I think you are on exactly the right track. The exhaust pipes on Alfas
rarely get rusted out and can be reused several times.
One problem I have had on Alfettas with the European cast iron headers
that you have is that the head pipes can get flattened under the front cross
member. All Alfas fitted with tube headers than hang lower have that same
problem.
Mr. Bayly's suggestion to have the muffler shop fit flanges instead of
slip joints is excellent. Slip joints are a pain in the butt. To get them
apart later often takes a blue wrench (oxy acetylene torch) to get them cherry
red. That breaks the rust and allows the area creased by the muffler clamp to
straighten out.
Another trick that works is to fill the slip joints full of muffler
putty. Muffler putty is sold for patching holes in mufflers. But it sets up
hard and will break easily later if you smack it with a rubber hammer. Plus
it prevents the tubes from rusting together. Anti Seize will do about the
same thing, but does not set up hard and may allow the pipes to move later.
On the Bosch injected Alfa spiders, the factory fitted a flange between
the Catalyst and the center muffler. I have the local Alfa mechanic save any
pipes he replaces for customers. Then I use the flanges and pipes to built
what I want.
For what it is worth, the flange on the Motronic spiders is slightly
larger than the L Jetronic flange.
J C Whitney (Google them) sells flanges and mandrel tubing bends in
various configurations that I have used over the years.
Ciao,
Russ Neely
--- On Wed, 12/30/09, Tiberio Nick <[email protected]> wrote:
From: Tiberio Nick <[email protected]>
Subject: [alfa] Centre Muffler
To: "'The Baylys'" <[email protected]>, "'Russell Neely'"
<[email protected]>, [email protected]
Date: Wednesday, December 30, 2009, 4:57 AM
When I got my alfa 10 years ago it had a loud exhaust system so I took it to
a custom exhaust shop to get a quiet one fiited.
The guy put on a tripple flow (chambered) centre and a 'hot dog' style
resonator at the rear. It did make the car significantly quieter. Yet I
changed the centre to a straight through glass pack to get the raspiness
back.
I am thinking about using a custom exhaust shop to try to replicate the ansa
exhaust system (see attached
http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/831314-post10.html) using the same size
muffler dimensions and 2" pipe. Following your recommendations each muffler
will be straight through.
Hopefully this will be quiet enough.
Note that I am trying to keep costs to a minimum.
What do you think?
Regards
Nick T
1980 Alfetta GTV 2000
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