I have searched and found what I thought was pretty conclusive evidence that the V8 exhaust tips come off by grinding out the small spot weld under the chrome tail pipe cover. That said, I ordered some tips and took it took it to a shop to have them remove the welds and add a short extension to the outside pipes so I could fit them, but the technician says the chrome covers look like they may be welded in several spots and is afraid to touch it in case he cant get the cover off without damaging the pipes (The inside pipes on the V8 have a wicked bend and are very short - not enough room to cut and make new ones). Believing in what I read on the board, I brought it home and commenced to grinding out the weld - I have about a dime shaped hole all the way through the chrome cover and that thing has not budged. Some people said they had theirs removed, re-coated and put back on, but I cant imagine how. If anyone can provide some insight and I will offer a small/insignificant reward for photographic evidence of removal or approximate location, techniques etc. I would be eternally grateful. Please do not provide photos a finished exhaust or tips already replaced by your own shop, that is not helpful. thank you all; just trying to avoid wasting more time.

 

I have seen several people that have done a tip swap and others that had the factory tips removed, coated, and replaced - I have now been to two shops and both say the tips are welded all around and on the bottom and they don't want to risk damaging the muffler/exhaust system or the car. Super frustrating because I know people have done it, but I don't have any details other than seeing the finished product and can't find a shop willing to do it. I know people say "take a good high-end custom shop" but if there isn't one, kind of hard to do that. Hoping someone who had it done will respond. Thanks.

 

Nobody? Huh, I was waiting to see if you'd get a response as I was curious. I'd like mine to not be so shiny since I have the black pack. I'll probably just clean them really well, mask off the surrounding area, and spray them with the high temp exhaust ceramic paint. I did it on my motorcycle and it turned out well and lasted several years.

 

exactly my thought....I had custom black/carbon fiber ones built but the shop that said they could - then said they couldn't. I was sincerely hoping I would get some feedback. Painting Black is an option, but I have worked around cars for a long time and find it hard to believe nobody can do it. I understand the Midas-like places, they don't want the liability and or to do non-oem work - but I literally got a call this morning saying that the guy talked to the owner and the car is too expensive to work on. Make no mistake, I will get it done - with forum help or not! I will also share everything I can for others.

 

My shop cut the originals and added a sleeve to fit the new tips.

 

The muffler is easy to remove. Just remove the valence first and then pull out the muffler after loosening the clamps just upstream and disconnecting the hangers. Shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes to do this. Once the muffler is removed, any good muffler shop (not a franchise) should be able to cut off the old tips and weld the new ones on. I can see why no one wants to do this with the muffler still on the car.

 

Agreed, I’m always hesitant about telling a shop how to do their work, but I already removed the lower diffuser and I’m going to recommend they take the rear exhaust section off to R/R. I found a shop that was actually near my house who has been in business 25 years. They aren’t exhaust specialist but do a lot of custom work and almost everything in there was high end (rover, Lexus etc). They were also booked steady for the next 3 weeks which I thought was a good sign. They do stereo, interior, exterior, electronics and basically anything except paint. Not the cheapest hourly rate, but if it’s all done right, I’m good with that!

 

Why do you have to remove the tips to have black ones?

I did mine in situ:



I used high temp heat shrink (non glue lined of course) works a treat. Gives a satin black finish.

You can also tell which 'mode' I always run the car in, check out the cleaner, inner pipes!

 

thanks, and yes, I have likely seen all available threads with the various coating and painting options, but I wanted a different look than that.

 

Great idea can you share where you purchased this?

 

Sure - I used Heatshrink online.

Chose 3m x 102mm / 4" Diameter Black Heat Shrink.

It takes a lot of patience to get the end cut right, but with a steady hand and a surgical scalpel. Th end result is very good, especially if you use a trim cleaner to deepen the black.

 

Great solution and not permanent. A talented person could even cutout a design like a leaper, growler or R in the heatshrink.
Any melting or discoloration after spirited driving ?

 

Touch wood, the heat shrink has stayed exactly as the day I put it on, even after the intense heat from a good 'drive'.
It might wilt during a track day though?

 

The muffler comes off without cutting any pipes? I was told you would have to do some cutting to take off the muffler?

 

Wrong!
2 clamps and 4 hangers need to be unbolted. Also a bunch of screws to first remove the plastic valence. 20 minute job.

 

Indeed, removing the rear section is similar in most cars; usually requires a few bolts and sliding the muffler assembly off the ribber hangers. I already removed the valence so I could have the work evaluated by a couple shops. I also have measurements of where the tips come out and and the amount of staggering between in the inside and outside; I plan to request they remove the muffler and make a template so that any new plumbing will allow the tips be placed in the exact range/proportion to the factory tips. I will then paint the inside and outside of the pipes (as I have the bottom of the muffler) so the black tips flow visually and don't look like an amateur hack job when examined closely. Nothing worse than hearing someone grab about custom work/modifications only to see shoddy work.

 

Suggestion: It will be much easier to just unbolt the hangers than to try to slip those rubber donuts off.

 

Removal of the rear section is definitely easier, but the bottom spot welds are not the only thing holding the tips on. They are welded all around in multiple places - Way over engineered, but if you’re not afraid to break a few eggs, it can be done and done well. I spent the time to file everything down and painted all the visible areas in ceramic gloss black so that it looks good even when the sun hits it and you can see behind the heat shield and valence or when looking straight into the tips. I would also recommend taking measurements of spacing and tip distance if you want the new ones to be in the same position as factory, I love custom stuff, but I like doing it so that it looks like it could have came that way - I’ve seen a lot of hack jobs especially with exhaust tips. Even when I cut, I made sure the same cuts were made on all pieces and that they were straight - little things make all the difference. The new ones are also slightly larger diameter and seem to “fill out” the opening s better without looking cartoonish.

 

Looks awesome, are the outer sleeves real CF ?
Did this change the sound ?
More pics please

 

Double post