The original exhaust system was unusable, so I needed to fabricate a new one from scratch. For simplicity and low-budget, it's made from AutoZone slip-fitting exhaust sections, welded together at most of the seams, and attached to the original VW collector.
I left one joint unwelded in the center of the pipe, so that I can experiment with different muffler and catalytic converters at a later date. For now, it will simply be a 1.75" unmuffled straight pipe.
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| VW Exhaust Collector |
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| Down Pipe |
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| Mocking up the system |
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| Welding the exhaust seams. |
The original engine in this truck was a V6, which used a pair of O2 sensors (one per bank). Rather than weld an extra sensor bung to the downpipe, I spliced a single sensor to provide electrical outputs to the pair of connectors.
After assembly and paint, I attached the rear of the exhaust to a hanger with a rubber isolator. I left this portion adjustable, to facilitate future exhaust upgrades.
