NA mid pipe

[fishbone79]

I searched around, but didn't find anything terribly useful... My exhaust will not last another winter, so I'm replacing most of it.

I had welded up a mid-pipe a few years back, but it's dead now... I was wondering what mid-pipes would fit the NA (since I pass emissions fine without the second cat, theres no need for it). Would one of these guys work (size and fitment wise)?

96-97 mid pipe

A magnaflow OEM style mid-pipe with the little cat in it costs ~$190... (e.g., first gen mid pipe) but since It's not really necessary, I'm looking for something cheaper and bolt-on.

Of course, if someone around here had a used one that was in good shape, I'd just assume buy that.

[mike-tracy]

Where's armpit, USA?

[fishbone79]

Haha, sorry... I thought NJ was universally understood as the armpit of the U.S. I am here because it's where the jobs are.

[206er]

love your ford project!
I think your best bet would be to find a cheap wrx stock cat back. quiet, oem quality stainless steel, decent flow for na motor, cheap. you do have to mod the hangers. you should be able to find the whole catback for $50 or less and have an exhaust shop do the install for pretty cheap since its just hangers. I think you could get it in there for under $100. if you dont want the cat just knock it out.

[mike-tracy]

Learn something new every day. The only time I've spent on the east coast was in the Bangor airport in Maine, and a road-trip vacation to Florida as a child. Station wagons with rear facing seats rule as a kid!

[fishbone79]

I think your best bet would be to find a cheap wrx stock cat back. quiet, oem quality stainless steel, decent flow for na motor, cheap. you do have to mod the hangers. you should be able to find the whole catback for $50 or less and have an exhaust shop do the install for pretty cheap since its just hangers. I think you could get it in there for under $100. if you dont want the cat just knock it out.

Yeah, that really isn't a bad idea. Do I need the the legacy's front mid-pipe (the little guy just behind the header pipe/cat)? Will it bolt right up without diameter issues? I know I can look all this up, but it sounds like you might just know

I had a 'custom' exhaust on there when I had access to a bender, but it was waaaay too loud. I put stock back on, and replaced the axleback+muffler last year. I just purchased new stainless headers, so really all I need right now are the middle two sections. Would the wrx midpipe work alright in there, or do I have to lengthen it to mate it up with the tailpiece?

love your ford project!

Thanks! I need to update that album... Lots has been done to it since then, and webshots sucks.

[206er]

I dont know. before I put a wrx exhaust on my old wagon I had cut the end off the cat, hammered the hole till it was round and welded a piece of 2.5" pipe onto it. was just trying to maximize flow with the crappy stock header which was not really a good idea in retrospect. when I did the wrx exhaust I just cut the flange off of the wrx pipe and welded a nice stainless flex joint that I got from my friends junkyard out of some toyota suv. that made it long enough to join up to my custom header thing. it was all built by eyeball and scribing so i have no idea about any measurements or anything.
I never used a bender I just got a U bend. one U bend goes a long way. I think you could build a complete catback out of a U bend or two and maybe 5' of straight pipe. it's a lot of work to build an exhaust though especially without a lift. Im not eager to do it again.