so lets say that you have a mig welder and know how to use it, know how to use a mandrel bender but dont own one, know the basic design of the 5th gen turbo plumbing (thanks to the autocad), and finally have a good bit of money set aside for the project. im looking for some opinions on how long my car will be down, how much money i should actually set aside assuming that it is more than likely going to cost more than i have planned, and where can i rent a mandrel bender or be able to use one for a reasonable amount of money. please consider everything to put together a kit that would be a daily driver once the bugs are worked out.

 

#1 read the stickies

#2 fabbing your own pipes could take 10-100 hrs

The only legit question you asked was where to rent a mandrel bender.

I'd check a local muffler shop and see if they have a mandrel bender or already bent pipes and buy them, scrap pipes work great.

 

it all depends on how fast you can get the work done and if you have planned ahead for all potential problems and if you have all the parts you need when you begin. if you have everything you need, do not run into any major problems, know exactly how your setup is designed and have all measurements ready; you can essentially finish the kit in a couple of days to a week, all depending on how fast you are at working and welding and how much time a day you spend working on your car. considering you dont have everything you need, dont have much time to work or are a slow worker, it could take several months.


how much do you have? 2,000 is basically the average it should cost you for everything you need for the setup considering your car is stock - you can find price run downs in the stickies and in several threads if you research. as for money to be set aside for potential probelms, i would keep at least a couple of hundred just in case, the more you have the better because if you end up being stopped in the middle of your project due to money constraints, you can have it drag along for a very long time. it all depends on how you plan it out.

i have no idea, but mandrel bent pipes arent that expensive in my opinion. instead of wasting money on renting a bender, i would just buy the pre bent pipes. if you rent a bender, you better be positive that you know exactly which and how many pieces to bend before you start, because if you do it on the fly you will be keeping the machine for several days. i would guess a bender would be at least around a hundred dollars a day so that could very well begin to negate and surpass the cost of just buying the pre bent pipes themselves.

 

Bags, have you purchased scrap bends before?

 

"There is no such thing as scrap exhaust tubing." That is what my local exhaust shop told me when I made my intake.

 

ive goten scrap pressure bends from a local midas muffler not to mention a 10ft straight piece and 3in and 2 1/2 for 10$ each and alot of 2 bolt flanges and gaskets

im going to call around to see if anyone in my area has a mandrel bender but if not summit has the best prices i can find on bends. i can get every bend i need for about 120$

 

Yes sir I have and I will be buying them again.

Mandrel bends at that.

Range from 2 inch - 5 inch ID, bends from 10deg -180 deg, legs from 3 inches - 3 ft

 

How much cheaper is it? Man I see scrap M bends in the trash bin at the header shop to go to!!

 

Hey Bags...hook a guy up.

 

true...they call it "mistakes" but it's not a scrap piece...just a piece w/ odd angle or some defect in the bend.

 

good that you have a mig and know how to use it.

mandrel bender...unless you're REALLLLL close w/ the guy no shop will lend u a $10K+ bender walking off the street.

whatever time you think you'll need...double it. whatever parts you think you have ready to go...prepare to order more.

 

thanks you guys, you all have been a great amount of help! sorry i didnt read the stickies all that well bags.

 

PM/email me or hit me up in the other forum

 

You saw that box of pipes I had right?


It also depends on material.. they have alum. and alum. steel

Dany, most of these have at least 1 good bend in them. They have several bins you have to sit there and sort through, but if you have the time, it'll save money.