CRG Discussion Forum
Camaro Research Group Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Bjv69ss on January 01, 2008, 10:42:37 PM
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Has anyone delt with Pypes exhaust? I bought their 2.5" down pipes in 409 stainless from Ground Up. I tried to install them today an was VERY diappointed to find that they don't even come close to fitting a stock set of SB manifolds. The angles at the flanges were way off and if they had fit the flanges they were about 3" below the frame? I was wondering if they might be marked wrong. Do BB pipes have the same general shape, left pipe with a 90 degree bend and the right with a 45 degree angle.
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Hi,
No experience with Pypes exhaust but to answer your last question, yes, Big Blocks have the same exit format on stock manifolds. L/S pipe will have a 90 & R/S pipe will have a 45. I'd call them (pypes) directly and discuss. Offer to send pictures too! Had a problem kinda like that with a set of Thorley Headers for my truck & pictures was the only way to resolve. Be aware though too if your engine & trans mounts are shot, the whole assembly will sit lower in the frame and bring the pipes closer to the ground. Ground Up is a reputable company, any issues ask for Kenny! Good Luck!
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Thanks for the come back.
The car is under going a restoration and all is new. I talked to Pypes on Monday and they said to call Ground Up. Today I called and they asked for photos. So I just got out from under the car and am sending the photos to a guy named Bob. If I don't get any results quickly I'll ask for Kenny. What is his position with Ground UP?
I'll keep you posted. Thanks again!!!!!
Joe
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Here's some photos of what I sent to Ground Up. What do you think ::)
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Yeah, somethings not right! Thats with them tight to the manifolds? Pretty sure Kenny is the owner. I know him from seeing him at local swap meets and been buying stuff from him for years. He's a very cool guy and pretty easy to work with.
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Yup... As close as I can make them go together. The angles are off at the flanges. I sent them the photos last night so they got them this AM. Before I start squaking I think I need to give them a day or so.
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Well good luck and let us know how you make out.
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Hmmm ... that pipe is looking to be hanging a little low. Have to think that ain't lasting too long hang like that. Something is deffenently not jivin' there. Keep us posted on the out come.
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The Pypes company refuses to ackowlege the fact that the pipes don't fit the car. They insist that they are not labled wrong or manufactured with a defect. It took a week + to get this much information from them. After many phone calls to Ground Up along with several emails and photos, Ground Up finally issued a call tag for them and I was able to return them.
Pypes also wanted me to return them at my expence and if there was a problem they would make good with correct replacements. After all the greif to get them returned I opted to return them and not give them the chance to take me.
In my opinion Pypes is not a customer oriented company, they don't take the time to listen to the customer. When I told the guy at Pypes that if I cut a holes in the floors for the pipes, they would exit through the back window. That's how bad the angles were on the bends. Not to mention they hung just a bit too low!!! They told me to talk to Ground Up.
My advise is...Don't deal with Pypes exhaust! If you can afford it go with Gardener or get a factory style from one of the restoration catalogs or get one bent
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Sucks when companies treat customers like that. FYI, noticed a thread on Team Camaro with someone else who also had issues with a Pypes system. Guess it's not a isolated issue with the quality of their products-not that that makes you any better though! Before I put a Gardner system on my car I had a Flowmaster header back kit with the delta 40's and just got a length of 2 1/2 pipe, a mandrel 45 & 90 and made the head pipes myself as I didn't have headers and no one was offering head pipes with mandrel bends. Had Midas flare 2 short pieces to mate to the manifolds, mocked everything up and welded them up. Came out nice and sounded AWESOME. Had to take it off though to step up to the higher classes. It's really not too hard to make the head pipes if you have a welder and you can get all the pipes & bends right from Summit or Jegs.
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I was trying to go in that direction using the down pipes from Pypes and use the system like you had on yours. I have a friend that works with a guy that does exhausts on the side. He made a really nice system for his 32 Ford coupe and 40 Ford pick-up. I have the mufflers already. I'm going to check out the cost this week. As much as I'd love tohave a Gardener system they are a bit out of my reach at the moment.
You still have the old system???
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Yeah but it's already slated for another car!
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That's cool...never hurts to ask. Ya never know where ones next good deal will come from.
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Gandner is the way to go, well worth the extra expense.
http://www.gardnerexhaust.com/gardnermovie.html
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Gardner makes probably the best original system out there.
But it will cost you in power. A LT1 Deuce owner ran 14.25 ET 98.69 MPH with his concourse car. Only changed the exhaust to Pypes - ran 13.50 ET 104.11 MPH.
.7 sec gain is a lot! Probably be more for a L78 or a L72.
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If you are doing a restoration and want the best original system for your car, Gardner is the only system to install on your car. If you're looking for performance, then there are other companies that can give you better performance on the street. You can't have both.
Jerry
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The Pypes company refuses to ackowlege the fact that the pipes don't fit the car. They insist that they are not labled wrong or manufactured with a defect. It took a week + to get this much information from them. After many phone calls to Ground Up along with several emails and photos, Ground Up finally issued a call tag for them and I was able to return them.
Pypes also wanted me to return them at my expence and if there was a problem they would make good with correct replacements. After all the greif to get them returned I opted to return them and not give them the chance to take me.
In my opinion Pypes is not a customer oriented company, they don't take the time to listen to the customer. When I told the guy at Pypes that if I cut a holes in the floors for the pipes, they would exit through the back window. That's how bad the angles were on the bends. Not to mention they hung just a bit too low!!! They told me to talk to Ground Up.
My advise is...Don't deal with Pypes exhaust! If you can afford it go with Gardener or get a factory style from one of the restoration catalogs or get one bent
BJ, Who did you talk to at Pypes? I just questioned every tech rep here and nobody knows anything about this problem.
1. The downpipes you are trying to install on the car are simply the WRONG downpipes (DGU13). You need DGU14S.
2. Pypes would never tell a customer to call the dealer on a technical issue, that's why I'd like to know who exactly you talked to. If you have made a decision to return the pipes, then yes, we'd tell you to call the place you purchased them but not on a technical issue.
3. I know you are frustrated but to blanketly recommend Gardner versus Pypes is just plain poor advice. Not because Gardner is not a good company but because the companies don't have comparable products. We at Pypes quite often recommend Gardner for owners that have concours cars. We don't consider them competition at all. However, if you care about performance and you drive your car, you are losing a great deal of horsepower running through 2" crimp bent pipe and restrictive mufflers. Therefore in that case Gardner is a poor choice.
I can sympathise with your frustration when restoration parts don't fit. Now imagine how frustrating it is when Pypes (a fairly new company) is trying to build a reputation of quality and a high level of customer service and a topic like this comes along for all to see. If we didn't care and our customer service was poor, we wouldn't monitor web forums like we do. The main reason we have an occasional image problem is because of frustrated car owners that come on forums like these and give bad information out of frustration. In the long run, it only hurts you guys because putting out fires like these cost money and that money eventually finds its way to the price of the product. I would hope at least that topic contributors would keep this in mind before piling on in the future. A simple e-mail to Pypes referencing a topic like this will always get a fair and honest reply from Pypes. btw, try and find another major exhaust company that continuously monitors internet forums and replies on their behalf. :(
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I had the pleasure of talking with Chris Casperson the owner of Pypes regardeing my issue with their exhaust down pipes that did not fitting correctly after he posted to my thread on the Pypes pipe problem I had. I just wanted to say that together we got to the bottom of the problem and it has been corrected. Chris told me the replacements would be delivered on Monday 2/11 and they were. I put them on the car and they tuck very nicely up where the stock pipes would be. I intend to use the complete Pypes system on my car. Reason being they are stainless, cost is very resonable and the fact that you can buy them piece by piece is the best part. For the most part if you need one part of an exhaust I think you have to have it bent or buy the whole exhaust again.
If there is ever a question about a Pypes part do yourself and all concerned...call them! I should have and didn't. I'm sure I would have saved myself a lot of grief in the end if I had.
Thank you Pypes!
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Hey, glad to see everything worked out!