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Old September 7th 2018, 14:09
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owdlvr owdlvr is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Canada - West Coast
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My issue with a proper header is the look. One of the key parts of this build, for me at least, is the fact that externally it is a pretty good visual replica of the factory rally cars. I mean, obviously I've taken liberties and it's true the exhaust looks nothing like a stock muffler (that they used on the factory cars)...but it [i]is[/] much closer in look than a header system. To be fair to Vintage Speed, they have taken very good care of me with this build, and I abuse the crap out of his products. Before I started feeling guilty about it, they were sending me a new system every 6-8mo because I'd put so many dents in them with rocks. The systems are beautiful, but I think the flanges should probably be thicker for a user like me who removes the exhaust system often. Eventually my flanges end up slightly curved, due to over-torquing, and I start to blow out gaskets. On the particular one that blew above, I had meant to weld that connection up but didn't find the time before leaving for Colorado. It's now welded up on both the #2 and #4 connections, so you remove the muffler and stubs off the rear of the engine in one piece. You are correct in that I'm using two gaskets stacked down below, also a factor of a couple of cut and weld modifications I made to the lower flanges. The current exhaust system on my car is actually made up from least-damaged parts from a few systems I've used over the years. Its either the J-tubes or the muffler that came from a unit I used with heater boxes, and the other are non-heater box units. I had to do a bit of creative welding to join the two together into a non-heater box system. The double gaskets, if I line them up correctly on install, last indefinitely.

When I use the Vintage Speed systems on street beetles, they seem to last forever without any problems. Given that the muffler is the lowest part on the rally bug, it's not surprising that it's less than perfect on gravel roads and rallycross events!

I often think about putting a CSP Super Competition system on the car, but even with all the publicity the car has had...no deals are available. $800 euro is a big price tag on a system I can't be sure will take gravel racing any better than the Vintage Speed systems.

Ironically, I quickly solved the popping issue. I didn't line up the double gaskets correctly when I installed them after the rebuild. Popped in a pair of new ones, and it runs like a champ. Finally have the sea-level tune to a point where I don't have to clean the tailpipes after a short drive. Getting better and better!


Missed it by -><- that much!


-Dave
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'71 Type 1 - Rally Project
'58 Type 1 - I bought an early!?!
'73 Type 1 - Proper Germanlook project
'68 Type 1 - Interm German 'look' project
'75 Type 1 - Family Heirloom
'93 Chevy 3500 pickup - Cummins Swap
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