By Chris Bicknell

Bick66

I decided to spend my weekend in the driveway. It started Friday after work when I installed new axle-back exhaust with Flowmaster American Thunder mufflers on the Corvette. On Saturday, the Impala got a new starter and battery–two of the few wear parts not replaced last year. Back to the Corvette on Sunday, I changed the oil then removed all four wheels so I could clean the wheel wells and insides of the wheels. And the new exhaust sounds sweet–not bad for 340 bucks shipped, plus $0 for installation!

How about you? What did you do this weekend?

By Michael Berenis

Tampa Sports Car Examiner

Tired of the lame fire starter logs? Look no further! This is by far the coolest, or should I say hottest way to start your boring campfire. All you need is a fire spitting hot rod and some lighter fluid and you’ll be burning like the morning after a bachelor party. Read more about the campfire hot rod at Tampa Sports Car Examiner.

By David Belau

dartslantsix

My 1992 Dakota was in need of some serious exhaust work this past year. After 206,000 miles, the clamps had worn the pipe down to nothing. So this summer, I decided to replace the exhaust, but I also wanted to give it a bit of an upgrade.

I first started hearing about the new Flowmaster-knockoff Thrush Welded Mufflers about a year ago and was impressed by the price. After listening to a couple trucks on YouTube, I decided to try one for my truck. My local parts store charged me about $40 for part number: 17649. This is for a 3″ muffler, center inlet, offset outlet (in case you want to upgrade your Dakota too). See the full product review below the jump.

Continue reading "Product Test: Thrush Welded Muffler" »

By Jen Dunnaway

Editor

I was lucky enough to have largely missed the whole spinner-exhaust-tip thing, but for a while in there, it seemed like it was everyone’s favorite WalMart-grade accessory to make fun of. Of course, there was also the flame spinner-tip, which made its owner look even more supremely awesome and which provided an easy $44.95 solution for those who didn’t want to deal with the liability or refueling costs of actual exhaust flamethrowers. Check out the video if you haven’t already seen one of these babies in action.

By John Naderi

StreetFire.net

The Specialty Equipment Manufacturer’s Association is best known for its eponymous SEMA Show, but one branch of this automotive aftermarket trade organization is that of modern day Che Guevarra in that they fight for your right to modify your car. SEMA’s Action Network (SAN) brings certain oppressive legislative measures to the attention of people like us, who want to modify their vehicles.

The latest legislative alert, which is currently moving through Utah’s senate floor, proposes to ban any exhaust not “installed by the original manufacturer of the vehicle” regardless of whether it meets DOT, NHTSA and emissions requirements. SAN is calling on us to help fight this bill by contacting the Utah state senators to get them to vote against this bill. C’mon, people, even if you don’t live in Utah don’t allow this to become a precedent for which all other states can cite. Act now. Click here to get more information on the bill.

By Katherine Helmetag

Atomicalex

My ears were at the end of their limits when Steve’s European Auto called up to tell me that my new Techtonics TuningDP had finally came in. Installation ended up being pretty difficult due to some rusty nuts and bolts – between a torch and an air chisel, the captured nuts on the cat flange are no longer captured. The TT piece is nice, shiny stainless and the welds are pretty sharp. I snapped a pic of the old piece after they wrestled it out- it took the rearward sleeve clamp out in the process. This is one of those jobs I had no problem paying someone else to do! There isn’t much change over stock due to keeping the stock main exhaust, but I can hear a little extra rumble if the ambient noise isn’t too loud.

Continue reading "Peace and Quiet: New DP Installed" »

By Katherine Helmetag

Atomicalex

After two Hondas that dropped downpipes every three years like clockwork, I’ve been wondering when the exhaust on my 9YO wagon would finally let go. Well, the time has come. That’s the hole in the completely separated flex joint on my downpipe. I’ve ordered a new Techtonics Tuning 2.5″ model to replace it with. The TT piece comes with a reducer to fit the stock 2.25″ exhaust, which I will hang onto until it finally bites the dust (not soon enough). Until the new unit arrives, my poor car sounds like every other unmuffled four-banger out there – crappily, hilariously buzzy and LOUD. My friend Cory says it sounds like a can of angry bees.

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Um, wow.

Continue reading "How Not To Do Exhaust" »

By David Clarke

highspeedhijinks

I’m putting headers on my ’84 Caprice pretty soon. I bought them from a friend last summer who never installed them, but did decide to give them a rattle-can paint job.  Not liking the finish from the spraycan, I sanded them meticulously until they were clean. Left with bare headers, I asked myself:  what now–to wrap or to paint?

Continue reading "To Wrap or to Coat, That Is The Question" »

By Ben Schaffer

The Real JDM

MCR doesnt care that bad financial news has dominated the newspapers and media. MCR doesn’t really care if you can’t afford their exhaust. MCR doesn’t really care about anything except building the ultimate. And so what if that means that it costs thousands more than the most expensive 350Z exhaust ever built? It is still the ultimate and nobody can take title that away.

So essentially MCR teamed up with Nippon Steel to produce this full titanium exhaust with a dual layout. It is 32lbs lighter than the stock exhaust, it’s comfortable for daily use with a 92db rating, and it has some incredible detailing in the design that pictures explain better than my words. Think of it like the Amuse or the Mines latest and greatest Z33 exhaust, just with a +1.