Zel's Motoring Adventures...Volvo, Renault, Rover, Trabant, Invacar & A Sinclair C5 - Updated 12/03

[SiC]

Surely there isn't anything that special about that exhaust pipe? No idea of the diameter but I'd imagine any exhaust place could cut and bend something similar to shape and then couple onto the existing.

[Zelandeth]

59 minutes ago, SiC said:

Surely there isn't anything that special about that exhaust pipe? No idea of the diameter but I'd imagine any exhaust place could cut and bend something similar to shape and then couple onto the existing.

It's a very simple system as far as I can tell.  Only special bits are the heat exchanger/expansion chamber assembly and maaaaaaaaybe the silencer - no idea if it's constructed any differently to the one on a "normal" system.

The front to rear pipe is split here - I'm assuming for ease of shipping.

I've struggled a bit before to find anywhere here locally that would touch exhaust stuff if they couldn't just buy new stuff themselves off the shelf unless we were talking building a whole new system in stainless for £££. That's exactly why both the Lada and Merc S123 left me with slightly blowing exhausts.

Biggest challenge I'd likely run into if getting a system made would be finding anywhere that stocks small enough tubing.  Standard system is 38mm, the normal upgrade is 45mm apparently.

[cort1977]

Jetex Exhausts Ltd – Products

Jetex sell exhaust parts and seem to have some 38mm.

[TrabbieRonnie]

Shame Trabantwelt aren't still doing their stainless systems...

Good work on it as usual Zel... funny you changing the bumpers over, I went the other way!  You'll definitely be able to sell your wavy ones on the forum I suspect!  Although I'd keep them in the garage myself, you never know!

Must get mine out for a run, could do with a two-stroke pick-me-up!

[Zelandeth]

6 hours ago, TrabbieRonnie said:

Shame Trabantwelt aren't still doing their stainless systems...

Good work on it as usual Zel... funny you changing the bumpers over, I went the other way!  You'll definitely be able to sell your wavy ones on the forum I suspect!  Although I'd keep them in the garage myself, you never know!

Must get mine out for a run, could do with a two-stroke pick-me-up!

There were many occasions in my life where I would have happily just stowed them away so that they could stay with the car if it were to move on in the future so any future owner could do as they choose.  However given how far beyond critical mass my garage already is, stowing more "stuff" in there just isn't practical.  I really need to get rid of things rather than hoard more.

8 hours ago, cort1977 said:

Jetex Exhausts Ltd – Products

Jetex sell exhaust parts and seem to have some 38mm.

Noted, I'll keep that in mind.  Hopefully it will just be the "mid" section running between the heat exchanger and the silencer that needs changing as that's pretty simple and hopefully wouldn't be a major headache to have made up.  There are several slight bends in it (the pipe dips down slightly under the front subframe, and angles up to meet the silencer where it's tucked up in front of the rear suspension) which would need to be reasonably precise for it to fit right so I'd probably look to get it made up rather than trying to cobble something together myself, inevitably making a hash of it and ending up having to pay someone to afterwards anyway!

[Verysleepyboy]

I know a guy in Litchborough just up the A5 who can make up exhaust for you in SS - just order the parts from https://www.304stainlessexhaustparts.com/ and he can fab up anything, even possibly a new heat exchanger.

Usually works on old VWs but can turn his hand to most things.

[Zelandeth]

On 11/03/2025 at 11:30, TrabbieRonnie said:

Shame Trabantwelt aren't still doing their stainless systems...

Good work on it as usual Zel... funny you changing the bumpers over, I went the other way!  You'll definitely be able to sell your wavy ones on the forum I suspect!  Although I'd keep them in the garage myself, you never know!

Must get mine out for a run, could do with a two-stroke pick-me-up!

It really is such a subjective thing, and I think one of the fun aspects of a car which had such a long run in that you have the option to do things like that so easily.  

3 hours ago, Verysleepyboy said:

I know a guy in Litchborough just up the A5 who can make up exhaust for you in SS - just order the parts from https://www.304stainlessexhaustparts.com/ and he can fab up anything, even possibly a new heat exchanger.

Usually works on old VWs but can turn his hand to most things.

Cheers for that, that could be very useful indeed.  Knowledge of local folks with specialist skills like that is invaluable, and I'd always rather support someone like that than some random national chain if I've got the choice.

Car will be going up on the ramps shortly to deal with the rust in the one corner so I'll take the opportunity to properly inspect the rest of the system and make a call then on how much is getting changed.  Though I do like the idea of just throwing stainless on there and never having to worry about it again!

-- -- --

The throttle cable routing I'd chosen didn't work.  It put enough tension on the cable that it wouldn't return fully to idle properly.  Helpfully I did realise that there was *one* thing in the right area I could just zip tie the cable to - one of the springs that holds the rear of the engine shroud on.

That seems to have done the trick.

I noticed yesterday that she seemed a bit unwilling to initially rev up from idle from a sharp throttle input - that to me says "I want more fuel." Adding choke immediately made things better, which added further credence to my logic.

It's easy to tweak the base mixture setting on this carb as there are several (five?) notches which determine the needle height relative to the slide.  It was set to the highest slot as supplied, which is the leanest option.  I've moved it down by one notch (which effectively lifts the needle a bit), and that definitely seems to have made the throttle response snappier.  I'm actually pondering going a slot further then reading the plugs after a few runs - two stroke engines being what they are given the choice I'd always choose leaning towards rich than lean.  The odd fouled plug is far easier to fix than melted pistons!

Another horrible mid rev range buzz has been eliminated, which turned out to be the heat exchanger touching the air dam under the bumper.  A very clearly not new rub mark there tells me that mine isn't the first bit of exhaust to do that.  A little brute force was applied and has given a bit of extra clearance.

She seems to have settled down a bit now things have worn in a bit.  

 

Still a decent number of things on the to do list, but we're getting there!

Fitting the new door window seals so they STOP BLOODY RATTLING is probably next on the list.