which email?? Didn't get one for ages from you. You must have some setting that block hotmail senders or something, if you didn't get my last reply?? I reply to every email I get if it needs one.
Here's the info Quicksilver emailed me: "Stage 2 - Quicksilver Sports Centre Section. The sports centre section eliminates the large and restrictive centre silencer and replaces it with a tube assembly incorporating a siamese section to maintain the correct back pressure and exhaust tone. The section allows the volume and flow to increase in unrestricted proportion with revs. As the sports section is considerably lighter than the standard exhaust section the weight of the car is reduced still further." I assume where they talk about the siamese section they mean the pipes are actually open and connected to each other. Don't know for sure, however. Paul
Here are pics of the Quicksilver testpipes and siamesed center section. Phil, it looks like they borrowed your center section design. Paul Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
What is the "plug" on their center section (look at the bottom left). Agreed with Stephen - even the stebro is worlds better than that! --Dan
Thats not a plug, it's the mounting pin. That centre section is like my Mk2... not a true siamese, but a parallel port. I just fitted the Mk2 to a new customer, and he's very happy with it... he only drove the car for a few days before, and had his thumb out the window before he drove out of sight with the new exhaust fitted!!. And the guy with the Mk4 loves it too.... I'll have a few Mk3's and a couple of Mk5's (Mk3 incorporating small silencer), will be ready 3rd week of December. Current problem is air filter supply. Green cotton having troubles, so BMC.. which are great, but $80 each more expensive.
For the old guy here; please recap the features of the MK 2 MK 3 MK 4 MK 5 so I know which one to harangue you about........ TIA, james
ok... Mk1 was a long siamese/parallel chamber combination. This was the system that was dynoed to produce 541BHP with BMC air filters, and no ther mods. And the car was dynoed before and produced 486BHP in std form. Sounds nice. (12 cylinders noise). Prototype, steel, black ceramic coated. Mk2 was the parallel port... like the QS pipe. Sounds ok (two six cylinders) but not as sweet as a true siamese. Prototype, steel, shiny ceramic coated. Mk3 is what stephens is running.. pretty siamese made from polished stainless with decorative tig welding. Excellent sound and I "think" better power... but we haven't done true comparative tests to confirm as too many other changes have been made.Photo. Mk4. A narrower siamese section to raise back pressure slightly. Really sweet sound, but "probably" less top end power... not dynoed. Prototype, steel, shiny ceramic coated. Mk5. Not made yet, but a Mk3 with small silencers in line after the siamese. Image Unavailable, Please Login
great information, and something to think about. If one chose a new MK 5 w/small silencers, and kept the std. cats, could one then eliminate the expensive Tubi rear boxes and still not be legislated off the road by ones neighbors & fun-police (sound-wise)? thanks, james (I especially like the ones with the decorative TIG welding......)
Not tested for that. I actually like the noise it makes with just std rear boxes. Apart from appearance, 550 Tubi rear boxes dont justify their expense in my opinion... I actually dislike the noise they make. If you think 20kg is important on a 1750kg car, then ditch the rear boxes for something smaller, lighter. But unless you track the car (and can lap consistently to within a tenth or two), I'd spend my money elsewhere.
Tubi money already a part of the car......no point to remove at this point. Looks like my name on one of the MK 3's? (with the decorative TIG welding please.......) james
I don't know about power loss for 5 yet, but the silencers will be quite small, so I wouldn't assume much loss at all. Mk 4 was just made for curiosity, and although I "Think" it makes better torque than a Mk3, I haven't proved it, and people always buy power improvers not torque improvers... despite torque being what we feel 90% of the time. I only have the MK1 left anyway. I'll make Mk3 and Mk5 only for stock, but any can be made to order. Mk5 will be around ~US$850, ~AUD$1100, but not confirmed until built. Any of the others will be a little cheaper, as they'll have no silencing. All will be built from polished stainless unless specified otherwise. They take about 2-3 hrs to fit, and no other parts are needed. No nuts, bolts or anything... you just swap the front clamps from the old system to the new...
Swapping the center pipe should be about 1-1.5 hours, no? I'm assumign there's little to no cutting necessary. I'm tempted to go with a mk4 --Dan
If you're lucky, maybe. But it can be a little strugglesome to separate the old pipes, and making sure of perfect fit with no touching and even length tail pipes protrusion etc. 2-3 hrs will get a proper job done. I also put lockwire on the front end clamp to catalytic converter to stop it slipping back should it try.... one came loose once, which can happen if you rush or do the job with the car warm and the new part cold. Absolutely no cutting needed. Only need sockets etc, and some lube to loosen the old pipe. If the slip joint is a little tight, I use a pneumatic hammer to shake it off/on, as there is no easy place to hit with a hammer without damage.
Bump, for the benefit of a certain Fchatter having trouble finding it. The Mk3 and Mk5 systems are in production as we speak. But looking like they'll run over xmas.
Phil - xmas is over now..... Happy valentines Day! Assume my )( pipe is winging its way to me even as we (speak)..........? Car has become a sorry garage-queen waiting for its exhaust.......this is getting embarassing..... James (was going to threaten you by saying I've signed onto the list for a 599 so the blue car is going away; but we all know what a hollow threat that is! Local dealer "doesn't even have a list"! Yeah, right! Imagine how great those years could be, wailing through the mountain passes with my )( pipe & Tubi....no annoying resonances.....no longer setting off every car alarm in a 6 story garage as I drive in & out.......are my pleas falling on deaf ears?
Have a 550 all stock with tubi mufflers. Looking for more & better sound. Tubi center pipes are a pricey $2,100. Would like a link or phone number for a alternative center pipe. See Sterbo mentioned, can't get a web site up, and Quicksilver who I have no info on. Anyone enlighten me?
Ok, FINALLY, I have all the pipes sitting in my shop, all wrapped for shipping, all ready to go. Just waiting on shipping clarification, and they'll be sent. Photo's of MK3B and MK5 later, but no time today. Also, wife about to give birth again, so excuse me for erratic responses!
