Project XJX (Pimento Sprint)

[soe8m]

When you compare the pics you can see yours is more coarse than Mart's.

Jeroen

[Mad Mart]

A quick update. Things were going a bit slow after Christmas but the last couple of weekends I've got stuck in again.

Last weekend I started to install the sports exhaust. I love these exhaust but I hate fitting them. It's always a fight to get it to fit properly without knocking something. I got the front two sections fitted (the easy bit) but then got onto the dreaded over-the-axle section. This part has never fitted very well since the first one I fitted on JYD. After about an hour or so trying to get it to fit (didn't look remotely like fitting) I remembered I had a similar section in the attic. So I got the other one and it fitted straight away.

So I thought I would compare them...





...as you can see, a vast difference in the bends. I'm sure I will still need to fettle with it once XJX is on the road.

So Rich (RJF_70) you may have to heat it up and bend it to get it to fit properly.

[RJF_70]

Mmmm I tried mine both ways round and neither way came close to anywhere near the inter pipe! Hard to tell from pictures whether my over axle pipe is the same as either, but bought complete system 2nd hand off a sprint car so fitted fine on the sprint according to seller! Mine is an 1850 but bought the adapter for front pipe so should be at the right angle coming off the downpipe at the beginning of the system. Walked away in the end as was running out of patience fast.
Rich..

[James467]

The diameter of the pipe looks reduced inside the radiuses (or is it radiai?)

Does that affect performance?

[Carledo]

I know some of the system had to be modified anyway, to fit a Vauxhall powered Toledo but my Rimmers sport system over axle pipe had the same angle defect as bought which initially caused the tailpipe to drag on the ground. A bit of heat and some BFMI soon sorted it but it shouldn't have really been necessary to mess with that bit. Maybe the pattern has got a bit corrupted over time!

Steve

[sprint95m]

The diameter of the pipe looks reduced inside the radiuses (or is it radiai?)

Does that affect performance?

Yes, it does.

The intermediate pipe can also have quite a kink.




Ian.

[davy67]

I am considering ordering a full stainless steel sports system from Rimmers in the next month or so, but reading this, should I be concerned about the quality of the system or look elsewhere to have one manufactured?#

David

[Mahesh]

Had a std stainless system from Rimmers end of last year, and that does not seem correct in some places,
I only found out when I got under the car, and noticed some of the joins are not, quite right.

Having said that, acceptable is the word.

[Carledo]

I've fitted quite a lot of aftermarket stainless systems over the years, to a fairly wide variety of cars. In my experience, most of them need a bit of fettling to fit properly. The Rimmers sports system is no exception, like most it's built down to a price.
If you want one that's built up to a standard, there are places all over the UK who will do you a bespoke system, tailor made to your car and with mandrel bent curves for better gasflow. Expect to pay upwards of £600 for the privelige and they will probably want to keep your car for a week to do it as well!
You pays your money and you takes your choice!

Steve

[davy67]

I agree, Steve. I too have fitted many exhausts onto numerous types of classic and non classic cars over the years and they do indeed require fettling to make them fit or hang properly.
I know of two or three exhaust manufacturers in the West of Scotland who can make one up, but as you also say, for a price.
It might be worth my while speaking to them before I choose where to spend my money.
Looking at the photos Mark has put up there is a noticeable narrowing of the pipe on one of the bends, which to my mind would strangle the flow of the exhaust and therefore negate the benefit of having a large bore pipe?
I still have my original twin pipe mild steel exhaust system in the garage, albeit I accidentally stood on one of the tailpipes and slightly flattened it . But I wonder if an exhaust manufacturer could use it as a template to form a stainless exhaust, rather than deliver the car to them? Flashbacks of the Ferrari on Ferris Bueller's Day Off comes to mind! lol

David

[Jon Tilson]

Every "sports" system I have ever fitted has been a right mare.

Even the OE spec across the car type has its moments, but I went back to it having got sick of the din from the sports style 2 box system.

Must be getting old...

I buy virtually nothing from Rimmers these days. Unless its NOS....its crap.

Jonners

[RJF_70]

I did in the end get this sports system fitted to my 1850, but wasn't easy. After a lot of hours over a few days and a chat with Bruce I got it on and sounds really nice. My over axle pipe isn't kinked at all like the one Mart put up on picture, only downside is the adaptor for the 1850 down pipe is too long imo so will probably have to disassemble it to shorten it by an inch or so because as it sits the clamp isn't quite on the slotted flange of the adaptor and there is a bit of a blow as a result of this. Apart from that well happy with it .
Rich..

[Mad Mart]

I forgot I took a couple of pics last weekend.

Front bumper ready to go on...



Nearly done in the engine bay. I now have a battery earth lead (from Ian) so I'm hoping to get it started at the weekend...



I had a slight set-back when I went to bleed the brakes. The pipe to the rear brakes has a hole in it so I will need to make up a new pipe tomorrow. But it's getting there.

[Mahesh]

Such a clean tidy and shiny engine bay. (envy)

[Toledo Man]

Mart, have you considered one of the Club stainless exhausts?