I’m considering replacing the exhaust on my 1964 3.8 S-I OTS. I’ve been recommended a Bell Big Bore Stainless Exhaust. They’ve sold dozens of these to DIY owners and have had no complaints.
Has anyone bought this and installed it themselves? Apparently it’s a direct fit and SUPER EASY. Apparently the sound is a little louder when you really get on the throttle, but it’s generally very “stock” for a car that you are going to be doing a lot of driving with. Any advice? I’m mainly concerned about installing it…
I don’t know about the Big Bore (a friend has one and they sound wonderful), but I installed the regular Bell stainless system on my car and it wasn’t too hard at all. I did have to trim a pipe with a pipe cutter, but it was pretty easy to put the whole thing in place. One of the tips I received from a racing mechanic who had to install and remove exhausts almost daily was to use Copaslip or similar copper anti-seize on the pipes to help slip everything together. The petroleum base burns away leaving the copper dust to help make future disassembly easier.
Thanks Drew. So, any recommendations regarding the Big Bore vs Standard Bell Stainless systems? The Big Bore doesn’t’ sound all hopped up and muscle car, does it? I don’t mind a little growl, but I want my car’s experience to be as “stock” as possible given that I’m gonna be driving it 5000 mi a year…
I’m probably going to order this today and install it this coming weekend… Thanks in advance…
FWIW, I installed stainless down pipes with the rest of the system being stock mild steel from SNG. I was quite happy with the fit and I’m quite happy with the sound.
It’s been a while since I last heard it. The exhaust sound of my friend’s car is somewhat lower and has a more “meaty” sound. It is different, but not hugely so, IMO. Others need to weigh in on their impression.
Andrew
Over the life of my car I have installed two mild steel systems that sounded great until they started to rot out. Currently have a Bell system installed over ten years ago, but sound is not the same Jaguar growl. The Bell systems are a hit and miss, down pipes had to be taken to muffler shop to tweak the bends to fit correctly. Recently replaced down pipes because car was riding too low and destroyed flex joints.The new Bell replacement downpipes fit much better and are now tucked up higher. My suggestion is once system is installed and correct do not ever take apart again. Drop system down as one unit, I did this with install of 5 speed more than once and will have to do again to replace speedo cable.
Glenn
I’ve often thought of adding flanges like the one’s below to the exhaust outlets and the pipes that attach to the exhaust outlets. That would make dropping the rear end less of a chore and facilitate removing the rest of the exhaust if necessary since the front half would be separated from the rear half.
They come in various sizes. Measure several times, cut the pipes, a bit of welding, and Bob’s your uncle.
John Walker is on the right page if you want the ALMOST original sound but good looking end pipes.
On my red 66 , I did just that , Mild steel for everything except the resonators as the stainless look wonderful and maintenance free.
You will get a bellow sound like that.
Now on my 67 coupe, Im going to drive ALOT, I went all BELL stainless just for exposure to elements, rain, mud and yes SNOW.
It sounds good, not exact original but a lot better than OLDER stainless systems that sound like a vacuum cleaner.
Everyone forgets , 30 years ago, your old metal exhaust would fall off in the street when it rots out in 3years time.
IMHO, BELL for the money is the ticket with the wide ban clamps.
Good luck
gtjoey1314
I have my standard-sized Bell SS exhaust (with Patriot MS resonators) and I’m bolting it on my 1964 OTS. So far so good but I have what might be a really dumb question…
I can’t quite keep the left and right downtubes from touching each other at the 90-degree bend. Is it a big deal if they touch each other? I thought perhaps it might be an issue with the high heat. I don’t have it completely bolted in yet, so it’s possible they’ll separate once I’m finished, but I wanted to get some opinions before I get this whole thing together… If they do touch and this is an issue, can you just wiggle them apart and then attempt to hold them there with the placement of the clamps and the bend in the in the flex-joint? Based on the position of the manifold connections, I don’t see how I’m gonna get these pipes completely separated.
I left all the fasteners and clamps loose when I installed my system; stainless down pipes, mild everything else. I noted, as you have that the down pipes wanted to touch. I stuck a 1/2" thick piece of wood between the two pipes at that point and then tightened the front muffler clamps followed by the downpipe to manifold nuts. I removed the piece of wood and the gap stayed at about 1/2".
So everything went OK up to the point where I was to bolt my resonators to the bracket. It looks like I’m a good inch or so too long. (The green tape marks the furthest the mating pipe can be inserted.)
I’m using Patriot MS resonators instead of the Bell SS resonators so a little ill fitment might be expected. Should I just cut the rear pipes an inch short and be done with it, or should I try and adapt the bracket somehow?
