McDork’s 1998 Coupe JH4NA2131WT000070 listed as “Zanardi Prototype” in the wiki

[cmc140]

I hate you right now.:biggrin:

Nah, I know you still love me. :smile:
Well maybe not after what I contemplating....

So, I knew going into this that I might not be totally in love with the tips. Didn't think about them being titanium until well after I ordered it. (Thanks Jack)
Perhaps, they look better with an 02+ rear valance, but imo not so much with the pre 02 I'm rocking.

I'd like to have the tips cut at a different angle that it closer to what the factory exhaust has. Has anyone ever attempted to ruin a brand new titanium exhaust or will I be the first? I'm smart enough to know the smart move is to leave it alone. Unfortunately, I'm normally not smart enough to make smart moves.
I'd really appreciate if anyone has any advise on cutting titanium. Is it even possible to have the tips cut without fubaring this thing?

Here's how it looks and I just don't like the angle






This is more what I'd like to see


Guess I need to get the trans polished up a bit too. I'd like to actually hire someone to detail the crap out of this thing when I'm done.

 

[B2FiNiTY]

Rather than cut it up, I think you should just sell me the exhaust and get another one that will be suit your tastes

 

[cmc140]

Thanks Mike!

Rather than cut it up, I think you should just sell me the exhaust and get another one that will be suit your tastes

Too late! :smile:

So, on the advice of [MENTION=30599]prym8[/MENTION] I decided to try and find a local bicycle builder that works with titanium to cut the tips of this exhaust. Google turned up Roark Titanium Bicycles located in Brownsburg, IN. I sent them an email with the expectation of no reply or no we don’t want to have anything to do with that thing Mr. McCrazy. Well, to my surprise, not only was my email returned, I was put in touch with their frame fabricator Mike. We spoke on the phone and he thought it’d be better not to bring it to their shop, but instead he’d come out to my house and cut it free hand.
Mike showed up last evening and we attempted to make a template, but nothing I had laying around seemed to work. We made a quick run to the hardware store after getting some measurements and picked up some 4” pvc pipe, which fit over the pipes perfectly. My neighbor lent me his chop saw and we made a few cuts until we got the angle just right. Then Mike scribed the tips with the template and then went to town cutting, grinding, and doing a final smoothing. Well, I couldn’t be happier. What a great guy and what an incredible job. We added roughly 20 degrees of angle, but it fits the car perfectly now, well to me at least. So, thanks again Mike and also Kevin at Roark for not deleting my email.







A few years ago a guy [MENTION=28754]ProOnThaSnow[/MENTION] posted on prime when getting gas in Brownsburg he noticed multiple cracked wheel spokes on a newly acquired NSX that he was driving from OH to MT.
http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php/174082-in-need-of-factory-1997-rear-wheel-asap
It was a rainy Friday night, I wasn’t doing anything, and I believe my kids were in bed. I had a set of fat fives in my attic with decent tires and thought; damn if I were ever in that kind of a predicament I’d hope someone would help me out. So, I contacted him and it turned out his car was a ’92 that had the newer style wheels, but the fat fives would fit over the brakes. Without hesitation I loaded up the truck with my aluminum floor jack, good lug/torque wrench, and two rear wheels so at least the rear tires would match. When I arrived in Brownsburg we changed the rear wheels in no time flat because the weather was horrible and then I was on my way. A week later the wheels showed up at my house as promised and he also sent me a very nice thankyou card which wasn’t necessary.
For some odd reason today I was thinking maybe karma is regional because I feel like Mike was my distribution from Brownsburg. There’s not much I enjoy more than working on cars, but the incredibly kind and talented people I meet along the way definitely qualifies as one of them.

 

[.J.]

That is exactly what the system needed. The definition of a "necessary mod." Great decision and I respect the guts necessary in cutting in to such an expensive part.

J.

 

[Hass]

Nice of you to help out the stranded owner, things work in mysterious ways.

 

[Procar Specials]

Nice, nice, nice.

Is that the Fujitsubo Super Ti Exhaust Muffler ?
I remember that I had one with 10.8 kg weight.

Why you decided to go that way?
What you think about the Taitec GTLW?

 

[Jinks]

Now you have a custom fujitsubo. I like the slanted cut better in my opinion. I bet that was nerve-racking though.

 

[cmc140]

That is exactly what the system needed. The definition of a "necessary mod." Great decision and I respect the guts necessary in cutting in to such an expensive part.

J.

Thank you very much I appreciate that.

 

[cmc140]

Nice, nice, nice.

Is that the Fujitsubo Super Ti Exhaust Muffler ?
I remember that I had one with 10.8 kg weight.

Why you decided to go that way?
What you think about the Taitec GTLW?

Hi Detlef yes its the Fujitsubo Super Ti Exhaust.
My decision was I wanted something light weight and zero drone / fairly quiet. I probably would have been just as happy with a Comptech, but figured I'd try something new.

 

[cmc140]

Now you have a custom fujitsubo. I like the slanted cut better in my opinion. I bet that was nerve-racking though.

Thanks AJ. It was a little scary before we got the pvc pipe for a template.
Once we had that I knew what we had a perfect template. Mike was one of those guys that you can tell knows exactly what he's doing. He had a quiet confidence and I figured who on the planet would go out of their way if they didn't know what they are doing? I'll get better pictures once it's off the lift, but you can't tell it was done by hand. He really did an incredibly good job.

Yesterday I cleaned up the splatter inside the tips and installed it. I had an issue with the front headlights that has finally been resolved thanks to [MENTION=29243]white98sh[/MENTION] and my neighbor Bob.
Then, my daughter helped me bleed the brakes and clutch. I'm closing in on being ready to start it and feel like it's starting to come together.

 

[docjohn]

The slant cut now matches the curve of the rear valence....I can see why you did it.

 

[BTL3.0]

Can not wait to hear this exhaust in person.. Great progress, Chris.

 

[Jim]

Should have just bought an ARC :biggrin:

 

[Sportsmind4me]

That's awesome that you found a bicycle frame builder to take the exhaust project on. They are generally really cool and have great skill and passion for what they do.

 

[cmc140]

Nice of you to help out the stranded owner, things work in mysterious ways.

Sorry, I missed you on this. Thank you, I cound't agree more.

The slant cut now matches the curve of the rear valence....I can see why you did it.

It definitely makes it less noticable, which is how I like my mods.

Can not wait to hear this exhaust in person.. Great progress, Chris.

That makes two of us.

Should have just bought an ARC :biggrin:

Ya know I've been looking for a while for a titanium exhaust and almost bought one from skafia last year. Then I had an unexpected career detour and have been looking around. I decided it was worth the couple of extra bucks to buy new and ordered this thing. The week after there was an arc on ebay. Anyhow, I'm really happy with it asthetically now. Hopefully, it delivers in all of the other areas.
Your setup looks great!

That's awesome that you found a bicycle frame builder to take the exhaust project on. They are generally really cool and have great skill and passion for what they do.

Mike was definitely the right guy for the job and I'm happy he was willing to help me out. He was definitely a great person, with great talent, and super passionate about his craft. I'm not a bicycle guy, but I'm sure he makes some incredibly nice ones. He was totally into the project too because when he was finished he wanted to install it and take a look and he certainly didn't think it was time wasted. In fact I think he was about as pleased with it as I was.:smile: Heck, I had to make him take some $ for his time and really can't say enough nice things about him.

 

[ProOnThaSnow]

I still tell the story of you rescuing my ass all the time when I am talking about "car guys" and the community that surrounds automotive enthusiasts. Thanks again for that, I was in quite the pickle when I posted that, especially due back to work (In North Dakota) a day and a half later. You were a true lifesaver that day and helping me change the wheels in a torrential downpour spoke highly of the community of people I had just joined.

 

[skafia]

I think you made a great choice, your exhaust looks amazing. Let me know if you ever decide to sell

Sorry, I missed you on this. Thank you, I cound't agree more.


It definitely makes it less noticable, which is how I like my mods.


That makes two of us.


Ya know I've been looking for a while for a titanium exhaust and almost bought one from skafia last year. Then I had an unexpected career detour and have been looking around. I decided it was worth the couple of extra bucks to buy new and ordered this thing. The week after there was an arc on ebay. Anyhow, I'm really happy with it asthetically now. Hopefully, it delivers in all of the other areas.
Your setup looks great!


Mike was definitely the right guy for the job and I'm happy he was willing to help me out. He was definitely a great person, with great talent, and super passionate about his craft. I'm not a bicycle guy, but I'm sure he makes some incredibly nice ones. He was totally into the project too because when he was finished he wanted to install it and take a look and he certainly didn't think it was time wasted. In fact I think he was about as pleased with it as I was.:smile: Heck, I had to make him take some $ for his time and really can't say enough nice things about him.

 

[cmc140]

I still tell the story of you rescuing my ass all the time when I am talking about "car guys" and the community that surrounds automotive enthusiasts. Thanks again for that, I was in quite the pickle when I posted that, especially due back to work (In North Dakota) a day and a half later. You were a true lifesaver that day and helping me change the wheels in a torrential downpour spoke highly of the community of people I had just joined.

:smile: Good to hear from you! You're most welcome and I'm glad everything worked out. Hopefully, you're still enjoying your car.
The wheels are still in the packaging from you, now back in the attic. lol

 

[cmc140]

I think you made a great choice, your exhaust looks amazing. Let me know if you ever decide to sell

Thanks, I don't think I'm going to be ready to sell it anytime soon. This weekend I got the car started and I think that I'm really gong to like this exhaust.

 

[BTL3.0]

I demand sound clips Mr. mcool. Right now. :tongue:

 

[cmc140]

I demand sound clips Mr. mcool. Right now. :tongue:

This probably isn't the best, but here it goes. The car was warmed up prior to the video. There's so much paint and powder coat and whatnot burning off the thing smells like a chemical fire.
That's why I'm wearing the respirator. Also, the seats aren't in yet. I'm short, but not that damn short! :smile:

<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/203158577" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/203158577">00131</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user30770714">Chr Is</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

 

[cmc140]

Oh and the pinging once I turned it off totally freaked me out. haha

 

[BTL3.0]

Holy cow, that sounds nice. Very nice..was that Curly, from the three stooges, at the end of the clip? Lol

 

[cmc140]

Holy cow, that sounds nice. Very nice..was that Curly, from the three stooges, at the end of the clip? Lol

It wasn't Curly, but it was definitely a stooge. :wink:

 

[cmc140]

Did quite a bit of work this weekend. Most of the interior is in and I can drive it now.
Have to troubleshoot the TCS error, which I'm guessing is due to the abs upgrade. So, that should be not fun. Also, have to get a few things back from the painter.
I ordered a new tail light garnish and the lettering inside was crooked. So thanks to Dan at acurapartsforless the replacement should be here tomorrow.