The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Where to get exhaust systems

That is some place where you don't have to let some goof, bend and fit it. I'm sure they wouldn't care if they goofed up the underside paint etc.

I have found over the years that you stay FAR away from the big name muffler shops. Case in point my 95 C1500 needed a muffler and I wanted a sportier sound with dual tailpipes. Midas quoted me $875.00 from behind the cat back. We have several muffler shops within half hour that are Mom and Pop type operated run by Mexican Americans. They did the system on the 95 for $200 and he scratch built the system and the splitter. Yesterday I had the closer shop build me a tailpipe for my Task Force truck as I wanted to duplicate the factory pipe that crosses over the rear axle to the passenger side and turns down at the end.
Since Im in the business too I use them whenever I have an exhaust that needs work and they have always been careful and respectful. Dont be afraid to shop around nor to tell them your fears but stay clear of the big name production shops.

Yes, stay away from Midas or Meineke. You asking for a good fleecing of the pocket book, AND, not everyone but MOST, at least in my area, have some minimum wage flunky doing the work but charging dealer prices...or higher. If most folks could see what goes on in the shop area they'd croak!! I go to these places everyday delivering parts and its atrocious what they do to people. Nuff said. Sorry if I offended anyone but its the truth around here.

Had a local guy, who wants to remain in business, ran my complete exhaust system from front to back, driver side, and it cost me !20 bucks including the flowmaster style muffler.

Hmmm tell some of these people to bend a few extras up while they are at it, and either they sell em or you buy em and sell em. Aren't there places that can computer bend them?
I would never take anything in and have to sit in a room some place and not know what they are doing to my truck. If they don't want me there making sure nothin gets damaged they are't getting my business.

The experience In had with the installation of fenton headers and an exhaust system are as follows. Big name shops (3 different ones ) Bend over buddy we will take care of you, super duper 2 1/2 inch alum pipe, Flowmaster mufflers, $600.00- $750.00. I told them small metal pipes cheap mufflers, They couldn't do that, that's not what I needed.

I went to flaps, bought some straight pipe, couple 90 degree turns 2 cheap mufflers and a couple of hangers. Put this on the truck and went and found a guy working out of an old gas station in a nearby town. For less than $200.00 he welded up a set of pipes, bent them over the rear end and out the back. I now go to him whenever I need anything, and send people his way whenever I can.

Moral of the story, Find some independant guy who wants your business and give it to him. Let the fancy shops do what they do to all the young kids that want to say I have ----- to impress someone.

Agreed. I have a small shop near by that I've been taking everything to for the past 14yrs. They always treat me right and get my input before making final welds.

If it comes to not finding something I'll get a HF bender and do it myself.

I have had good results with Marty Johnson. He can be contacted at:

[email protected]

231-620-9354.

Where in WA are you?

I have only ever gone to small shops, and have yet to find one where they wouldn't go over exactly what you want and let you hang around while you do it. Owning a biz is hard enough today, these guys want to do you right so you come back. The same shop has made the pipes for my '56, done a custom fit set from the collector back for a sports car, and repaired a couple other cars. One repair a couple other shops said couldn't be done without spending a lot more.
Never spent too much, they use quality parts, and never had an issue with them and send them biz any time I can. Ya have to ask around, but it can be done. Start with your local car clubs if there isn't someone on here that is more local to you.

Local private owned shop,good service and cost.

Pete

Look in Hemmings Motor News. I noticed a few companies offering exhaust systems. Waldrens is one that comes to mind.

While I'll agree with staying away from the big national exhaust chains for something custom/vintage, you also have to be very carefull with the local independent shops, too. Far too many of the out there that use the "I'm the small time local guy you can trust" bit to get away with doing sloppy work. We have a local shop that does this on a regular basis. I've seen them weld tailpipes to bumpers, and route them so close to the spare that the heat from the exhaust burned a hole through the tire.

problem with any shop made pipes is the 'ovaled' restriction from ram press bending, somewhat better than you'd get doing it yourself with a HF bender, but not what you'd find from the factory - I had some done for my bus cooling system at Midas while I watched, good enough for that - if you don't have a shop around with a $10,000 mandrel bender, buy some good quality mandrel L, U. J, & 45 bends [stainless even], and some pipe, cut them to fit and weld it all up yourself, which I did for daBus

Bill

The only way I will purchase any exhaust system is for my truck to be sitting at home. And I go get said system bring it home and I install it. So how many of these mom and pops do the systems that way?
My brother has a great story how someone ruined parts on his car, that he left loose so they could do the work easily they didn't try a wrench first, just an air chisel on brand new painted parts. Too many I don't give a rips out there doing work on cars and trucks.

looks to me like you already have your mind made up...this reminds me of our supervisor saying he wants a number between 3 and 5, and he didn't want to hear 4, (yes this really happened)Unless someone out there has a CNC tubing bender with all the possible variations of exhaust available on every car ever made programmed into it,(at least these trucks) you have no other choice but to A. do it yourself, B. buy a prebent kit, or C. have a local shop bend and fit one up. That is how exhaust is made.

Not to hijack this thread, but who besides Patricks sells pre bent pipes. Theirs look great but are stainless steel and very pricey.

Speedway has a mild steel 2 1/2 inch kit, plus hardware and other pieces. I have dealt with them a lot in the past, good people & products.

Jegs also has a large variety of pipes from several companies. I put one of their their brand name flex couplers and band clamps under the cab (lack of flex in the pipe kept eating my collecter gasket), they are solid quality pieces.

check these out if you want pre-bent exhaust,

www.waldronexhaust.com

www.kepichexhaust.com

More listings in Hemmings Motor News

I went WALDRONEXHAUST.
I have just received my pre-bent exhaust system for my 59 Oldsmobile here in Australia. I have not put it on the car as yet, (hope it fits), but from the research I did very popular company to go with.

For my 54 Chev truck though, I have enouth stuff lying around here to do the job myself.