So I bought two GT take-off's for $40. The next step is to find a shop that will do the rest of the assembly. How much should a shop charge for the assembly and pipes?

Are X-pipes the way to go with the GT take-off's?

 

I like my X pipe. Everyone has their own opinion though. What all is the shop going to do for you and for how much.

 

I would guess the shop would make pipes and assemble them on the mustang for me. I do not need anything extremely loud, I just want to convert the exhaust to dual w/o a horrible rice sound in higher rpm's. Will the dual GT mufflers with an x-pipe accomplish this?

 

I finally got mine on yesterday. The whole thing was a headache. What I did was got a Pypes X pipe, a cat back GT exhaust with hangers included(from Craigslist with 200 miles on it), and 4 band clamps (2 2 1/2" and 2 2 1/4") from Napa. Total for parts and install - $375. With time I'm sure that could of been cheaper, but the car was rear ended and the GT bumper went on over a week ago and the insurance check covered it all.

I had asked around a couple places about making an X pipe, I found buying a premade X is cheaper and less hassle. You could also just forget the X and have a shop cut the Y and run pipes back to the mufflers, I didn't care for the sound of those I've heard like that. Comes down to many different ways to skin a cat, for me finding the parts just came together, it all fits together without rattles and the tips line up perfect.

How's it sound vs just a single GT? Almost exactly the same. Maybe once these new mufflers break in it will sounder deeper, but the only difference now is hearing the exhaust a bit more with the driver's window down. It now looks like a Mustang should.

 

In most cases, an X will actually bring you closer to that "rice" sound. An H will give you a deeper sound. My muffler shop installed my mufflers, fabricated/installed a custom H, and added midpipes for $175. Although I was quoted as high as about $250 at other shops

 

I guess what I am getting at is, with the GT mufflers and a certain set-up(H pipe seems to be the way it has to be), I won't get that rice burning sound?


As far as additional parts besides the mufflers,
what would I need...

I am new to this sports car thing


This is what I have so far...

 

The H will give you a deeper sound. Not sure about the rice sound, I definitely don't think mine sounds ricey, it ain't loud enough Sounds are like colors everyone has a different preference, browse youtube and you hear horrible exhausts with lots of praise and others that sound good to me get blasted. To me one of the best sounds is my buddy's stock Bullitt. You ain't gonna get that on a V6.

What you need depends on what route you're going. Start with the mufflers, you got those. You need to get pipes from the mufflers up to behind the cats.

1. Save your passenger side midpipe and get a new driver side midpipe (the V6 passenger is the same diameter pipe). I think I saw somewhere where you can get these for $26, I have NO clue where I read that.
2. Get 2 GT midpipes. Look on Craigslist, classifieds, ebay.
3. Get a shop to fab the pipe(s).
4. Sell your GT mufflers and get the Newtakeoff kit which includes mufflers (they will knock a whopping $20 if you don't want the mufflers with the kit, but you get everything you need for 299 plus shipping, if you go this route CALL or email them and ask for their best price or tell em you don't want to pay shipping, they do knock a few $ off).

If you're going to have the muffler shop make the pipes, you could have them attach them to the existing downpipes. If not:
1. An H pipe
2. An X pipe

You'll also need two exhaust hangers for the driver side. Ford will be happy to take $40 each for them. Again, eBay, craigslist, I think American Muscle sells some. I have two extra, not sure what I'm doing with them yet. You'll also need bolts for the hangers, you can reuse two that are already on the car on the passenger muffler, there's 3 hangers on a V6 muffler, 2 on the GT, so you can salvage two bolts, the extra hanger is trash.

Got a headache yet?

 

I put the passenger muffler on myself. The next week I took the driver side muffler to a little exhaust shop that had done work for me in the past on other vehicles. He supplied all materials, installed an H pipe and let me cut the bumper cover with the car on the lift. $225.

 

How's the H pipe sound?

 

My only question is ARE those AUTO or M/T GT take-off muffs?
AUTO and its not worth the time, money or effort.
Now if they are M/T GT take-offs, here is what to do.....
Get the whole GT muffler system with an H-Pipe ForTheWin
Cheap and very OEMish in appearance.
And its all stainless to boot.
You wont get stainless al the local hack it up muff shop....
In fact an aftermarket piece it together by some $5 an hour
kid install is not the way to go unless you dont take pride in
what you own or like to afro american stuff together....