Exhaust system advice
 

Looks like I need to get a new exhaust for my 85 GSL. Really don't want to replace the stock headers, as they are fine, but need everything back from the headers. What systems can I get that will bolt up to the stock headers? I was looking at the racing pipe from RX7.COM and just leaving the cat's out entirely (I'm not worried about it passing inspection) but was wondering if it would be extremely loud using that pipe. Also, if I do go with the racing pipe, what do I do with the 2 air pipes that previously connected to the cat's? Where is a good source to get the connecting pipe? Any other options you all can recommend?

If you're looking for advice....quick, easy, and effective answer...Racing Beat.
I know you want to keep the stock manifold, but if you deciede to upgrade later you'll be spending money twice.
Short of that, go to a muffler shop that does fab work and have it custom made. Don't let them use standard pipe...you won't like it. Also don't skimp on the muffler. Do your research as this subject has been covered many times, but you'll blow through most mufflers (many will tell you Racing Beat is the only choice).
Racing Beat makes products that bolt right up and it's proven they'll last.....you wouldn't be the first to cobble together a system.....some have worked....many have failed.

Good luck and welcome.

race pipes are loud ,presilencer all the way

So i ended up keeping the stock headers and went with the bonez race pipe with a racing beat muffler. Not too loud at all as the race pipe does have a resonator in it and i think the combination of that with the racing beat muffler has a great sound to it.

Ran that same setup on the street for a while. Good power, just too quiet.

I have this exact pipe coming in the mail now for my 83. I will be keeping the stock muffler. I will let you know what I think.

Here is what mine sounds like at idle in the garage (choke on, running at 1000 rpm) with the cats replaced by a bonez pipe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5dlZw4Rswc

I have run many different setups over the past year.

Stock exhaust (with cats and all)
Stock manifold/muffler with gutted cats
Stock manifold/muffler with straight pipe
Header-straight pipe-stock muffler (Loud and sounds like a dirtbike)
Header-presilencer-stock muffler (acceptable)
Header-presilencer-RB muffler (WAY too quiet)
Header-straight pipe-RB muffler (Sounds good but still too quiet.

If I could do it all over again I would do the RB road race setup with no presilencers.

I have the road race exhaust on my supercharged fb, and having several different experiences as well I love the road race exhaust. My 83 is just a stock 12a daily driver that i want to maintain as original as possible, hence the bonez pipe (plus the rest of the exhaust was perfect).

Hey 84stock, is that the stock tail pipe? It looks different than mine. How loud is your system with just the bonez pipe compared to the stock exhaust? Also, does anyone have any videos of the bonez racing pipe + rb muffler combo?

Took it for a spin, sounds great, not loud at all. Better midrange and pulls better past 6000 too. You get the traditional little backfire on the shift too.

All I can say is I am very pleased, great improvement for $100.00, sure I would like the rb $1,000.00 streetport exhaust better, but that's another $900 and this car stays close to original.

All original exhaust still on the car right down to the original factory heat shielding on all of it, and all in great shape.

I forgot to add, absolutely excellent quality product, heavy gauge pipe and perfect fit as well! A happy customer here...

I will try to get a video of my car up tonight with the bonez race pipe/rb muffler combo.

Yeah I have an RB header with a pipe i welded with flanges to replace the cats and bolt to the stock midpipe, followed by an RB muffler. Does the road race system make a big difference in performance due to the extra flow? I mostly want the extra noise of one, mine sounds great but it's too quiet. I thought it would be noisier because I had the same setup with a stock muffler and it was pretty noisy..

I like keeping things stock besides exhaust and suspension.

The engine and porting have a big influence. Put my supercharged 13b against a Stockport 12a with the same exhaust and the sound will be different.

Those RB SP exhaust setups are built so well I was able to pick up a used one for
around $400.00. Much better than the RE setup I had and the later collected design
seems to run a lot better. All I did was wire wheel it and paint it with the tried and
true BBQ black paint and bolt up the headers, exhaust and muffler and adjust the
hangers a bit. Went on with no fuss. Even has 2 sensor bungs welded on the rear
pipes before collection so I could run a dual AFR meter if I wanted. The guy that had
it before me was a racer and added those.

Almost sounds stock at idle but really sounds good at WOT especially with a Dell
adding to the din.

If you want a bolt on performance exhaust, RB is your best answer. If you can fab it
up, then by all means do so. Just some folks don't want to cut and weld and
experiment on the exhaust setup.

I can do one better, got my road race exhaust at pick-n-pull for $75. had to sell the 12a header off it and buy a 13b one though.

I betcha it looked like new once you repainted it and put it on the car too!

These things are bullet proof, heavy and well made. Not as heavy as the stock
system but heavier than most anything out there.

My 85 GSL with Bonez race pipe and RB muffler:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TbeqTPvHFI

Pretty similar to mine, nice...

I'm not sure how I like the sound of that bonez pipe on there. It just sounds a little.... weird. Maybe that's just the videos though. How would you say it sounded compared to stock with the pipe on there?

I can't really compare to stock, because my stock exhaust was pretty rusted and leaking bad when I got the car. That's why I had to put something else on.