SPF Performance Side Pipe upgrade selection - Page 4

Pman1961 · #61 (**permalink**) 04-29-2011, 05:12 PM

Greg...I've watched your off-idle pass numerous times and I have read many of your posts or comments and it has been helpful. I appreciate you sharing the mods of your car and this also goes to others as well. We learn from others experiences whether good or bad. I understand chasing horsepower. I want to make the most of what I have and by the way your car sounded great..especially warming up the tires! I'll do the sticky tire thing maybe next winter! Voyager...I've been told my car can be heard for quite some distance. The idle with the SPF pipes is not up to par for my tastes. Seems as though the aftermarket sidepipes have a more crisp, defined pop and yes I want the car louder at idle and a little more all over. I drive short distances and not as frequent as I would like. Seems as though I work all the time. I hope not to have to wear ear plugs but we'll have to wait and see! JHV48...your comments is spot on to what I'm looking to achieve. Tomorrow it looks as though I can begin dialing in the bellhousing. After that in goes the motor!

crASH · #62 (**permalink**) 04-29-2011, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pman1961

...and yes I want the car louder at idle and a little more all over.

LOUD is GOOD.

All my life, every time I get another vehicle, once I tell my brother, who is eight states away, he always asks me the same question, wearily, "So... did you take the mufflers off yet?"

He knows me well.

Voyager · #63 (**permalink**) 04-30-2011, 02:53 PM

I can see folks wanting more noise. You don’t buy a Cobra to blend in.

An advantage we have is our off idle sound is so good. Yesterday we went to a Ferrari show at a local winery. As incredible as the Ferraris sound “on the pipe”, everyone loved the Cobra’s sound as we loped around the winery grounds.

Good luck in your quest. As my pipe wears out (years from now), I’ll be interested in your find.

Voyager · #64 (**permalink**) 04-30-2011, 02:57 PM

Greg,

I hear you on the tires. As soon as I can put some wear on these BFGs, they’re gone. Problem is they squeal like pigs when you try to wear them out.

Bob

PJS50 · #65 (**permalink**) 05-10-2011, 09:46 PM

I'll sell you my SPF pipes w/the 3"core Stainless Specialties mufflers for $1000...
They are already ceramic coated too, but you will probably want to polish them before installing...
BUT, you will have a wait a little while before I can send them to you... I have to get my Firefly Pipes installed before I can ship you my old ones...
For me, I think I got @40HP more doing this mod. myself (520 cube Big Block) but I can tell you one thing:
ANYONE that does JUST a muffler mod on SPF sidepipes WITHOUT doing some serious work inside the collector area isn't going to see ANY HP gains (maybe lose HP?)... PE charges more for this work/feature, so make sure THAT'S what you are getting!!! If not, you are paying $1200 for NOISE, nothing more... Also, I have seen some of the PE sidepipes, and personally, they look like they were welded back together with a STICK welder!!! Granted, the set I saw was a few years ago, so hopefully for your sake, they've gotten better! But, I think somebody who just left a job as an I-Beam welder on a construction sight put the PE pipes together that I saw!!! Mine were welder together by a prototype welder and they look as good as stock...

BTW, even though I saw decent HP increase with my own sidepipe jerry-rigging and collector mods, I am thinking that I'll get another 20-30 HP out of the Firefly pipes!!! They have a WAY better merge-type collector, and a propretary performance muffler that has a different core design than the Stain. Spec. muffler... Again, BB motor though, your mileage may vary...

Oh, you wanna hear the pipes I'll send you? I'm the first guy in this clip:

YouTube - London Cobra Show Burnouts

Trust me, they ARE louder than stock, and they have a nice ROAR at throttle... Nothing "stealth" about them... I often set off car-alarms in the neighborhood when I idle by them in 1st/2nd gear...
(BTW, I didn't lock up the brakes at the end of that run; it was an aggresssive downshift that's all. Afterall, I was going over 100MPH at the end of that run, and I had to slow it down somehow! LoL...)

Pat

poisonsnake · #66 (**permalink**) 05-11-2011, 02:13 AM

PJS50......Can't agree with you more! Love my firefly pipes!

Pman1961 · #67 (**permalink**) 05-11-2011, 06:28 AM

PJS50. My pipes are already in Ohio and poisonsnake I have the 402 headers...thanks. I'll call PE today to discuss the collector work. It is crazy that you get positive comments about fabricators until your decision is made and then the negatives come out.

PJS50 · #68 (**permalink**) 05-11-2011, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pman1961

PJS50. It is crazy that you get positive comments about fabricators until your decision is made and then the negatives come out.

Sorry about that Pman... I don't hang out here much anymore...
Just trying to help...

Pat

poisonsnake · #69 (**permalink**) 05-11-2011, 10:45 AM

Yup....Been there and done that! Best of luck to you and regardless you are the proud owner of a SPF! Life just can't get better than that!

jhv48 · #70 (**permalink**) 05-11-2011, 11:06 AM

pman, you won't be able to tell the difference between any of these pipes unless you strap the car to a dyno.

Just get the pipes and strap them on. You might want to buy a pair of Remflex sidepipe gaskets or else you WILL be replacing the stock gaskets in the near future.

The sound alone will feel like you have more power, but unless you are trying to milk every last horsepuppy from your engine, don't sweat it.

Pman1961 · #71 (**permalink**) 05-11-2011, 07:11 PM

Thanks guys for the comments. When I get the car back together I'll follow up this thread with my thoughts. I've been working alot and it has been very difficult to find a few hours here and there to get her back together. I hope to be fired up in 5 to 6 weeks. Does the remflex gasket go between the header and collector? Also, gasket or sealant at the header to heads? Originally they were sealed with some type of sealant. Seemed to work fine just do not know the brand of sealant.

jhv48 · #72 (**permalink**) 05-12-2011, 05:02 AM

No sealant needed between header and sidepipe. Reflex gaskets are form fitting.

Not sure about head to header.

Blas · #73 (**permalink**) 05-12-2011, 07:57 AM

Another Option:
For exhaust Header Gasket Elimination: Use Permatex Ultra Copper - good to 700F
Procedure:
Install headers sans gaskets using the Permatex product. Put it on the header flange (thick but not overly so) and allow it to cure a few minutes and then install the headers with the bolts finger tight, after an hour or so I torque the bolts.

PJS50 · #74 (**permalink**) 05-12-2011, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blas

Another Option:
For exhaust Header Gasket Elimination: Use Permatex Ultra Copper - good to 700F
Procedure:
Install headers sans gaskets using the Permatex product. Put it on the header flange (thick but not overly so) and allow it to cure a few minutes and then install the headers with the bolts finger tight, after an hour or so I torque the bolts.

Blas, have you used this on the header to sidepipe connection with success? I have used this at the header to head connection with success, but never in the other place...
My only suspicion is that it will probably fail in the former as that connection gets way over 700F during normal operation... I've heard of measured temps in the 1200F to 1500F range batted about at the sidepipe bend....

Not doubting you if you've done it, just curious,
Pat

Pman1961 · #75 (**permalink**) 05-12-2011, 07:14 PM

If I recall the sealant used on my exhaust flange to head was the color grey and seemed as though it had hardened. Not like a silicone hard but spongy but hard like glass. This same sealant may have been used on a fitting going into a water passage of the intake manifold. I mean the headers were stuck to the head with no bolts and with a few bumps they seperated. There was hardly any residue to clean off and whatever they used sealed excellent with no leaks.

Blas · #76 (**permalink**) 05-12-2011, 07:33 PM

I used it on the header to sidepipe flange, not at the head to header...sorry if that was not clear....

PJS50 · #77 (**permalink**) 05-13-2011, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blas

I used it on the header to sidepipe flange, not at the head to header...sorry if that was not clear....

No, you were clear Blas... I just wondered if it lasted with the extreme heat that conection sees... That's cool (no pun inteded) if it does...

I've always used the gaskets at the header to sidepipe connection and never had a problem. I also ALWAYS used fresh Grade-8 bolts and nuts every time I change those out too!!! With the extreme heat at the point, it even changes the character/hardness of the nuts & bolts at that connection, and if you re-use them, they WILL loosen up with the second use and you will have leaks.

Blas · #78 (**permalink**) 05-13-2011, 09:14 AM

I have so many recommendation related notes regarding header/sidepipe bolts in my collection its scary...
The Remflex Gaskets have had great reviews from those using them...

bobcowan · #79 (**permalink**) 05-13-2011, 01:40 PM

I gave up using exhaust gaskets a long time ago. I use only high temp silicone at the header flang and the side pipe flange. It never fails, it always fits correctly, it's cheap, and it's easy to find on a sunday evening.

Ace23 · #80 (**permalink**) 09-12-2016, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greg schroeder

For me the 275/60 15 Mickey Thompson drag radials helped the car hook up. The next best mod for me was the Pro-Systems carb and the taller oval air filter. I like the look of the SPF side pipes too, but I was chasing HP with buying side pipes. Cost per HP the least effective item was the side pipes. The light weight flywheel is more fun and helps the car hook better too.

I had to revive this thread from the past. I thought Greg was running 325-50-15's......does anyone know if the 275-60-15 was once on rear or was the a type and it was the front tire size. In the attached thread it indicates under post #11 he is running the same tire which woudl indicate it to be a 325-50-15. It is mentioned that he is running a 4" offset to achieve this.
Maximum Meat - Fitting Wide Rubber on a Superformance