Building a hot rod is, for the most part, a heck of a lot of fun. Their assembly and the fabrication and installation of their countless components being almost therapeutic-sort of insulating us from the day-to-day drudgery we face in our quest to make a regular living.
Open header looks with all the benefits of a mellow exhaust note-could a hot rodder ask for more? I don't think so! Car Chemistry's insert kits are a great alternative to a full exhaust system in many cases.
Unfortunately, the diminutive size of most pre-'40s vehicles makes planning a build an important aspect, especially when working on vehicles like As and Ts. For those of us who sometimes don't plan out a build as thoroughly as we should (a frequent shortfall of mine, by the way), building the aforementioned models is sometimes like stuffing 10 pounds of parts into a 5-pound bag-there's sometimes just too little space to fit it all in a cohesive manner. One near final portion of those components we try and fit between those narrow framerails is an exhaust system. We usually do get 'em in there and under there, but many times we have to reconfigure the initial placement of some parts and oftentimes live with the added heat-related problems created by stuffing those pipes and mufflers in such close proximity to floors, master cylinders, and fuel/trans cooler lines.
In the past, I'd spent precious garage time scratching my head and trying to figure out how I was going to go about fashioning an exhaust system (or even running a full system at all) on a couple of traditional-style projects I'd been constructing. Fortunately, I came across a neat line of products manufactured by Car Chemistry. The company manufactures a good-sized selection of muffler/baffle kits designed for use in lakes-style headers (or even exhaust pipes for those who wish to run a full-length system less the bulky mufflers). This product line allows builders a perfect alternative to stuffing a full system under a small hot rod.
The Car Chemistry Insert Kit looks really simple but it's the result of a ton of R&D and dyno testing-they not only quiet down the exhaust note but do so without compromising performance. (Car Chemistry actually specializes in muffling systems for race cars and motorcycles where their technology not only cuts noise levels but enhances performance as well.) Though, in my case, and perhaps most cases, powering a 1,500-pound or so hot rod to exhilarating velocities is usually not a problem-the problem is lookin' cool while doin' it.
My first experience with Car Chemistry baffles were in a flathead-powered A roadster I was throwing together. The roadster was equipped with a set of Speedway Motors lakes-style headers and had very little room for a full undercar exhaust system to connect them to. That's when I saw my first Car Chemistry ad-liked what I saw and placed an order. A few days later my package arrived and when I had the product in hand I was actually more impressed than I thought I'd be-it's a well-made, easy-to-assemble system that I think will be a great alternative to a full system. Plus, I love the idea of my exhaust blasting out of the megaphones at the cowl while still being able to carry on a conversation with a passenger.
Assembling the Car Chemistry inserts kit was a snap and took less than two hours from start to finish. And with a genuinely affordable retail price, I not only saved a bunch of time but a lot of cash as well. So take a look-you may well discover that the way I solved my exhaust system dilemma will work for you too!
