Bora exhaust

Hi Greg,
The only one I know of personally is from Stebro. My '77 had the single outlet type when I got it. I bought the Euro version from Stebro to finish the bumper conversion the previous owner had started. I have since read some not very complimentary comments about Stebro concerning business practices and system fit. I am pretty sure the previous owner had to fabricate the u-pipes to connect the headers to the mufflers. They're stainless also, but look quite a bit different in finish. I trial fitted the new system and I think I'll need to do something similar for it, but I had no problems otherwise.

I see Bora listings from Quicksilver and ItalianCarParts, but I don't know if they make the single outlet types.

 

I got it from MIE a couple of years back.
Talk to Stuart.

Regards.

 

Congratulations on your acquisition Greg,
I talked with MIE this winter about exhaust parts for my '75 Bora. I needed exhaust manifolds. They had 'aftermarket' header style and an NOS manifold in stock. I'm opting for the headers. I didn't ask them about the remaining exhaust parts, but my point is they are knowledgable and a good place to start asking.
Best,
- Art

 

Please specify details of car year, model, US (smog/air) v Euro, 4.7 v 4.9, etc. -- as minor differences might disappoint, if incorrect for your car.

My 1973 US 4.9 (CA lifelong) had smog anticipatory measures, including air pump. Cast stock headers accomodative to that. All now 'ex post facto' kinda. Used Jacques' sourced SS system. Very smooth, easy install, but some minor fitment tweaks.

Euro' headers--never quite defined anywhere apparently? Just whatever was found on the Euro' delivered cars of that time. Ignition timing and Carb's/jets all adjusted. Omitted corner cans at rear. Used 304SS connections to SS cross-over pair across rear (part of that system), and heat tape under CV's. No cat's required for this year model, ever.

Now it can really breathe. Much better, stronger. A bit more sound, but not intrusive. Kept all the old parts not fully deteriorated--garage art. Looking inside ports of old headers makes me glad to have them off. The new SS items now weigh half or so vs stock iron. Another bit of avoirdupois avoidable, as with bumper-shocks. Becoming nearly nimble. Shock your F'pals. Unless you just want to look, not drive.

Press on.

 

Art, what's on yours now? Is it the thermal reactors that look like four pipes which dump into a long tomato juice can or something else?

I've been running the MIE plain steel headers which I put on in the late 1980s.

I did this with the engine in the car - not much fun there!

I kept those rear cans and they DO add weight but those aren't the big performance inhibiting part of this. It's those crummy original USA headers (several styles) for all the years and a proper tune (cams, distributor and carbs). I went through the laborious re-timing of the cams using Stan Bishop's very detailed instructions and what I determined once done was that mine was already timed properly!

So either the factory just started sending them all that way at some point or a PO (not the one I bought from) had already done this. I'm voting that it was the factory because my car had two PO and it had 3,000 miles on it when I got it. It sat in a museum for a while.

Definitely worthwhile but nothing like some of the upgrades one sees available on today's modern cars.

Properly tuned and with the short gears (tops out at 140 mph) you should see 0-60 of 6 seconds WO completely dumping the clutch, just a good brisk start. That was decent back in the day though my 84 Biturbo always out ran it except once you got to 120 mph then it was good byyyyyyye Biturbo.

 

Cheers Bob,

Right now #932 still has its original exhaust manifolds, with the air pump nipples near the flanges, and (hand formed?) aluminum shrouds over the pipes. Each cylinder bank collects, as usual, into one pipe on each side which snakes around the CV joints/drive shafts into a standard US spec resonator/muffler tomato can setup.

I've pulled mine strongly up to 130mph and there was still willingness for more, but the header style exhaust manifolds should let it breathe easier. Increase engine bay heat too. I haven't begun the installation yet.
- Art

 

Now where would be hitting 130mph?

As long as you're not running the air pump they work OK. My car did have the air pump operational for a while. The head shielding failed and the tanks (collectors) split wide open.
I also melted a bunch of stuff in the engine compartment close to those headers. That's what led me to making the double wall SS heat shields and adding some where there were none originally.

Once you replace those headers you will need to have someone fabricate new pipes from the headers to those two inboard cans. Find a really good exhaust guy to form them nicely to avoid the CV boots. It's those pieces where you can adjust for most fitment issues.

If you're ever thinking of running the car at sustained high speeds then look into heat shields for the inner CV joints and add a vent to the inner boots. Wrapping those tubes in heat shielding cloth is a good idea anyway.

I guess MIE no longer sells headers for the Bora?
Oh here they are Maserati Club, Maserati Parts, MIE Corp. MaseratiNet Store - BORA EUROPEAN MANIFOLDS

The SS set I got from Maseratisource had an enormous "fitment accommodation" dent in one of the runners and a couple of runners had to taps so I returned them. My plain steel headers had no such dent? They also gave no taps ...

Good luck with that.

 

Here are some pictures of the two exhaust types side by side for reference. You can see the previous owner did as Bob has mentioned and made the U around the CV joint much deeper than the ones supplied with the Stebro Euro system.
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I was peripherally involved in the development of the late Bora Stebro system.

I became well acquainted with Andy who has since left Canada as we met every year at the Pocono event.

They ended up embroiled in at least one lawsuit and wanted me to testify to exactly what I don't know??? Then they wanted to borrowed my system to use it as the model for their offering. I declined. I heard "interesting" stories about the person who did send theirs for duplication but I have not heard both sides of that story.

I still have my original system on the car and the rear muffler and two cans do not look like that. It's a cross between those two systems with the single exhaust on each side. My cans look more like the European cans shown in those photos.

Are they still in business?

 

That's interesting. This was on on the car when I bought it and it fit fine, so I assumed it was made to the original pattern. By coincidence there's a used Merak US exhaust on Ebay right now. It looks very, very similar. The previous owner's records say the one on my car was a "US Bora" exhaust system, but who knows? I wouldn't be surprised that Stebro would use the same one if they could make it fit. The PO's shop charged more than $1k to make the two U tubes!

 

Well I'm sure those would fit they're just a bit smaller than the others so OK.

The originals had a thin outer skin to cover the asbestos which was wrapped over the cans and resonator in the rear!

Mine had to be repaired because the PO had backed into something??? And put a dent in the center section. One of the baffles inside on of those cans was loose and rattled so we cut an opening in the side secured the baffle plate and welded that back up. I also had them put a new cover over the rear of the center section to hide the slight dent. So that plus the new S pipes was about $125 in SF circa 1987.

I hope your PO was well lubed!

 

I had Timevalve Manufacturing in Florida Timevalve Manufacturing - Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems and Catalytic Converters for Mercedes Benz, Vintage Ferrari, and other Classic Cars make a quad, factory-style exhaust for my 1967 Ghibli a couple of years ago. All stainless steel system that was then painted and tips chrome plated by them for a better than factory appearance. Outstanding workmanship and communication and less than $2000 including shipping to the shop.
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I don't know about lubed, but he was definitely hosed!

 

I remember these. They look fantastic!

The two different Bora systems might be a bit more problematical for fitment.
One should expect some fitment issues with those connector pipes under the CV joints on a Bora but once it's all been fitted properly having theses guys finish them as you like sounds OK. USA Bora's didn't come with that black wrinkle paint on the exhaust system. I have a replacement European style set as made by Ansa that eliminates the intermediate cans but it would never fit my late USA car without a lot of modification. Those are ordinary steel.

If I remember correctly these guys made those tips as well?