Exhaust Tailpipe Routing

Bigeasy08 · Aug 8, 2013

I'm looking to run 3" mandrel out the back of my fox and have been seeing a lot of 3" cars where the pipe dips down and notches back up and out to the bumper like this:

I don't mind it, I think its unique, but I'm leaning towards the old fashion look where it is tucked up under the body with the tips run out, like this:

I'm just wondering why people run the pipes differently. I can't see any clearance problems, but I assume I feel like it is just a preference or maybe it is just a lot easier to install...I dunno

2000xp8 · Aug 8, 2013

Those setups are likely custom made from mandrel bent pre-made parts. Basically you buy, U, J, 45, and 90 degree bends and do what it takes to make it work.

Very few places do mandrel bent 3 inch exhausts where they actually bend the pipe for you. There aren't very many 3 inch catbacks either.

As for no clearance issues? Good luck with that, 2.5 kits take tweaking to not hit the frame rail, upper control arms, gas tank and tires, so expect more trouble with 3 in.

Honestly, i like how those 3 inch setups you posted look, now whether it's worth the money or trouble or not, that's up to you. But doing it in stainless is going to be very very expensive and the alumized pre made is crap (i've learned that lesson the hard way).

A 2.5 will support well past 500rwhp, so there is little market for 3 inch kits.

stangboy · Aug 8, 2013

The 1st 3 pics you have are the flowmaster 3" tailpipe kit. They are routed that way for clearance. Its pretty much the only way to route full-length 3" tailpipes. I bought my polished SS 3" tailpipes from VRS Exhuast through a group purchase on Corral. I haven't installed them yet but I always update my build thread.

Here's a pic of mine. They will be routed the same way as the Flowmaster kit. And yes they are mandrel bent.

reldla1996 · Aug 8, 2013

I have that 3" flowmaster kit on my 89, and they do it for clearance. The part that bugs me is the advertise polished tailpipes, and yet you see considerable tail pipe by the tires that is not polished.

Bigeasy08 · Aug 8, 2013

2000xp8 said:
Very few places do mandrel bent 3 inch exhausts where they actually bend the pipe for you. There aren't very many 3 inch catbacks either.

I have a guy where I live that does mandrel bent exhaust. Probably one of the best anywhere around. He did a mandrel 3" x-pipe through some mufflers and dumped it for me a few years ago and does amazing work. Getting the 3" pipes to fit won't be a problem for him, I promise.

I kind of like the custom look too. The nice thing about going 3" is that I would like to run a 351 based block in the car down the road, and can reuse what he does for me.

2000xp8 · Aug 8, 2013

Bigeasy08 said:
I have a guy where I live that does mandrel bent exhaust. Probably one of the best anywhere around. He did a mandrel 3" x-pipe through some mufflers and dumped it for me a few years ago and does amazing work. Getting the 3" pipes to fit won't be a problem for him, I promise.

I kind of like the custom look too. The nice thing about going 3" is that I would like to run a 351 based block in the car down the road, and can reuse what he does for me.

You are lucky then, when i needed it for another project, i looked looked looked, never found any shops, was too late kooks already moved south, so i let a custom shop do a 3 inch from aluminized pre mades, that crap made it like 3 years and completely fell apart. I could blame it on the welding, but it still burned through on the outside of the bends where the metal is thinnest after bending.
Had a chassis shop redo the whole thing with stainless.

stangboy · Aug 8, 2013

Bigeasy08 said:
I have a guy where I live that does mandrel bent exhaust. Probably one of the best anywhere around. He did a mandrel 3" x-pipe through some mufflers and dumped it for me a few years ago and does amazing work. Getting the 3" pipes to fit won't be a problem for him, I promise.

I kind of like the custom look too. The nice thing about going 3" is that I would like to run a 351 based block in the car down the road, and can reuse what he does for me.

Where are you located? I'm gonna need a custom 3" x-pipe to finish up my exhaust. Still trying to decide on what mufflers I want.

sen2two · Aug 10, 2013

you could always do turn downs after the mufflers. angle them slightly to keep gasses from building up and you will never get exhaust smell in the car. sounds so much deeper as well. i just did this and lost 17lbs to top it off...

Bigeasy08 · Aug 12, 2013

stangboy said:
Where are you located? I'm gonna need a custom 3" x-pipe to finish up my exhaust. Still trying to decide on what mufflers I want.

I'm in Raleigh, NC. So it might be a little bit of a haul for you!

And I have turndowns on the car now...it just drones a little too much for me and I am getting tired of it. I think it is just time for something new.

madspeed · Aug 12, 2013

my 3" tails are from Flowmaster. Normally they require you to add a longer hanger to them, but I kept mine as short as they came and the tuck up under a Cobra bumper real nicely

Exhaust Tailpipe Routing

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