H or X-pipe for LT headers

[samickguy15]

I bought an '83 GT a few months back and the guy threw in a set of Summit's super cheap long tubes. The car is getting an '86 HO motor(all stock), keeping the SROD trans, and will have the double hump cross-member. I've looking at different H and X pipes, and done some searching.

The only pipe I have found that looks like it will bolt up without cutting, welding, etc. is the Flowtech H-pipe. Anybody have any others? And no, I do not want to buy a different set of headers. I just want to be able to have exhaust on the car. It will probably get a Flowmaster cat back on it, so it needs to be Mustang specific, not just a universal pipe...

 

[SVT32VDOHC]

L/T's quiet the car down. H pipe is the traditional Mustang sound. X pipes give a louder more gurgle sound. IMO the X on my friends Cobra is louder than my H on my Cobra. Flows, well you know what flows sound like. Either pipe will give you a great sound.

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

Yeah LT's are going to really tame the sound of the car down low but in the upper RPMs it won't really matter. I personally won't ever run anything except an X pipe ever again.

 

[samickguy15]

.

I'm really just looking for options, not opinions so much. Thanks though for the comments. I think I'm going to stay H unless I can catch an X for a steal.

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

I'm really just looking for options, not opinions so much. Thanks though for the comments. I think I'm going to stay H unless I can catch an X for a steal.

Well as far as options, you've got your typical H, X and the Mac Pro Chamber. That's basically the market in a nutshell.

 

[samickguy15]

.

I guess I should have said brands instead of options. I've looked at BBK, MAC, Flowtech, Dr. Gas, and some others.

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

I guess I should have said brands instead of options. I've looked at BBK, MAC, Flowtech, Dr. Gas, and some others.

OK....in that case for an X i'd say Dr. Gas hands down (they were the first to even market an X for the Mustang). As for the rest, depending on your headers i would probably just buy the same brand as they are. The only thing i'd advise is that Macs are going to rust pretty quick but they're also pretty inexpensive. I like BBK headers since they have solid flanges....i had one of their H's before and it seemed pretty cool.


Also about X's....some of them if you look at the X portion, are really FAT looking. You'll have to check out some various pics of them to know what i mean. Anyways these in particular sound completely different than a Dr. Gas style X where you basically have the 2 pipes siamesed together. The fatter X sounds a lot like the Pro Chamber does (and if you can find a cross section of the Pro Chamber, it's really a lot like a very wide open X on the inside, they just make that box around it to hide the insides). In short, as for H's, i'd say one is just as good as the other until you get into the high dollar stainless material. As for X's, they're NOT all created equal.

 

[ebk06]

Just to give you an idea here my 87 5.0 with longtube and Mac pro dumps.

http://s35.photobucket.com/albums/d152/EBKorolla/?action=view&current=df894202.flv

 

[SVT32VDOHC]

I never really though brand matters on h and x's. I have used a Heddman H before, a BBK H before, and a Bassani X before. They have all fit with the same quality. They all lasted long too....each car I had for a few years and drove in the rain, and they all were still very clean, and you could still get the bolts off if needed.

 

[samickguy15]

.

As for the rest, depending on your headers i would probably just buy the same brand as they are.

The headers are Summit generic brand. Conveniantly Summit doesn't offer an H-pipe to match. The Flowtech is the only one that looks like it would bolt up without issue.

 

[5spd GT]

samick - Why do you think that h-pipe is the only option from Flowtech? Just wondering...measurements...?

I would imagine a BBK or Mac would bolt up to it...

FYI - I prefer H-pipe hands down on a 5.0L.

 

[samickguy15]

To start, IIRC, both use a ball and socket type connection. I know at least one does for sure. They also look like they are too narrow. That might be because they are for 5-speeds and not autos. I'm sure my headers are for both, therefore I need an auto accomidating h-pipe.

 

[tkareno]

they pretty much do all the same thing and just get whatever, if i were you i would go with a prochamber because you would get more power out of it than an x or an hpipe

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

they pretty much do all the same thing and just get whatever, if i were you i would go with a prochamber because you would get more power out of it than an x or an hpipe

Eh, that's kind of misleading. I've ran all 3 and saw zero difference as far as performance goes. Like i said above, the inside of the Pro Chamber is essentially a big open X so there's nothing really special about it.