We're working on a '66 Mustang restomod project that has been slowly creeping along for a decade. How does a project, begun in earnest, take so long? There have been challenges most of us can relate to, including a career change and other time consuming projects that had the Mustang spending time in a body shop collecting dust. When Virginia Classic Mustang sent us a pair of Flowmaster Series 50 Delta Flow mufflers to try out on this Mustang, it changed our attitude because we knew Flowmasters would give our floundering Mustang project that extra enthusiasm it needed to get to the finish line.1 We're starting with Patriot...
1 We're starting with Patriot shorty ceramic-coated headers from the fine folks at PerTronix. Sergio's Muffler will take the Patriot collectors and enlarge them to work with our 2 1/4-inch pipes and mufflers.
We've decided to go with a custom dual exhaust system because the car's owner, Gary Mattson, wanted unique exhaust tips instead of the traditional factory trumpets, which called for specialized exhaust fabrication work. We don't know where Gary sourced his tips, but they look terrific through the car's GT valance, although it was challenging to get these good-looking tips to fit both the tailpipes and valance at the same time.
Sergio's Muffler in Palmdale, California, did the pipe bending and installation for our custom dual exhaust project, which brings us to an important point. Search carefully for a muffler shop because good ones are hard to find. You want a muffler shop that's attentive to detail, and one that won't argue with you if you're not pleased with their work. We've learned this one the hard way in Los Angeles and suspect it's the same way across the country. Just about anyone with a welder and hydraulic pipe bender can hang up a shingle and call themselves a muffler shop, which is why you must shop reputation and word of mouth before putting your money down.
 2 Virginia Classic Mustang...  2 Virginia Classic Mustang provided us with exhaust system hardware, including factory exhaust hangers. This makes for easy installation once the pipes are bent and welded together. We modified our hangers so they were adjustable for just about any kind of muffler. In this case, we're going with conventional clamps tied to modified hangers. |  3 Sergio's Muffler enlarged...  3 Sergio's Muffler enlarged our Patriot collectors... |  4 ...to fit 2 1/4-inch p...  4 ...to fit 2 1/4-inch pipe. |
 5 Like most muffler shops,...  5 Like most muffler shops, Sergio's Muffler uses wire to establish pipe path and bend. |  6 We're doing the exhaust...  6 We're doing the exhaust pipes from the headers first. |  7 Several trips back to the...  7 Several trips back to the Mustang were required to get the bends where we need them. |
 8 Both sides are bent to...  8 Both sides are bent to fit, then fitted for welding. |  9 Once the exhaust pipes...  9 Once the exhaust pipes are fitted to the collectors, they're MIG-welded in place. Sergio's tack welds first to establish a solid fit, then welds a bead for 360 degrees. |  10 When the entire exhaust...  10 When the entire exhaust system is installed, we will install a balance tube between both header pipes to create an H-pipe. |