Tackling Sue’s Exhaust?

Hello. Are you a mechanic/welder/exhaust specialist that I have asked to possibly rebuild my car’s (Sue’s) exhaust? Well, if so, here are some pictures just in case you don’t realize exactly what you are getting into.

I assume the heat shield has never been removed. Ideally I would like to have a custom header put on, instead of just a manifold. And I would like the heat shield eliminated. It’s ugly!

This is a bottom view of the down pipe from the manifold. The first few years of Sue’s life she was driven in upstate New York in the snow, slush, and salt. At least 16 years of rust has accumulated on top of the rust from the northern salt.

This is a view from the front of the car facing the rear, towards where the catalytic converter WOULD be…

Instead of a cat, there is an 18” steel pipe. Three bored, about-to-graduate college students were not kind to the catalytic converter. The rusted bolts pretty much disintegrated when removed, the rest were removed with an angle grinder. The cat is on Sue’s back seat.

You will want to rotate your head 180 degrees to see this picture. It’s not very useful but eh. Sometimes the best things in life aren’t useful. And, the piece de resistance (piece of resistance):

The muffler! Where IS it? Gone. That’s where. The “tail pipe” can be seen in the bottom of the picture, and a space for the muffler is clearly visible, along with some mounting holes. It fell off the car about two and a half years ago and Sue never looked back.

If you are still interested, and the price is right, please feel free to rebuild Sue’s exhaust, from the engine block to the tailpipe.