Brian GT PRO

Well, this is certainly your option, and yes VISA or MC are very good options to simply do a charge back if things backfire. BUT it also opens the door to fraud as well (I won't go into details). What essentially you're asking for is for our company to buy 25 units, buy them and sell them for next to no money, and this all with the *hopes* of selling all 25 pieces?

WOW..Not trying to be argumentative here, but that is one hell of a pill your asking for us to swallow.

DIY yes approx. 15 mins or so with detailed instructions. As for the tool to use? http://www.nextag.com/chain-pipe-cutter/compare-html take your pick. BUT if you don't want to aquire a tool, how do you propose to do the install??? Hence why I suggested possibly an installer do the job??

As for DETAILED photos, I think I have mentioned, as well as others have reiterated my point, that I would have pictures up on Friday,because there are still a few things I'm not completely happy with the first few production prototypes, but to be quite honest, this might not hold true, as I think this might be a "still born" project, and I am beating myself up for nothing, hence pictures would be a moot point.

If there is no REAL interest, please speak up, I'm working very hard at this trying to appease everyone, but it seems that nothing that I'm doing is making an impact, I keep getting the ol' beat down, and it's getting a bit old, and it's hard to get beaten up like this over such a small item, it's not as if I'm asking for $20K for a gold plated exhaust

Sincity

Brian, you still have my attention. Like I said earlier, I like the ease of reversibility option.

jangy

I find the option of using an old school exhaust shop to be the best.

I know a few that literally build any exhaust part right on the car and bend as they go. It is custom, people. To say or even imply that this prefabbed item is superior is naive at best.


having said that, I would agree with using SS with permanent welds. They can be recut and welded on replacement and would make it all under $500 easy.

Jae Duk

I'm sure any body shop will have the tool and we have to go to the shop anyways to lift up the car for this right? Might as well. For me on the other hand I would rather pay $30 more for the reverse process if I wanted at some point to put my 2nd cats back on. So if you do start a group buy and for the people who wants the part is it possible to get that as well so then with it I guess the price we're looking at is 530-630ish? That was according to your previous preliminary estimate.

clktoc63

So the new deal is still a SECOND cross over pipe in the exhaust system? I don't see the need for the added expense. Why have two equalization tubes in the same exhaust system? Seems Pointless.

(this isn't only for people removing the resonator right?)

sflgator

As you, I am no naive kid with a fancy car. If there's one thing I've learned in my years, it's "caveat emptor," my friend. No disrespect to you, but I do not buy (with upfront money) off the Internet or over the phone with a money order or with PayPal when it's > $100. VISA, MC, & AMEX provide buyer protection...period! I cannot even begin to count how many GB's screwed so many ppl on another Car Enthusiast Forum that I previously belonged to; mainly b/c the younger kids were naive enough to offer up their money up front via PayPal or Money Order; I've never particpated in that crap, and I never will. Sorry.

Having said that, you may want to look into the Google Checkout credit card payment system...I have used this before and it's great for both Seller & Buyer. It allows the Buyer to use their credit card directly and the Seller to offer this as a form of Payment without being a VISA, MC, or AMEX credit card merchant.

Brian GT PRO

I have to put this all on hold for a few days.. Last nite on my way home my daughter and I got into a pretty major car accident. A pick up truck ran the red light, broadsided us and TOTALED my wife's Honda Odyssey, an ambulance ride and a few hours later, I'm here like a dummy posting on MBW. We're fine for the most part, daughter is really shaken, and my rib cage, shoulder, back and neck are pretty messed up. I'm off to see my doctor along with my daughter today, so this will be my only post for the next few days. Once I get back to the office and I'm feeling better I will resume this. Yes, I am posting from home, I know I shouldn't but wanted to keep you guys in the loop. (pictures of our totaled Odyssey coming)

sflgator

Whoa, Brian. Sorry to hear that, but happy to hear that all of you are ok, including your daughter. I have two of them, so I know how shaken all of you must be. I hope you're feeling better soon. Please do not worry about all of this MBW stuff for now; please take care of yourself and your family!

Sincity

Brian, take care of yourself and daughter. We are just glad you two walked away from it. We'll patiently wait for your return.

mthis

here are some pix i took you can make up your mind about what it is str8 or H pipe.

clktoc63

Cool, thanks for posting the pics. The answer should be really simple, but nothing we can tell from the picture. Does that hole in the middle connect to the other side?

The function of an x or h pipe is not to flow gas necessarily, but equalize pressure to in turn keep pressure balanced between the cylinder banks. If that hole goes through to the other side, it's an H pipe and I'm satisfied.

...I'm satisfied that I'll take a T304 stainless straight pipe of equal diameter to replace the 2nd cat for $200 versus a engineered x pipe for $800. Being the quality would be the same, then it's all a simple cost/benefit decision for me. This would appear to be a 4x cost with no added benefit. My two cents.

Being that the general consensus seems to be to get rid of the second cat and keep the resonator for sound purposes, I'd think whatever vendor can come up with a low cost, quality straight pipe would sell a tremendous quantity.

Sincity

I think we could safely say that the tube connects both pipes; HHughes said the same in the other thread. Perhaps Brian may need to produce the same thing he has but instead of building a costly X, make it a straight pipe like CLKto63 said. Dyno it and see how it compares with the X-configuration. If gains are similar and the cost is several hundreds cheaper, hell, he could sell a lot. Like I said many times before, reversibility is what sells me on this concept. Hopefully Brian is not in too much pain and has an oppurtunity to read this thread.

mthis

That 3/4 inch hole goes to the other side. So yes this is a H pipe!

clktoc63

Good stuff guys. This works out well...we're doing some market research for Brian as he's laid up. Maybe we're not such bad guys after all...

(Brian, hope you're feeling a bit better)

Brian GT PRO

Thank you for the kind words guys!! I'm here dealing with my pain and suffering (boo-hoo for me), I am just glad we survived, I should be well enough to get back on the pony a little come Monday, doc says I need to take it easy.

Here is my beloved van..RIP. and the truck that hit us.

Sincity

I hope your daughter was nowhere near the POI. Glad to hear you are doing well. My favorite drug of choice is SOMA when I get hurt.

sflgator

Wow...lots of deployed airbags. You both were lucky that you walked away from that. I'm guessing your daughter was in the front passenger seat and not the rear. Good to hear that you're both ok, even if you are in some pain; I'm sure you know it could've been so much worse for you both. It's interesting that the truck that hit you didn't incur that much damage, relatively speaking.

Take care, get better, and we look forward to further discussion of your C63 X-pipe. I found out some stuff yesterday and today that makes me lean in your X-pipe direction, depending on the final cost and DIY installation. I was looking into high-flow cats (w/ metallic substrate) but it seems that eliminating the rear cats may be slightly better as long as you can easily re-install them later.

Sincity

Didin't Hiro_63 from Japan show us some bolt-on pipes (non-X) that eliminated the secondary CATs?

Brian GT PRO

Thank you for the well wishes!! Actually my daughter was driving, and I was in the passenger seat. I am just glad she was not the passenger..

Well while I was laid up, my guys finished up my car with our Double XX, and here are the findings. HP gains, are exactly what we saw on Unbreakable1's C63, with NO added HP gain by having the resonator removed. Sound differences, and db levels: Sound with the Double XX is different, more refined and smooth, and due to the design not very loud like with straight pipes (as people have said). Normal driving, reveals only a hint of growl, so if you wanted to keep the car quiet, no issue, just keep your foot out of it, but when you hammer it, she comes alive, but again, not ultra loud, without a db meter (I may buy one in the next day or two for testing) I cannot say how much louder than stock, but once I have the meter, I will tell you all exactly the db readings, stock, Single X, and Double XX. I "MIGHT" build some straight pipes and maybe H-pipes to test against HP wise, and db wise, so we have something to go against. I will keep you guys in the loop.

Sincity

Please build the straight pipes and re-test. Hopefully the gains are similar and at a lower price point since it would be less complicated to build. Glad you are ok.

E55AMGFan

Great to hear you're okay, hats off to the Odyssey for it's airbags.

sflgator

Sounds good, Brian. Although I have to say, for me personally, I'm looking at going with some quality SS/metal substrate high-flow cats instead of the cat delete/X-pipe.

Sincity

I was thinking that if Brian does the straight pipes, I would weld-in my resonators. Unless your exhaust shop could fabricrate something nice with mandrel bends.

sflgator

A good set of high-flow SS/metal substrate cats for ~ $180 + $150 install = $330 for a gain of ~ 10-15WHP / 10-15 lb-ft RWTQ and slightly better sound from the better exhaust flow. There's another thread about it and I've been doing some research.

EDIT...just ordered a set of high-flow metallic substrate cats for $120 shipped + install $150 = $280!

CLKBSVegas

Dont forget the hydro to go with the soma