7 WG pipe.jpg
42 hits | 51.54 KB | Posted: 7/20/24
The pipes tacked in place with the minimum of light tacks. Still need to cut the holes out which will be fun. Running the wastegate pipe from this to the exhaust will be fun as well as the upper control arm blocks most of the access.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

8 patch.jpg
41 hits | 53.65 KB | Posted: 7/24/24
I cut out a spot where the weld blew through and put a patch on it. For whatever reason the Sch 10 wasn't exactly Sch 10 in that spot. Should be around 0.1" and was maybe 16-gauge.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

8 tacked.jpg
36 hits | 63.82 KB | Posted: 7/24/24
Tacked the pipe in place. Looked like I had access to all the weld joints. Turned out to be tougher than I thought.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

8 final welded.jpg
63 hits | 60.91 KB | Posted: 7/24/24
Fully welded. Getting to one section of weld inside that jumble of pipe turned out to be a challenge. Had to extend the tungsten and use a higher gas flow rate. Got it done but glad no one can see in there.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

8 assembled.jpg
67 hits | 63.5 KB | Posted: 7/24/24
Put the turbo, header, and down pipe stub together to plan out the waste gate merge. I need to put it in the car to check clearance to the control arm though.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

9 header.jpg
47 hits | 82.7 KB | Posted: 7/26/24
Installed in the car to check clearances. Looks like the wastegate merge can go under the header.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

9 header2.jpg
42 hits | 78.6 KB | Posted: 7/26/24
Installed in the car front view.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

10 merge fitment.jpg
42 hits | 39.55 KB | Posted: 7/26/24
The merge for the wastegate return. A lot of time fitting these parts to get a nice fit. Makes it nicer to weld later.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

10 merge mock up.jpg
42 hits | 60.13 KB | Posted: 7/26/24
Wastegate return mockup. These are always more complex than you think they will be, but this wasn't that bad. It was nice to be able to do all the fitting off the car in one spot. Of course I'll double check the fit on the car before I final weld it ...
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

11 grinding flat 3.jpg
74 hits | 62.6 KB | Posted: 8/1/24
Starting to tackle grinding the flanges flat. My 6x48 belt sander just barely has enough range to get the whole flange at once. This is an early shot. I black out the flange with a huge Sharpie and then sand it a bit. The Sharpie helps show where the...
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

11 grinding flat 2.jpg
64 hits | 59.89 KB | Posted: 8/1/24
A little more sanding. Getting better but the ends still had a long way to go and stainless is a pain to sand. Even with a 36 grit silicone carbide belt which is about as aggressive as they come.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

11 grinding flat.jpg
61 hits | 62.22 KB | Posted: 8/1/24
To help the ends out, I ran a bead with no filler right where it was warped to pull it back but made sure to keep the bead out of the sealing area. Worked really well. Maybe a bit too well on the bigger header. Oh well, easy enough to sand down.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

11 wastegate merge welded.jpg
68 hits | 59.51 KB | Posted: 8/1/24
Fully welded wastegate merge.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

12 sanding.jpg
54 hits | 60.96 KB | Posted: 8/3/24
Nearly there with sanding these down.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

12 done sanding.jpg
34 hits | 59.19 KB | Posted: 8/5/24
Done sanding these. I ended up buying zircon abrasive belts for the belt sander which worked a lot better than the silicon carbide ones I had before. Got them down to less than 3 thousandths out of flat. That's probably good enough. I'll make my own ...
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

13 header fix1.jpg
39 hits | 62.2 KB | Posted: 8/9/24
I put the headers on the car to check thing out and start fabricating the crossover pipe. For the first time, I put the v band clamps for the crossover on the headers while they were on the car. Then I noticed the #1 plug wire hanging there. So I put...
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

14 Down pipe.jpg
62 hits | 99.54 KB | Posted: 8/9/24
Took the current 3-inch X pipe out and mocked up the new 4-inch down pipe to the X. I'll put a v band clamp in there somewhere.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

15 X pipe cut for merge.jpg
17 hits | 47.85 KB | Posted: 8/14/24
Cut the X off where it would just overlap the new merge. I didn't leave enough meat in that weld to keep the rest of the pipe from bending. So I'll need to put it back in the car and weld a brace temporarily.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

15 Merge mockup.jpg
25 hits | 44.85 KB | Posted: 8/14/24
Merge sitting on the old X. I'll need to hammer both parts to get a better fit.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

15 Merge inside.jpg
25 hits | 48.13 KB | Posted: 8/14/24
A few gaps. Hammer and welder will fill it in.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

16 Merge fitted to pipes.jpg
43 hits | 25.5 KB | Posted: 8/19/24
Put the exhaust back in the car and braced the pipes so they don't move around. Then trimmed and hammer fit the merge to the existing pipe. I'll TIG the v band flange to the merge then MIG the merge to the pipes. Haven't had any issues welding stainl...
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

17 welded merge.jpg
28 hits | 52.96 KB | Posted: 8/21/24
Merge section MIG welded to the existing X pipe, now it's a Y pipe. Hadn't used the MIG in a while so I didn't get the settings just right but it is fine.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

17 Merge inside.jpg
30 hits | 47.9 KB | Posted: 8/21/24
Inside the merge with the welds cleaned up a little. In one spot there was a lot less overlap than the rest so it blew through a little. Easy to fill with the MIG but ended up with some blobs on the inside. I filled the corners a little extra to have...
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

17 Merge paint.jpg
27 hits | 53.49 KB | Posted: 8/21/24
I always paint my exhausts black with BBQ paint. It dries in minutes, protects the metal, hides any pinholes, and wipes off with brake cleaner if you need to fix things.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

17 merge paint plus.jpg
28 hits | 65.86 KB | Posted: 8/21/24
The 4-inch down pipe will go that way. This is just a mock up but shows the eventual route.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

18 down pipe fab.jpg
24 hits | 70.33 KB | Posted: 8/28/24
Made a cardboard angle finder to figure out the angle of the downpipe and the length needed. Plenty of room for the 4-inch pipe in there.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

18 gasket embossing tool fab.jpg
28 hits | 50.17 KB | Posted: 8/28/24
Step one in making a jig to emboss a small sealing ridge on the stainless shim gaskets. Made the stamp part out of mild steel with a nice rounded edge (on the bottom). Now to make some wood forms to hold all the parts in place. Only need about a 3-5 ...
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

19 pipe fab.jpg
45 hits | 56.07 KB | Posted: 8/31/24
Downpipe fabrication in progress. The end of the pipe ended up exactly the right length on the first try. You can see the hug amount of room available. I could have probably fit a 5-inch pipe in there.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

19 under car.jpg
42 hits | 57.71 KB | Posted: 8/31/24
Downpipe all tacked in place. I cheated on the tacks under the car and just used the MIG. Not like it's going to rust away any time soon and it's a lot easier to zap a tack in with the MIG than trying to handle filler rod and the torch with the car o...
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

19 Downpipe Tacked.jpg
43 hits | 64.74 KB | Posted: 8/31/24
Down pipe layout. I can get the front section in from above and the back section is easy to install from below. I still need to add an oxygen sensor bung somewhere and I need to add a hanger off the back of the header so the whole exhaust isn't hangi...
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

20 crossover pipe 2.jpg
19 hits | 33.79 KB | Posted: 9/14/24
Figuring out the bend angle and lengths for the last section of crossover pipe. Cut strips of carboard the same width as the pipe. Stick them in and staple them together to lock them down. Mark the pipe ends. Then it's easy to make the cuts and put i...
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

20 crossover pipe.jpg
31 hits | 76.13 KB | Posted: 9/14/24
A view of the crossover pipe in progress. The last three pieces are just tape in place so I can figure out the angles and lengths for the bottom part. It has the flex pipe in it.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

20 Alternator mount.jpg
22 hits | 77.02 KB | Posted: 9/14/24
The new alternator mount. It is the stock late Fox body Mustang part. Not expensive brand new from LMR. It took a 1/4" spacer to make it work. A 3/8" spacer might have been better but the alternator is now as aligned to the crank as the water pump. I...
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

21 alternator.jpg
22 hits | 68.5 KB | Posted: 9/17/24
Alternator mount bolted down with the correct new bolts. Tensioner is tight to the bracket as well. It is all the way at the end of its travel though so I'll need to drill a new hole to turn it down some.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

21 pipe.jpg
19 hits | 68.98 KB | Posted: 9/17/24
Cardboard template and pipe cut. Seems to be pretty close. The bend slipped a tad and the last cut wasn't square so it will need a trim. But almost done cutting stainless pipe for this project.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

22 mock up.jpg
21 hits | 66.39 KB | Posted: 9/18/24
Crossover pipe tacked into the major bends. Makes it easier to get angles right when you are mocking it up in the car. Sitting next to the cardboard sections which were pretty accurate.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

22 tacked.jpg
26 hits | 72.44 KB | Posted: 9/18/24
In the car and tacked in place except for the flex section. I mentioned it before but having something like the flex pipe where the fit is a little loose makes the final fitting a little easier. The pipe clears everything down there by at least an in...
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

23 tacked.jpg
21 hits | 65.19 KB | Posted: 9/20/24
Crossover pipe all tack welded and prepped to final weld.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

23 crossover welded.jpg
19 hits | 81.83 KB | Posted: 9/20/24
Crossover pipe fully welded and in the car.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

24 drivers side.jpg
14 hits | 76.87 KB | Posted: 9/26/24
Final pipe driver's side
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

24 passenger side.jpg
13 hits | 77.11 KB | Posted: 9/26/24
Final pipe passenger side
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

24 crossover steering.jpg
12 hits | 51.38 KB | Posted: 9/26/24
Final crossover pipe with clearance to steering.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

24 down pipe.jpg
15 hits | 58.52 KB | Posted: 9/26/24
Final downpipe
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

24 all pipe.jpg
15 hits | 101.11 KB | Posted: 9/26/24
Final pipe all before coating
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)

25 turbo.jpg
0 hits | 49.08 KB | Posted: 10/8/24
Starting on the cold side. Cut the huge v band flange off the turbo outlet and welding on an o-ring fitting. Much slimmer and gives you some misalignment.
(Posted in: 2024 Big Turbo)