Exhaust system advice
#1
10-02-1999, 07:24 PM
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Kennesaw, Ga. USA
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Exhaust system advice
I realize Brimstone and one or two others have done some excellent update postings on JBA headers and so on, but I am asking for member help to do a complete system for my Lightning.
Part of this is frustration with my dealer, who cannot hear my exhaust leak noise, nor my suspension creak nor a small host of other problems we have all experienced at one time or another. Most of these I will fix myself, but I am not equipped to do the exhaust.
While I started out as a purist, not wanting to change anything on a limited production vehicle, I am rapidly getting to the point that I am tired of accepting some of the cost cutting Ford had to do to get the price down to under 30K. Here, I am referring to exterior and interior mirrors, sunvisors with no lighted vanity mirrors, cheap floor mats and on and on. I'm not mad, just not wanting to accept it for three years.
Anyway, I am looking for experience from those who have gone to a true header setup (which by the way was supposed to come on the Lightning according to early press info) and what final system you ended up with.
At the moment, I am leaning towards a total revamp with legal/high performance cats, fairly aggressive mufflers and perhaps the same Borla type resonators I have on my 1956 F100 that has really nice chrome twin outlets on both sides under the rear bumper.
I would of course save all the original stuff for any potential future owner that wanted an original setup.
Has anyone tried this type of setup yet or what alternative setups have you tried?
I am going to change the system, just need some input from you folks.
Bill
------------------
Bill Murray
99.5 Lightning
Oxford White
Tow Package CD Player
Superchip
HobbyTownUSA Graphics
Identical 1/10 Scale Tamiya RC Truck incl. graphics.
Truck interest e-mail:
fastwhitey@myf150.com
4 heavy decals!
Kennesaw (Atlanta) Ga.
Part of this is frustration with my dealer, who cannot hear my exhaust leak noise, nor my suspension creak nor a small host of other problems we have all experienced at one time or another. Most of these I will fix myself, but I am not equipped to do the exhaust.
While I started out as a purist, not wanting to change anything on a limited production vehicle, I am rapidly getting to the point that I am tired of accepting some of the cost cutting Ford had to do to get the price down to under 30K. Here, I am referring to exterior and interior mirrors, sunvisors with no lighted vanity mirrors, cheap floor mats and on and on. I'm not mad, just not wanting to accept it for three years.
Anyway, I am looking for experience from those who have gone to a true header setup (which by the way was supposed to come on the Lightning according to early press info) and what final system you ended up with.
At the moment, I am leaning towards a total revamp with legal/high performance cats, fairly aggressive mufflers and perhaps the same Borla type resonators I have on my 1956 F100 that has really nice chrome twin outlets on both sides under the rear bumper.
I would of course save all the original stuff for any potential future owner that wanted an original setup.
Has anyone tried this type of setup yet or what alternative setups have you tried?
I am going to change the system, just need some input from you folks.
Bill
------------------
Bill Murray
99.5 Lightning
Oxford White
Tow Package CD Player
Superchip
HobbyTownUSA Graphics
Identical 1/10 Scale Tamiya RC Truck incl. graphics.
Truck interest e-mail:
fastwhitey@myf150.com
4 heavy decals!
Kennesaw (Atlanta) Ga.
#2
10-02-1999, 10:38 PM
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Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Sugar Land, TX
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Bill,
Fun things to know and learn:
Bassini is on the verge of releasing an entire exhaust system from coated headers all they way to the exhaust tips, I got a quote from a friend who claims to be Bassini's largest distributor (he may well be!) and offered to get me an advance kit before it comes out. He said it would be $1500.00, installed.
------------------
Chuck 'Wyldman' Shelton
Black 99.5 Lightning
Lojack
Superchipped!
G-Tech/Pro
SnugLid
BedRug
Invinca-Shield, full kit.
NOS KIT Being installed! - that RT is gonna wish he never sandbagged me!
Clear Lexan fog light covers
wyldman@houston.rr.com
Fun things to know and learn:
Bassini is on the verge of releasing an entire exhaust system from coated headers all they way to the exhaust tips, I got a quote from a friend who claims to be Bassini's largest distributor (he may well be!) and offered to get me an advance kit before it comes out. He said it would be $1500.00, installed.
------------------
Chuck 'Wyldman' Shelton
Black 99.5 Lightning
Lojack
Superchipped!
G-Tech/Pro
SnugLid
BedRug
Invinca-Shield, full kit.
NOS KIT Being installed! - that RT is gonna wish he never sandbagged me!
Clear Lexan fog light covers
wyldman@houston.rr.com
#3
10-02-1999, 11:43 PM
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Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Boston Ma
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I had a 99 lightning after 4 months traded it in for an F250 supercab 4x4,the lightning was a great truck but was in the shop almost every weekend for repairs,rear moliding around window buckled out,putting cd's in changer passanger seat would not go back had to drive around for 2 weeks waiting for part with passanger seat in forward position,front end noise,lower moldings falling off,truck pulling to right, hesitation on acceleration,all this with only 2300 miles,luckily I got rid of it before the piston slap,SVT is making the lightning for 6 years with changes in 2001, I hope they fix all the problems I really would like another lightning but not the headaches.
------------------
Barlitz,
99.5 Black Lightning,
Hinge mount tonneau,
cd player,
bedliner,
lojack,
------------------
Barlitz,
99.5 Black Lightning,
Hinge mount tonneau,
cd player,
bedliner,
lojack,
#4
10-03-1999, 07:15 AM
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Kennesaw, Ga. USA
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Morning Chuck:
Sounds great and probably exactly what I am looking for. Can you dial me in on how to contact your source or Bassini directly please.
BTW, I have decided to take the lower route to A&M and go via Houston, so we may be able to meet one way or the other. I am still planning to hit Austin for the Ford meet on possibly both Friday and Sunday.
PS: I know Bassini as a name (good name) but have not heard their systems. Are they fairly aggressive sounding? Also, do they use the Lightning side outlet or run to the rear bumper?
Bill
------------------
Bill Murray
99.5 Lightning
Oxford White
Tow Package CD Player
Superchip
HobbyTownUSA Graphics
Identical 1/10 Scale Tamiya RC Truck incl. graphics.
Truck interest e-mail:
fastwhitey@myf150.com
4 heavy decals!
Kennesaw (Atlanta) Ga.
Sounds great and probably exactly what I am looking for. Can you dial me in on how to contact your source or Bassini directly please.
BTW, I have decided to take the lower route to A&M and go via Houston, so we may be able to meet one way or the other. I am still planning to hit Austin for the Ford meet on possibly both Friday and Sunday.
PS: I know Bassini as a name (good name) but have not heard their systems. Are they fairly aggressive sounding? Also, do they use the Lightning side outlet or run to the rear bumper?
Bill
------------------
Bill Murray
99.5 Lightning
Oxford White
Tow Package CD Player
Superchip
HobbyTownUSA Graphics
Identical 1/10 Scale Tamiya RC Truck incl. graphics.
Truck interest e-mail:
fastwhitey@myf150.com
4 heavy decals!
Kennesaw (Atlanta) Ga.
#5
10-03-1999, 08:01 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Sugar Land, TX
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Bill,
I understand it does add some rumble to the exhaust note and frees up a bunch of flow on the output side. One of the reasons that I have hesitated about putting the system on has been a concern of losing low-end torque with a free flow exhaust. This fear may be unfounded, but I believe the truck needs as much torque in the low end as it can muster.
Contact Steve Drier at Houston Performance for more info. http://houstonmotorsports.com/index.shtml 281-893-6080. I belive the kit is intended to exit in the stock location, but Steve can confirm that for you.
If you can't make it into SW Houston, I will be in Austin for the rally and can meet you there. It may free up a little time you could use elsewhere.
Have a good trip, and hope to see you soon!
------------------
Chuck 'Wyldman' Shelton
wyldman@houston.rr.com
Black 99.5 Lightning
CD Changer, Tow Pkg., Lojack, Superchip, G-Tech/Pro, SnugLid, BedRug, Invinca-Shield, full kit, NOS KIT on hold for the time being, Clear Lexan fog light covers, 3M Ti Window Tint, Bel radar detector (shouldn't be an accessory), PowerStack cone filter (a.k.a. supercharger waker upper), American Auto Designs ram air hood - in transit
I understand it does add some rumble to the exhaust note and frees up a bunch of flow on the output side. One of the reasons that I have hesitated about putting the system on has been a concern of losing low-end torque with a free flow exhaust. This fear may be unfounded, but I believe the truck needs as much torque in the low end as it can muster.
Contact Steve Drier at Houston Performance for more info. http://houstonmotorsports.com/index.shtml 281-893-6080. I belive the kit is intended to exit in the stock location, but Steve can confirm that for you.
If you can't make it into SW Houston, I will be in Austin for the rally and can meet you there. It may free up a little time you could use elsewhere.
Have a good trip, and hope to see you soon!
------------------
Chuck 'Wyldman' Shelton
wyldman@houston.rr.com
Black 99.5 Lightning
CD Changer, Tow Pkg., Lojack, Superchip, G-Tech/Pro, SnugLid, BedRug, Invinca-Shield, full kit, NOS KIT on hold for the time being, Clear Lexan fog light covers, 3M Ti Window Tint, Bel radar detector (shouldn't be an accessory), PowerStack cone filter (a.k.a. supercharger waker upper), American Auto Designs ram air hood - in transit