Mandrel exhaust shop

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CalSgt

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I bought a flow master builder kit when I started my project, really happy with it but it has gone up in price quite a bit since I bought it.

It came with enough parts to choose several different tailpipe locations, would have fit many different wheel bases, and an H-pipe option. The only thing it didn’t have was mufflers, hangers, and the flanged ends to mate up with my exhaust manifold doughnuts.

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CalSgt

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That reminds me of a similar thing. A friend told me about and described something like maybe a few large ball bearings like you say to straighten out dented intake runners on gm tuned port.
lol…. I have the ball bearing sizes and part numbers from McMaster Car if you have a TPI to restore.
 

Ricko1966

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Sorry, but I zeroed in on tailpipes and strings of ball bearings…not sure why though.
Here's what goes in the pipe before bending, the machine pulls it through to keep the inside of the bend uniform. Similiar to packing the pipe with sand,but better.
 

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Fastduramax

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815937 I’d buy that as a last resort and bring it to our local custom exhaust dude to put the puzzle together hang it and weld or clamp it if I can not find a mandrel shop, not my fortè ! Still much rather do the later !​

 

bucket

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lol…. I have the ball bearing sizes and part numbers from McMaster Car if you have a TPI to restore.

I'd be interested in those numbers.
 

squaredeal91

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lol…. I have the ball bearing sizes and part numbers from McMaster Car if you have a TPI to restore.
I have 2 sets of tpi intakes and each one has a couple dimples lol. Can I at least get the sizes and part numbers from you?
 

Ricko1966

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I don't have access to a exhaust tubing bender anymore. Do any of you? I never tried,just this thread made me think of it ,pack a piece of exhaust tubing with wet/damp sand tape both ends shut with duct tape bend it see if it bends more smoothly,more like mandrel and let us know.
 
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CalSgt

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I have 2 sets of tpi intakes and each one has a couple dimples lol. Can I at least get the sizes and part numbers from you?

Dad has it all written down somewhere, I’ll see if I can find it this weekend.
 

andybflo

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Has anyone found a good mandrel exhaust shop here in the great Northeast ? Preferably in MA but would consider NY CT RI VT NH also as I know they are few and far between, zero anywhere near Hicksville where I live !

We have one in Buffalo, (Mufflerman in Kenmore.) They've done our SEMA builds, most of my personal cars, and cars we build for others.

They also vend Solo mufflers, which I really like for a daily that you want a little growl in, but quiet enough that it doesn't drone on the highway. They've bent anything from 1 3/4" to 3 1/2" for me in stainless.

They do great work, but it's about as far from MA as you can get in NY.

Good luck; I'm sure someone out there has to be closer than Western NY.
 

andybflo

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Ahhh. Being from the racing world, mandrel really is unnecessary for 99% of street vehicles, that's why I asked. Even with a 572, especially in a truck, you wouldn't notice any difference in a crush 3" and a 3" mandrel as long as there wasn't any really tightly bent/pinched areas. But I get it, mandrel is nice. I'd eventually like to take my truck to a guy local here that does full stainless, mandrel, tigged exhausts in your choice of size and polishes it all up if you want. But that's a pipe dream

100% true.

When we build a show car (or six-figure restomod) people want to see it. Actual horsepower gains? Virtually non-existent.

It's prettier. That's about the only thing I can say for it.

My square? A LM7 5.3, with a cam, tri-y's, an x-pipe, dual high-flow cats. It's not a rocket. Nor a show car. It's crush-bent 2.5" stainless. Wasn't worth the extra cost for mandrel.
 

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