The first part of the Drag'n Wag'n project has been done. MagnaFlow Exhaust built a complete 2 ½ inch dual stainless steel exhaust system using a set of mid-length headers from Hedman Hedders that have been completely ceramic coated By Performance Coatings Inc. The stock exhaust system on project Drag'n Wagon was quite a pitiful sight. The factory rams horn exhaust manifolds aren't too bad when it comes to manifolds, but they are nowhere nearly as efficient as a good set of headers. When we got the headers we decided that we didn't want them to look like ancient tubes after a couple of weeks so we had Performance Coatings in Washington ceramic coat the headers inside and out. The fact that the headers won't rust isn't the only reason we chose the coating. It has been proven time and again that ceramic coatings increase horsepower through more efficient use of the exhaust heat helping to scavenge the cylinders.
The dreadful stock 2-inch single exhaust pipes went from the bottom of the manifolds back to just behind the transmission where they ran into a single 2 ¼ inch diameter pipe in the transmission tunnel. At the rearend, it made a tight turn up over the rear axle and over to the passenger side where it exited just behind the rear wheel. About the only thing the stock exhaust did well was keep everything absolutely quiet. Then again no self-respecting performance enthusiast could stand not hearing the exhaust. The stock stuff was sacrificed to the garbage gods and we turned to MagnaFlow to build something that would sound much better and complement the headers and future plans for Drag'n Wagon. MagnaFlow was nice enough to install the headers for us at the same time they fabricated the exhaust.
The new system is a work of art, especially compared to the factory stuff. The 2 ½ inch stainless tubing was built of mandrel-bent tubing sections for perfect fit and flow. Both pipes exit on the right side behind the rear wheel to keep it clean and
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cool. MagnaFlow then installed a set of their 3-inch diameter polished stainless tips to finish of the look. The exhaust doesn't have a crossover in it yet for a couple of reasons. One is the transmission install; it will be much easier to install a different transmission in the car with out a crossover in the way. Second, we will be able to show what a good X-pipe crossover can do for the powerband and horsepower on a performance engine.
Immediately upon startup, the wagon took on a different character. For one, you could actually hear the exhaust! It wasn't loud or obnoxious, but pleasant and mellow even cruising. We just had to get on the dyno, but we were told by Performance Coatings that it was a no-no to do so with newly coated headers. It seems that the coating needs a few heat cycles to build up strength and flaking resistance. A good run on the dyno and the instant high heat can cause the ceramic to pop off in chunks. So we drove it for a couple of days to put it through a few heat cycles.
Later that same week we got on the dyno at MagnaFlow to see what happened to the numbers. We not only made more horsepower and torque but we made a whole @#*!bag of it! When Drag'n Wagon was dropped off at MagnaFlow it was baselined on the dyno first thing for a starting point. The wagon's old engine managed to belt out an anemic 255 lbs/ft of torque at 2,900 rpm and (stand back now) 162 hp at a screaming 3,800 rpm. We think it was screaming, but we couldn't here the exhaust over the sound of the Quadrajet carb. After driving Drag'n Wag'n for a couple of days, Brain knew we were making more power, stating that he could now out run the little old lady in his neighborhood on her three-wheel bicycle! Back on the dyno, the car now put 263 lbs/ft of torque to the rollers at 3,000 rpm, and 198 hp at 4,600 rpm. That's a total of 36 hp comparing maximum to maximum numbers, but what about the curve? Well, even at the old rpm level the new exhaust still made a tick over 180 hp. That's still 22 hp. The maximum torque numbers after the peak were also much higher. Just take a look at the dyno comparison chart.
Though SpeedBrian, as he has come to be known, was reluctant at first to our meddling, hot rodding ways, he's tickled pink with the results so far, and is even to the point of begging us to keep going. So, while you're reading this, we're installing the ignition and getting ready to get further into the engine. Stay tuned and see if we can make this thing a screamer that even a family-man surfer would love.
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