOB RENTON

 

[dsd1967]

Well it arrived in about three days after ordering. Came in two boxes...one with all the tubes, clamps and hangers and one with mufflers.

First impressions. It's not a TTI system. The biggest noticeable difference up front is the hangers are nowhere near as robust. The tubes seem to be bent pretty nicely, the crossover is welded, so the pipe before the mufflers is pretty much set where it's going to be. The mufflers are painted carbon steel. No instructions whatsoever, so I'm not really sure where they plan for the hangers to attach to the body. Hopefully that will become evident once I start the installation.

It's going to take a little bit of work to get it installed, but for the price difference I'm willing to work with it.

 

[gkent]

Shouldn't all the hangers be in stock locations? I realize you've put in a later model trunk so those hangers should go where 68-70 would be.

 

[Mopar Hunter]

Looks good.

 

[dsd1967]

Most likely the hangers will go in the stock locations. The 67 frame rails are slightly different than the 68-70's in that the gas tank strap goes side to side and there are some extra holes for the fuel filler tube mount. I'm not sure the 68-70 hanger locations are present on the 67 rails. No big deal....I'll figure that one out. The one that has me scratching my head is the two longer brackets....I'm not sure where they would bolt. I'm actually thinking of fabricating up something like TTI offers. On my dart I think they mounted to the seat belt bolt area and used the rear muffler clamp to support the exhaust system. Any pictures of a 68-70 TTI system mounted in a car would be helpful for the hanger references.

 

[Coronet R/T 68]

I used that exact kit in my 68 coronet r/t last winter. I knew I was going to have to modify it because i added a t56 trans so I didn't want to buy a aluminunized kit for $700+. I am VERY pleased with it. It looks and Sounds great, there is a little droning at low rpm cruising. I ended up not using the supplied hangers. I also used band clamps that were stepped instead of the straight ones. The clamps they supply won't compress the exhaust enough to seal.

 

[RJRENTON]

DSD,
The mufflers look like Flow Masters....let us know how you make out....lots of luck.
BOB RENTON

 

[hunt2elk]

This is TTI on my 69 Runner.