In the world of Custom Classic Trucks the vehicles representing the genre are as the name implies: custom. When hearing the word "custom" and "truck" together the first thought that goes racing from the left to right lobe of the brain is appearance. However, what lies under the scathed or unscathed sheetmetal needs to be appealing as well.
Nowadays it's the norm to alter the truck's chassis. Let's face it; finding stock underpinnings beneath vintage sheetmetal isn't common ground among our crowd. Instead, what we find are owners updating their trucks with various types of running gear to ensure their truck is not only safer but more driveable. With all the suspension, engine, and tranny options throughout the CCT world one can set up their truck for drag racing, cruising, long hauls, hauling, and the list goes on. For that reason, many stock parts just won't cut it, including the exhaust. Unfortunately, exhaust pipes can't bend and twist like a radiator hose or pipe cleaner, and because of it stock exhaust systems-or stock configured systems-won't meander through all those various extra-special chassis components. For these instances, a custom exhaust system is the only answer.
One way to alleviate the problem is to drop your ride off at a muffler shop and have them create a one-off system. The other is to take matters into your own hands and order a DIY kit, which suits folks like us quite nicely. One company that offers everything needed for an exhaust system is Stainless Works. Stainless Works manufacturers everything from header collector diamonds to mufflers, hangers, bends, bolt-on exhaust systems ... literally everything! Not only does Stainless Works offer up everything from A to Z, but they take the necessary steps to offer only the finest products. As the name implies components are constructed from high-quality stainless steel and they are manufactured using techniques such as mandrel bends, laser cuts, and TIG welding. All in all Stainless Works offers high-quality exhaust pieces to outfit your system in any way, shape, or form.
This dilemma presented itself for Project Get Shorty. The abundance of foreign products nestled below Get Shorty equal the number of obstacles D-list celebrities must overcome on VH1's Celebrity Fit Club! To tackle the beast we ordered a Stainless Works DIY Rod Builder Kit. Stainless Works offers various OD-sized kits, and the option of a butt-weld or slip-fit connection. We chose a 21/2-inch butt-weld kit. The kit comes with all the bends necessary to navigate most any exhaust route. All the tubes are 18-gauge (0.049 wall thicknesses) 304 stainless steel with mil-spec certified USA manufactured tubing. All ends are also OD-sized for easy welding. They also offer various styles of mufflers, including chambered, turbo, round, rap trap, and more. What suited our fancy were the polished Smooth Oval mufflers. The mufflers feature 21/2x41/8-inch bodies with an overall length of 24 inches. They have a unique design that allows users to use one of the two available 21/2-inch exhaust inlets. One of the inlets provides a mellow note while the other gives a more aggressive note. Like the tubing, the mufflers are 304 stainless steel throughout. Completing our system are hangers and tips. Stainless Works offers various styles of hangers and tips to accommodate an individual's "custom" needs. In our case, we ordered several styles of hangers and a set of polished turn-down tips. By the way, Stainless Works can make a set of custom tips for whatever application you desire. Just send them the specs and your wish is their command. Way cool if ya ask us!
Of course what is an exhaust system without a set of headers? Being that Project Get Shorty is just a tad on the low side, we were a bit worried about what could be stuffed between the block and rails. We gave the folks at Doug's Headers a call to see what our options were. As it turned out they offered a set of full-length Tri-Y headers for our application that turned out to be a perfect fit. (They even sent us pictures of the headers installed on a C10 so we could eyeball the ground clearance before ordering!) Like the exhaust, the Doug's headers are manufactured to a tee. The Tri-Y headers feature beefy 3/8-inch flanges with precision TIG-welded ports, 15/8- and 2-inch 16-gauge CNC mandrel bent tubes, 21/2-inch extended header collectors, and are coated in MCTBC polished coating that provides corrosion and heat protection up to 1,400 degrees. Enough chit-chat, we got a lot to cover. Follow along as Star Kustom Shop navigates Get Shorty's exhaust.
