Club 80-90 Forums

Offbeat question. My 1.9 petrol uses the older exhaust layout so rather than replace the silencer when it goes, I've picked up a 1.7-2.0 header (usually goes with a quiet pack) with the intention of experimenting with alternative silencers.

Now thoughts here, providing I can make an adaptor to go from a three-bolt silencer fitting on the header to a round pipe, anyone see any reason why I couldn't fit something like a golf back box? After all, you can get stainless ones for under £50 and they're nice and compact.

dunno about the downpipes and stuff but get down the breakers and get some standard ones to practice with before you spend the dosh on a shiny new one ,should only be around a fiver each

Ah - good point! Could be fun seeing what works. Sick of replacing the stock one AND its silly tailpipe at £90. Headers seem to last ages (do on bugs) so made more sense to go this route. Ta.

And before anyone says fit a complete stainless system, its way out of my budget...

Fits a stainless st......... oh pants


good luck trying

I will follow your quest with interest as I have the single in system..
I would like a different sound, it's a bit too quiet

And don't forget some pictures, we like pictures

Well for starters I'll need a flange making with three holes to match header, and a pipe welded to that to match at least a few standard backboxes. Seems dooable though. I always do pics. Later exhaust systems will be different though. This is for the earlier type only with similar fitting to 1.7-2.0 engines (pre 85 I think).

Struth I'm REALLY starting to feel like the Prof now.... http://www.its-prof-again.co.uk/film_clips.htm

Header arrived today. By my reckoning, once i've adapted the US three-bolt fixing to a more common European pipe stub, there should be loads of things I could fit and even new s/teel back boxes are only around the £50 mark - half whats being charged for the crappy (and rust loving) steel T25 silencer. Good move this. Have fitted these header pipe arrangements on bugs in the past and they seem to last ten years or more if properly painted. Plus I can try different back boxes and see what works best.

Its an idea for anyone with a pre-85 bus that has the same fixings as the 1.7-2.0 type 4 exhaust. You can also get this header plus a glass or quiet pack from a few places for around the £100 mark all in but the boxes don't last much longer than the stock box - hence fitting a stainless one. Tube type shape should fit better I suspect.

That header will do little for performance, chances are it will be worse than the stock set up.
It won't last long.
You'll also need to support the box or they will be forever dropping off due to vibration.
You may also have to hack away the rear valance to get it to fit.

I'm not trying to gain performance from it and no reason why it shouldn't be ok with right muffler or last considerably longer than stock. I'm just sick of forking out nearly a £100 for something that looks like it is made of bacofoil within three or four years AND a swine to get off again. Checked and won't need to cut valance providing I keep box slim. Am aware of support and will be adding support staps where required.

As i've said before, the headers last a lot longer than stock boxes (can vouch for that).