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I just finished up the new exhaust install on my Wagon yesterday. I thought some might be interested in what worked for me, since most places do not actually list a performance exhaust for the wagons. Your results may vary.
I replaced my Heddman 1.5" primary tube headers and 2.25" exhaust on my wagon. I had plans of trying a variety of differnt things but in the end cost and expediency won out. I purchased the Summit 3" system with mufflers for about $205. I just couldn't beat it for the price.
Initially, I installed the system back through the mufflers but got frustrated with the tailpipes. I went to the track on Saturday without the tailpipes but was lucky I didn't either get a ticket, go deaf, or insane due to the droning.
It gave me the incentive to try again on the tailpipes yesterday.
The kit is manufactured by ICM for Summit. It said it was coming with their brand of Turbo mufflers which I probably would have preferred, but it arrived with their welded mufflers which is a two chamber design that is mostly straight through.
I don't know anything about ICM, but the kit was very complete. It is somewhat of a universal kit for Novas, Camaro's etc so be prepared to play with it a bit.
To get it to fit the wagon, I really only had to make two changes.
1) shorten the intermediate pipes by 9" at the rear b/4 the muffler.
2) cut the tailpipes in one place, reposition and weld back together.
The cut is on the long straight section after the rear axle at a point roughly 3 inches b/4 the bend after the long straight section. After you make the cut you can fit the tailpipes over the axle and into the mufflers and then take the cut-off sections and fit into position at the end of the pipe and over the rear spring to out behind the rear tire. Mark both sides so you know where to line it up. Remove and weld lining up your marks and re-install.
I actually removed about an additional 2" from the passenger side pipe after making the cut. (OK, maybe 3 changes)
Theoretically you could get the driver's side to work without cutting the tailpipe, but I found it interfered with the gas filler tube and also would not exit in the same place as the passenger side which must be cut to clear the spare tire well.
The 9" removed from the piper b/4 the muffler may also vary on other cars.
I had a very small space to position the 3" pipe on the passenger side due to the spare tire well. My car is lowered in the fron but sits higher in the back. If your car is significantly lowered in the back, you will probably find it impossible to get the tailpipe over the leaf spring and under the sspare tire well. The 2.5" system may actually be a better option.
One other thing is that this worked great with the Hooker Super comps, but if you are using the Heddman's their problem is that on the driver's side they do not exit parallel to the underside of the car. They will require either a flex joint or custom pipe to be able to use almost any shelf system, which is why I had a custom system bent up last time around.
Hope this helps somebody!
I replaced my Heddman 1.5" primary tube headers and 2.25" exhaust on my wagon. I had plans of trying a variety of differnt things but in the end cost and expediency won out. I purchased the Summit 3" system with mufflers for about $205. I just couldn't beat it for the price.
Initially, I installed the system back through the mufflers but got frustrated with the tailpipes. I went to the track on Saturday without the tailpipes but was lucky I didn't either get a ticket, go deaf, or insane due to the droning.
It gave me the incentive to try again on the tailpipes yesterday.
The kit is manufactured by ICM for Summit. It said it was coming with their brand of Turbo mufflers which I probably would have preferred, but it arrived with their welded mufflers which is a two chamber design that is mostly straight through.
I don't know anything about ICM, but the kit was very complete. It is somewhat of a universal kit for Novas, Camaro's etc so be prepared to play with it a bit.
To get it to fit the wagon, I really only had to make two changes.
1) shorten the intermediate pipes by 9" at the rear b/4 the muffler.
2) cut the tailpipes in one place, reposition and weld back together.
The cut is on the long straight section after the rear axle at a point roughly 3 inches b/4 the bend after the long straight section. After you make the cut you can fit the tailpipes over the axle and into the mufflers and then take the cut-off sections and fit into position at the end of the pipe and over the rear spring to out behind the rear tire. Mark both sides so you know where to line it up. Remove and weld lining up your marks and re-install.
I actually removed about an additional 2" from the passenger side pipe after making the cut. (OK, maybe 3 changes)
Theoretically you could get the driver's side to work without cutting the tailpipe, but I found it interfered with the gas filler tube and also would not exit in the same place as the passenger side which must be cut to clear the spare tire well.
The 9" removed from the piper b/4 the muffler may also vary on other cars.
I had a very small space to position the 3" pipe on the passenger side due to the spare tire well. My car is lowered in the fron but sits higher in the back. If your car is significantly lowered in the back, you will probably find it impossible to get the tailpipe over the leaf spring and under the sspare tire well. The 2.5" system may actually be a better option.
One other thing is that this worked great with the Hooker Super comps, but if you are using the Heddman's their problem is that on the driver's side they do not exit parallel to the underside of the car. They will require either a flex joint or custom pipe to be able to use almost any shelf system, which is why I had a custom system bent up last time around.
Hope this helps somebody!
