[Chrysler300] exhaust systems and my 2 cents

[John Hertog <crossram@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

John, et al

I fully agree that a competent local shop  will create a good exhaust system
for about the same price as that of a "store-bought" and usually ill-fitting
one.  The key word is competent.

I have heard many, many complaints, over the years, about Kepich. I can't
seem to remember a story of one of their systems ever fitting a car,
actually.

Eileen Brass' ram exhaust pipes are "close enough" - at least as far as the
steel ones, that can be heated a bit and tweaked if need be.  Try that with
stainless pipes - good luck !  Did it once on a 300F, will NEVER EVER do
that again.

I am lucky in that my local Meineke Muffler shop has a competent owner, who
actually loves old cars.  He goes out of his way to make nice custom systems
for my 300's at about 300 bucks per set.  If I bring him original pipes, he
will duplicate them perfectly, and make the correct downturns and exhaust
ends.

No more rust in my eyes either -

John Hertog
cold and iced-up Sag Harbor NY


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <john_nowosacki@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <robkern@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>; <Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>;
<bob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, January 28, 2005 2:47 PM
Subject: RE: [Chrysler300] exhaust systems and my 2 cents


>
> My wife has a 62 Chrysler Nyer wagon with 4bbl 413 and dual exhaust.  Many
(almost 10) years ago I priced out all the pipes and mufflers from the
manifolds back, and it came to over $200 (including clamps, etc.).  I then
went to a local shop called Lou's Custom Exhaust (North Reading, MA.) and
they quoted me a price for complete removal of my old system (no rust in MY
eyes) and custom fabrication with side exits behind the rear wheels under
the bumper and chrome tips for a very nice look for a price of $188.  Didn't
take me long to make that decision.
> That next winter, one of the leaf springs cracked and the car was sagging
badly, so I had new springs put on, which changed the orientation of
car/exhaust and caused rubbing, rattling, etc.
> I went back to Lou's in the spring (almost 8 months  after the original
job), and he made two new tailpipes, including two new chrome tips, and
said, "No charge.  If we had done the pipes properly in the first place, new
springs wouldn't have made them rub like that."
>
> Guess where I am now a customer for life, and who I recommend every chance
I get?
> John
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: robkern@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:robkern@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Friday, January 28, 2005 8:25 AM
> To: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; Bob Merritt Simplex Mfg
> Subject: Re: [Chrysler300] exhaust systems and my 2 cents
>
>
>
> Hello 300'ly to all!
>     My experience with my C restoration over the past 23 months summarizes
> all the experiences of Gary Nelson, Ray Jones, Bob Merritt, et al.  I
> ordered a complete system from Florida from a respected vendor who has
been
> serving our hobby for over 30 years..Kepich exhaust.  The stainless sytem
> along with the correct mufflers arrived in the time frame stated and had
to
> be thoroughly modified by a local custom exhaust shop to get the correct
> bends and clearances and rattle control.  The muffler on the driver side
> lasted all of 2500 miles before internal baffle welds broke and at idle
the
> sound emanating from under the car was like a Mexican tambourine festival.
I
> called Kepich and of course this was the first time it had ever happened,
> etc. and he overnighted me a replacement only if I would return the bad
one
> for him to dissect.  Did that.  The replacement muffler lasted 18 miles
> before doing the same thing!!  Kepich then told me that I was dumping fuel
> in the exhaust and backfiring (NOT) or the heat riser was jammed on that
> side(SORRY THE HEAT RISER IS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE...THANKS GEORGE RIEHL).
> Done with Kepich.  I called Waldron's, he had the exact muffler set I
needed
> and overnighted them to me at no extra shipping charge and I replaced the
> Kepich mufflers with Waldron's...had to modify the Kepich tail pipe length
> again....and they are sweet!!!  So hang in there, knowledge is power and
> don't settle for anything less than what you want.   ROB KERN
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Bob Merritt Simplex Mfg" <bob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Friday, January 28, 2005 6:17 AM
> Subject: Re: [Chrysler300] exhaust systems and my 2 cents
>
>
> >
> > Without a doubt, having a custom exhaust built from scratch and
installed
> > by
> > a muffler shop is the way to go. They have the tools and the knowledge
to
> > make things fit and get the clearance you need around frame rails,
axles,
> > torsion bars, gas tanks.......
> > Price wise, I've found the muffler shop cost is not much more than the
> > purchase price of a do-it-yourself system.......and it is a lot easier
to
> > write a check.
> >
> > Having said that, I have over this winter installed a complete dual
system
> > on an L using the do-it-yourself set of pipes from Classic Exhaust, 805
> > Pro-Gram Parkway, Geneva, Ohio 44041. (440) 466-5460. The pipes fit the
L
> > exhaust nicely, enough so that I bought a set of pipes from Classic for
an
> > H. I'll install those when (if) it gets warmer.
> >
> > The F or G ram exhaust system is far more complex than an H or L, and
I'd
> > surrender that job to a muffler shop without a second thought.
> >
> > R
> >
> >
> >
> >
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> >
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> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
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