ill fitting exhaust?

My mechanic called me in to see what I want to do - It seems that the rear clip of my car hangs too low (it's been dropped so it's pretty low) to allow the tips to exit easily. Options are: cutting away part of the rear clip or getting a new exhaust. Has anyone had this problem before? I really don't have any problem cutting, you won't be able to see it from above anyway because the bumper will block view and it's only about 3/4" to make it fit. Beside the fact that it's only fiberglass, which can easliy be patched. Before I did anything foolish (I mean in regard to my car)I just wanted to check with you all. I assume this is a fairly common problem since there are alot of VW engines in Speedsters.

Man, after doing a search here on this issue I'm more confused than ever! It seems you can do the hide away type (which I don't like) or it's hit or miss. One system fits VS but not CMC, etc, etc, etc,??? All I want is a vintage porsche look on my old IM and aside from ordering, waiting to get, installing, finding out it does or doesn't fit, sending it back, waiting again, blah, blah, blah.... stop this craziness! I think I'm just gonna get a cheap extractor for now and deal with the rest of this crap later - unless someone out there has the answer to the question: What "stock looking" system fits an early 80's IM with a 1600cc engine?

Mickey, you might want to double check on the Tri-Mil system as sold by VS. In a previous post I reported that it wouldn't fit Jjr's CMC; well; that was before he repaired the common "rear droop" problem on CMC's. As you know some CMC's need to get the rear clip lifted up an reattached to the frame; you can tell if you have that problem by an exceptionally wide gap at the top rear of the doors between them and the rear clip. That small fraction of an inch that you gain there when fixing that problem translates into a much larger distance at the apron. So maybe the Tri-Mil system as sold by VS fits the CMC's and Intermecs; although we haven't checked if it fits on Jjr's car (he sold me the exhaust system at first when he thought it wouldn't fit so it's installed in my engine); the Tri-Mil website says they have a model specifically for Speedster replicas. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if that's the system sold by VS.

Thanks Ricardo. The rear clip drooping is, or could be part of, the problem. It's on the list of "to do's" for my mechanic. I personally feel it won't give enough clearance, but I could be wrong? I just got off the phone with Cory and after setting him straight on his paint scheme (ha) we were discussing the exhaust dilema. The way I see it is like this: all these cars are so different - from the manuf. bodies, to the amount they're lowered, to the enigines and on and on. So what may work for one person and their car may not work for another and theirs. I'm probably going to just put something on that fits so I can get it on the road and then have something built. I've always wanted a single out exhaust. Not one of the ones that has all that "spaghetti" hanging out and routed into a single out "look", but a real single out like the ones you see on some of the JPS cars and others.

Ricardo ;
Been looking FOREVER for the TRI-MIL website so I can get dims. Its NOT in Google. Please print the link.
thx DT

My first car was an older CMC, and my second was a JPS. As most of us know, the JPS and Vintage bodies are the same.

I had the problem Mickey is describing with the CMC- the engine seemed to ride higher in the body than the Vintage/JPS. I tried three (maybe four) exhausts on the JPS-- all cleared the body. On the CMC, I put on a simple EMPI Monza, and had to trim the rear valance to get it to fit.

The exhaust in the picture is John Leader's car. In that configuration, he had an A1 sidewinder installed with a single center out tail-pipe. The tailpipe is shipped loose on these, so they are adjustable to a certain extent. However, they have 1-1/2"- 1-3/4" primaries so they are for bigger engines (I think you've got a 1600, no?), and they are quite a bit more money.

A hide-away isn't a bad option. It's a true equal length header, rather than something like the Tri-Mil-- which (while nice) is just a big-tubed stock-type exhaust. Before the Tri-Mil flames start-- I want to go on record as having installed one on my JPS with very good results-- it just isn't a "header" in the true sense of the word. I'd stay away from the EMPI single or dual quiet packs-- they hang out the back pretty bad, and look horrible (again-- I had one of these as well).

I'd also stay away from the Mexi-VW header/canister-- I also had one of these, but never could get it to come close to fitting. It was the most poorly manufactured pieces of junk I ever bought for any car (and that's saying something).

One of the shops that advertise in "Hot VWs" makes a "Thing" exhaust that looks pretty nice. It isn't an EMPI part, and Eddie Janis had one on his car-- really nice.

The Cadillac exhaust for a stock, 1776, or 1914 engine (IMHO) would be the CSP 1-1/2" system. There isn't anything cheap about it, but it's a true header, has two mufflers, and exits in the stock VW location (which means it looks like an OEM 356).

Or you could just buy the Tri-Mil and give it a try. I'd spend the extra $15 and get one from Kirk at Vintage-- it's still only about $100 I think.

Good luck.

Thanks Stan - good info. I seems I'm not as crazy as I thought with the "hit or miss" idea. My mechanic ordered an extractor made for 1200 & 1600's and from the looks of it it sits a few inches lower than the tri-mil so I feel pretty good that it'll work (fit), if it doesn't I'll be calling Kirk. I want to avoid the hide away; for whatever reason it gives me a bad vibe in the sense it'll cause me problems elsewhere, who knows? I'm hoping for as much of a stock look as possible, or as mentioned a single out. Do you think it's possible to have a 1 3/8 single out made?

Search the site for the body droop repair-easy. It should be done no matter which exhaust you pick.

Mickey and Kevin, it was nice talking to you guys on the phone the other day. Mick, Jim says he can probably make the Tri-Mil setup work, if you can send a photo of the shape it has to fit into; you'll have to have it coated or somehow temperature-treated when he's done, but he'll be able to do the shaping and so on.
Kevin, the answer for the piping in my car's rear apron area was a stinger, hacked up and welded in backward.
Here's what Jim came up with:

Here's the link Dave:

http://www.acindustries.com/Catalog/OpenCatalog/CatalogSubCat.aspx?product=Exhaust

Apparently any exhaust meant for Type 2's will have the clearance needed for a Speedster replica. Click on VW, then 1972 model year and then on Porsche Speedster replica; you'll see it.