Hi guys I'm finally getting back into building cars again and unfortunately most of the people I knew are either dead or retired. I'm trying to get an exhaust put on my 55 Buick, I'm just going with the stock single exhaust with a y-pipe. That decision is mostly because of the frame design and where the power brake booster is. I can't reuse anything because it has the factory exhaust on it and its literally crumbling. I used to use Meineke and most of the Meineke I called said they don't even have an exhaust Bender anymore they order Walker parts and install them . Then I started just calling random muffler shops and I'm getting quotes between 500 and 600 bucks for a crush bent aluminumized exhaust. Have I just got the wrong places or is this the norm now? I'm bringing the gaskets that go from the manifolds to the pipes because Buick uses a weird one and I'm bringing my own Muffler because I want Smitty's on it. Is there someone you guys can recommend? I'm in north NJ but I have a tow dolly and I'll drag it 2 hours away to save a buck. I remember paying between $200 and $350 for a dual exhaust up until about 8 years ago and they provided everything.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...g-and-routing-exhaust-mandrel-u-bends.993838/ i've done my own on my last 3 projects. the first one was kinda hacky , but after reading the above linky the other 2 turned out really good.
I have a guy here that has done my cars for over 15yrs. Does everything, front to back, from collector or exhaust manifold flange out to the rear, in the factory dual exhaust location. Currently at $650-$700, parts and labor. Denver prices.
Everything is up. In case you have been napping, or in prison for the last decade. You are lucky to have someone near who can do it an get the parts.
Realistically, let's suppose you find a slightly cheaper shop 75 miles away. The Feds pay $.665 per mile for a car, so probably $.90 for a tuck and tow. That's $135. Plus your time. And the risk some idiot won't plow into you. Plus, what if something isn't right and you have to go back? You might just find a good shop at home with someone who knows what they are doing and negotiate a per hour rate.
What do you mean .665 a mile? I'm wiling to travel because I want to go to someone competent, but at the same time I want them to understand that my Buick is a rough project car not a $80,000 show car. I feel like they raise the price over the phone when they hear you have a classic of some kind. I feel like people think im trying to he cheap but it's not the case I just started calling around expecting to spend around $300 and got blown away with 5 and $600 estimates. The only reason I stopped going to the guys I used to use is because I opened my own shop and I used to do exhausts there, the cards were fairly accurate. The last one I did was a 56 Ford and it only took me about 2 hours to do it. Pipe was like $25 @ length and it wasn't bad. This was in 2009.
This outfit will make and send you a custom bent exhaust system but the prices are right there with what you have been quoted. 1953-59 Buick Full Size – Waldron's Exhaust (waldronexhaust.com) Big problem if you are in a hurry is that they are about 8 weeks out in the take a number and get in line thing. If it is like anything else the shops aren't making any bigger percentage profit wise than they did when the systems were 250/300 costs have just gone up that much in the past couple of years.
Hell it cost me close to that and I built it myself. If I could find a shop that would bend up a custom exhaust for $500 I’d be their best customer.
Just for grins, find the new cost of a 300 dollar part in ‘09 and compare it to todays price. The last few years have also increased cost for darn near everything as well. Yes I pass on “deals” because I’m living with a mindset “can’t cost, be worth that much now”.
66.5 cents per mile is the federal reimbursement mileage rate. I used to buy Campbell's Tomato Soup for 10 cents a can. Now it is $1.79 a can and I don't even have a cents symbol on my keyboard.
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