I have a 72 buick skylark custom. It has original 350-4bbl with single exhaust. I would like to have dual exhausts, can anyone tell me what is the most inexpensive way to do this ?? Thanks
unless someone has a used set around for sale , there are really no cheap ways to obtain a dual exhaust system . u can buy pre-formed pipes or have the pipes mandrel bent by a quality muffler shop . be sure u buy aluminized pipes & mufflers (stainless is very expensive) . u get what u pay for . u will have to buy the muffler hangers & tailpipe hangers from year1 or opg as they are specific to the buick a-bodies .
Since you will need all new parts from the manifolds to rear.. I'd suggest you spend a few extra bucks and have an "X" pipe installed with 2.5" pipes, quieter, yet maximum power!o No: I would not worry about mandrel bent, but aluminized will last longer.
Take it to a local muffler shop and have them fit a set on. It should cost around $300 for a stock dual pipe setup with a set of turbo mufflers...
DRIVE your car TO IOWA!:laugh: 2-1/2" Dual pipes with "crossover" (not a fancy "X", but so what? ), factory bends, Dynomax Super Turbo Mufflers, ALL WELDED SEAMS (no leaks!)! Steel pipe "$110", Aluminum pipe "$120"! INCLUDING INSTALLATION!:eek2::Smarty: Cheap but efficient (for your purpose, Paul)!:Smarty::laugh: I can't believe that I even HEAR "$600" and DUAL EXHAUST, in the SAME SENTENCE, but I have, a LOT, lately! For Dual Exhaust (on a STREET car), anything over $200, "I" consider to be "Expensive", but $500 or $600 is OUTRAGEOUS!:af: I guess I'm just used to the "Midwest" (Iowa/Illinois) prices.o No::laugh: You WILL NOTICE a DIFFERENCE in PERFORMANCE, just by changing from the Single to Dual exhaust, I guarantee, but it is NOT NECESSARY to SPEND a LOT on exhaust, if you don't have a LOT in your ENGINE!:Smarty:
Well Scott, I guess you don't want to know what I spent on my exhaust setup:laugh: Headers: $300 Gaskets, collectors from TA: $75 Installation: $295 (that was install of headers too) I got a deal on that one. X Pipe crossover: $100 TOTAL: $770 Yikes! That's expensive, but the performance gains are worth it.
I hear ya! When I had a shop bend up duals for my '72 Electra, I paid $200.00 out the door. And that included a pair of cheap turbo mufflers.
My brother has had a few exhausts bent by the local shop around here and it ran about $200 + mufflers (aluminumized pipes w/ mandrel bends) for a factory style dual exhaust setup. On my Skylark I am running a Flowmaster "American Thunder" system, 2 1/2" with H-pipe which ran me about $170 and then Rhino Performance Mufflers which were about $50 a piece. I wish I could get dual exhausts this cheap for my 350Z. The cheapest you can get is $640 for a Borla system and they go all the way up to $2400 - and that is without a Y-pipe and it only makes an extra 2 or 3 hp!
Just got an X system with 50 series Delta Flow Flowmaster mufflers and aluminized pipes all installed for $400. Regular system with aluminized pipe and turbo mufflers is around $215. There are a few cheaper places where I live, but their systems look cheap to match the price.
No, Adam, as I tried to explain, the DIFFERENCE of "Spending" money and "WASTING" money! It sounds like, for YOUR car, YOU "SPENT" money because you NEEDED a better exhaust system, maybe because you "IMPROVED" your ENGINE, first! So, you NEEDED "Headers, and a Crossover Pipe, and "Free Flowing" Mufflers (or whatever you do have in your system). What if you DIDN'T "NEED" it?o No: Would you have "Spent" the money, ANYWAY?ou: Maybe you might understand me better this way: Would you put HEADERS and FLOWMASTER mufflers, and a Dr. Gas X Pipe on a Brand New YUGO (with a 4 cylinder)?! Yes, you would, wouldn't you? "DUAL EXHAUST" makes "EVERYTHING" SOUND good, RIGHT? NO! OF COURSE NOT! That's the POINT I was trying to make: You have to know HOW you're building/repairing your car (as Stock Maintenance or High Performance!) BEFORE you DO it! If you're Only REPAIRING it is ONE thing, but if you're IMPROVING it, is SOMETHING ELSE!:Smarty:
I found a ma n pa muffler place where the owner actually was there and did alot of the work himself. He said he was a hotrod guy in the 60's and the only question he had for me was kind of growl I wanted. He did the whole thing stem to stern with some chrome tips and flowmasters for 300 out the door next day. They work and sound great, no complaints. (I chose a quiet gurrgle):grin:
I wasn't trying to sell this type of system to anyone here, just merely stating how much it might cost for somone to do the same thing I did. If you read a bit higher on the thread, I posted this message: And it's pennies from heaven if you can find a muffler shop to install a dual exhaust system for under that....unless you know the owner of a Midas shop (which is why I didn't spend more than I already did on the installation.) Oh, and if I did have a Yugo, it would have a header and a big fat fart pipe coming out the back bumper. I may have to grab a park bench and weld it on the back.
:grin: I know what you meant, Adam.:TU::grin: And again, I didn't say there's anything "wrong" with spending $600 or $700 on an exhaust system, I just meant Spending it at the "right TIME".o No::TU: With NO "performance" modifications or improvements done on the car, it should NOT be NECESSARY to install "Headers OR an X-pipe OR Flowmasters!":Smarty: There might be "SOME" noticeable improvement, but not as if you were to build an ENGINE for that exhaust system, FIRST!:Smarty: o No: Maybe I just make sense to myself. Sorry. :laugh::TU:
I'm telling you guys, just go find the old guy downtown who likes old cars because there's room to get his hands in. Pay him 300 max and drive away with a nice set up. If he says it's a bit more, then just tell him you'll pay cash. DON'T BE FOOLED BY BIG CORP MUFFLER MAN! Find "Joe's or Tony's or Sal's" Muffler! Dual-Flowmasters-Chrome tips-300-VROOM!!!!:grin:
After "researching" this topic, I did some "investigative" work for my buddy's '71 Cutlass. Here are the results that I got, after a few phone calls to local muffler shops: "$250" uzzled: "$250 + extra for manifold stud repair" o No: "$254" :rant: "$225" "$125" :eek2::beer :Smarty::bglasses: Keep in mind, these quotes are ALL the SAME EXACT PARTS: Manifolds Back; Dual pipes (aluminized), Super Turbo Mufflers, over axle pipes, no rear tips, all hanging hardware included, AND WITH "Crossover" pipe installed (at NO EXTRA CHARGE!)! The car is IN THE SHOP, as of NOW, getting a COMPLETE DUAL EXHAUST SYSTEM for "$125"!:bglasses: I'll have the car back TOMORROW, and I'll try to have the exhaust shop take before and after pictures!:TU: It pays to shop around!:Smarty:
Dang, I wish exhaust work was cheap out here. I paid $460 for mine. And, that was about average as for pricing.
hey Scott where did you get your exhaust done..It looks like you may live nearby..I would appreciate any leads on a affordable muffler shop in the area thanks Jason
