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  1. #1
    Veteran pajeff02's Avatar
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    Black & Blue
    '02 WS.6 / '07 Suburban

    Fabricated cutout install w/ pics.

    It took a lot longer than anticipated, but I finally have a cutout on our Trans Am. I ordered a DMH a few months ago and as soon as it arrived I knew I was not too keen on the pipe. Our car has a Magnaflow catback with a 3" stainless mid-pipe. I understand you can purchase stainless cutouts, but I just wasn't thrilled with the idea of hacking my mid-pipe in two for the installation. This is what came with the kit:





    After looking it over, I decided to fabricate my own cutout that would attach to the mid-pipe, rather than splice into it. I started by having my brother roll a piece of 3" stainless where he works. We then sliced the flange off the DMH piece and welded it to the stainless tube. There are three (3) welds around the perimeter and the face is welded all around the circumference:








    I then used the DMH piece to make a cardboard template of the cutout and transferrd this to the stainless tube:








    Using a small cutoff wheel, I cut the stainless tube to match the template. With the mid-pipe still in the car, I positioned the cutout and traced its outline onto the mid-pipe. I then removed it from the car and cut a window in it that matched the cutout before having it TIG welded in place:











    Once the new cutout was on the mid-pipe it went back into the car for the rest of the installation. I had purchased a turndown from another member a while back. They come in sets of two (2) so he had an extra he was willing to part with:














    Tonight, I finally got to drive our car for the first time since November. We did a 50 mile cruise to break in the new rear and gave the cutout a try. By far, this has to be my favorite mod to our car. Even with a catted Y, it sounds mean as hell when you stomp the loud pedal.

  2. #2
    Veteran 35th-ANV-SS's Avatar
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    02 35th LE Camaro SS

    Great work Jeff. How difficult was it welding the Stainless? Thanks for sharing.

  3. #3
    Veteran pajeff02's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 35th-ANV-SS View Post
    Great work Jeff. How difficult was it welding the Stainless? Thanks for sharing.
    Thanks. My brother has a welding background and a nice Miller TIG unit -- so it was easy. I just stood back and watched him do it. For payback, I helped him replace the balljoint in his Dodge Caliber this morning.

  4. #4
    Senior Member tatertot91's Avatar
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    Sunset Orange Metalic
    2001 Camaro SS

    you did an awesome job on that
    looks very clean

  5. #5
    Veteran 35th-ANV-SS's Avatar
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    02 35th LE Camaro SS

    Yeah that's nice having someone who knows how to weld properly.

    Forgot to ask...how'd the car feel with the new rear? Was it quieter or noisier than you expected?

  6. #6
    Just me Y2KPewterSS's Avatar
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    Pewter metallic
    2000 Camaro SS

    Looks great Jeff

  7. #7
    Veteran pajeff02's Avatar
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    Thanks guys!

    The rear is definitely noisier than I anticipated. At highway speeds there is almost no noise, but around 1,500 rpm in OD, it sings pretty good. It's funny -- at slower speeds when you hit a bump the noise will cut out for a second. I do have a tunnel mount torque arm which may be part of the problem, so we'll see what happens. I'll have to do a fluid change at the 500 mile mark, so I may throw a dial indicator in the gears to check the lash. Other than the noise, the car performed flawlessly on its shake down cruise and feels strong.

  8. #8
    Spaz is My Mentor SMWS6TA's Avatar
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    Navy Blue Metallic
    98 T/A w/ mods, 00 FBVert

    Good God man, do you drive that thing or do you get under neath everyday and wash it? That has to be the cleanest under-body I've ever seen. Nice job on cut outs. Man that is a tight fit with that drive shaft.

  9. #9
    She Moderator KahanaReef's Avatar
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    Arctic White
    2000 Camaro Z28

    Wow, Jeff! Awesome job. Very clean work.

  10. #10
    Senior Member Too Fast's Avatar
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    2000 WS6 6spd Hooker LT

    +2 on the cleanliness. Looks great!

  11. #11
    Veteran pajeff02's Avatar
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    Cleaning up the underbody was a winter project. I think getting rid of the leaky and rusty 10 bolt really helped. Still can't compare to Preston's car... but I am working at it. Thanks all!

  12. #12
    Veteran pajeff02's Avatar
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    Black & Blue
    '02 WS.6 / '07 Suburban

    Will ad one post install note to this thread. After a couple of runs, I noticed that the harness appeared to be getting a little warm back by the turndown. I picked up some DEI heat wrap (the reflective tape) and installed it over the harness.

  13. #13
    Junior Member buiick's Avatar
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    2001 Firebird Formula LS1

    nice work!!!!!!!!!!

  14. #14
    ʢ ൧ ൨ ൩ ൪ ൫ ൬ ൭ ൮Ր Ց Ւ Փ Smittro's Avatar
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    Looks great Jeff!!.. I was curious why you guys rolled a new pipe rather than ordering some new stock in stainless?
    :\Users\Steven\Pictures\d6ftg5nh.gif


    Suggestion: If you are particularly irritated by another member's posting habits and are constantly fighting the urge to flame them, you can click on that person's profile, and select "Add to ignore list." This will make that person's posts invisible to you.

  15. #15
    Veteran pajeff02's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by buiick View Post
    nice work!!!!!!!!!!

    Thanks!


    Quote Originally Posted by Smittro View Post
    Looks great Jeff!!.. I was curious why you guys rolled a new pipe rather than ordering some new stock in stainless?

    We live in the sticks. Sometimes it is easier to make stuff than to try and buy it. Plus, I only needed a small piece so it was real easy to make.

  16. #16
    ʢ ൧ ൨ ൩ ൪ ൫ ൬ ൭ ൮Ր Ց Ւ Փ Smittro's Avatar
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    Thumbs up

    Quote Originally Posted by pajeff02 View Post
    Thanks!





    We live in the sticks. Sometimes it is easier to make stuff than to try and buy it. Plus, I only needed a small piece so it was real easy to make.
    I gotcha I do the same sometimes. I also use T&R Fabricating for my air craft aluminum and such.. As well as other various stock suppliers for my stainless and alloy's.. Most sell through ebay and ship in 24 hrs.. Just a heads up incase you come up with another one of these great projects.. Fabbing a part yourself is more fun too imho..

  17. #17
    Member Faught's Avatar
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    white
    1999 Trans Am

    dang looks good, you want to make me one

  18. #18
    Veteran pajeff02's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Faught View Post
    dang looks good, you want to make me one

    It's pretty easy to make if you know how to TIG weld or have someone that can do it for you. I think the only tools I used were a cutoff wheel and an angle grinder with a sanding disc. The nice thing is that you can make the new piece and then trace its outline onto the mid-pipe while it is still installed in the car. This allows you to position everything perfectly.

  19. #19
    Member Faught's Avatar
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    1999 Trans Am

    Quote Originally Posted by pajeff02 View Post
    It's pretty easy to make if you know how to TIG weld or have someone that can do it for you. I think the only tools I used were a cutoff wheel and an angle grinder with a sanding disc. The nice thing is that you can make the new piece and then trace its outline onto the mid-pipe while it is still installed in the car. This allows you to position everything perfectly.
    sweetness

  20. #20
    Member kiddynamite's Avatar
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    Black
    2002 Trans Am WS-6

    looks professional! nice job!

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