Homemade Kooks side exhaust

[Black Moon]

For anyone wanting a low cost alternative for their stock exhaust check out the sound of the Kooks systems:

Kookscustomerheader.com - Collections

I finally got around to making a custom set of mufflers incorporating Kooks mufflers and stock secondary cats. I was unhappy with the Mopar exhaust on the car both in sound and loudness but didn't have the $1500 to buy an aftermarket system.

I purchased the same mufflers that Kooks uses in their systems and clamps for $176. The secondary cats were given to me by a generous VCA member. All I needed was some 3" pipe and a good welder. I also utilized the stock tips which I will change at a later date. I ended up spending $231 for everything.

The system sounds exactly like I was wanting. Not as loud, no drone, not sounding like a truck at idle, quieter while cruising and a higher overall pitch. Back pressure from the cats made no measurable difference on the dyno yesterday. I wish I had a helmet cam like Tweester but for now you'll have to do with the Kooks audio clip. FYI

Sal

The 2 sides aren't 100% identical but installed perfectly.

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[plumcrazy]

Purdy. Good for you!

 

[AbsolutHank]

Impossible Sal! If you didn't pay a few grand, it can't sound good!

 

[neo_rambo]

sound clips?

 

[Black Moon]

Impossible Sal! If you didn't pay a few grand, it can't sound good!

I'm sure you're right and the car will probably blow up now that I've bastardized such a highly technical manufacturing process.

 

[Black Moon]

sound clips?

OP "I wish I had a helmet cam like Tweester but for now you'll have to do with the Kooks audio clip."

Cell phone audio recording sounded terrible. So for now. --------->
Kookscustomerheader.com - Collections

 

[Alabaster Mamba]

Sounds great! Now you need to link that to the post asking about spinouts,

 

[wikkid]

Sal, do you ever drive your car? your always working on that puppy. The exhaust looks nice....

 

[malcoll]

What exhaust tips did you use? I am not sure what year your Viper is....

 

[Black Moon]

Sal, do you ever drive your car? your always working on that puppy. The exhaust looks nice....

No matter how far apart it is it's always back together by the weekend. As long as there is a steering wheel and a driver's seat it goes out on nice days and nights. It was apart for a couple of months this winter while I installed the Paxton, insulated the interior, had the dash painted, polished the intake, changed the wires, ran all the stereo wiring for amps in the trunk and changed the blown rear shocks.

I almost had the wheels re-chromed by HRE which wasn't done because HRE ***** A**. They wanted $1500 to repair the peeling chrome on 3 centers and 1 ring. For anyone considering HRE's THEY **** and SO DOES THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE. Chrome started falling off once the 2 year warranty was over. They had a problem for a couple of years with their chroming process but won't take care of the affected wheels.

Back on topic. I LOVE WORKING ON MY VIPER. It's one of the simplest cars I've ever had and I've had close to 100.

What exhaust tips did you use? I am not sure what year your Viper is....

I used the tips that were on the Mopar exhaust which aren't anything but a 3" angle cut pipe. I want better tips but haven't found any I really like. George from Kooks wouldn't sell me a set of theirs knowing what I was going to use them on. I guess he didn't want me to screw up and tarnish their name which I completely understand. Any 3" tip suggestions would be appreciated.

Car is a 2003.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Black Moon]

Sounds great! Now you need to link that to the post asking about spinouts,

Where is the burnout thread? That was an impressive burnout Kooks did. Car sounded great.

 

[JohnnyViper]

did something similar with my exhaust, I did a DIY and spent under $600 which included new hi flow cat verses the $2200 i could have spent with cats and a cat back exhaust and it sounds great! good for you doing a DIY!

 

[Black Moon]

Thanks but I did it because I just couldn't rationalize the expense. $230 does down alot easier than $1,400. The $1,170 I saved can be spent on more necessary items (food comes to mind first because I'm hungry and it's time to go to bed). Owners need to start fighting this Viper tax bull****. It's a frickin car for God's sake. I 'understand supply and demand' but if the supply was more reasonably priced there would be an exponential amount of demand.

I need to go find a snack. Later

 

[JohnnyViper]

i agree, thats why I did my caliper painting and brake upgrade project verse spending 5k+ on a big brake kit and the DIY exhaust because I rationalized like you down with viper tax!!!!

 

[neo_rambo]

I purchased the 28" chambered exhaust cobrapacked mufflers that will hopefully mount to the stock tips but we shall see. I am waiting for them to come in. I'm at $202

 

[tomob1]

i'm very interested in changing the exhaust on my 2004.
did you add the Kooks mufflers to the stock exhaust, or did yo already have aftermarket headers? can you let me know what model mufflers you bought?
i was thinking of performance mufflers with cat delete pipes.
yeah, i want it LOUD!!
tom

 

[Black Moon]

I purchased the 28" chambered exhaust cobrapacked mufflers that will hopefully mount to the stock tips but we shall see. I am waiting for them to come in. I'm at $202

What is the diameter on those? I need to change the side exhaust on my Vette but there isn't room for a very large diameter muffler maybe 2-2 1/2". Can I ask where you bought them?

 

[Black Moon]

i'm very interested in changing the exhaust on my 2004.
did you add the Kooks mufflers to the stock exhaust, or did yo already have aftermarket headers? can you let me know what model mufflers you bought?
i was thinking of performance mufflers with cat delete pipes.
yeah, i want it LOUD!!
tom

I have B&B headers. The mufflers are Kooks Race series R300-14 $82.35 each and 2 3" clamps $13.18 each plus shipping. Probably around $210. I paid $176 to the door because my best friend is a Kooks dealer. After that you'll need some 3" pipe which you can get cheap at any muffler shop. They can swell the ends for you and weld you up as well. I used aluminized pipe because it was free. It will out live me and its hidden so I saw no need to waste money on stainless.

Good luck.

 

[T JUNKIE]

I have a set of Kooks headers that I am installing on my car right now. I also removed the 3" exhaust from the car that I pulled the headers off of. It has magnaflow mufflers and I really don't like the sound. will you tell me where you got the mufflers "they" use and tell me the length of them? Thanks

 

[Black Moon]

I have a set of Kooks headers that I am installing on my car right now. I also removed the 3" exhaust from the car that I pulled the headers off of. It has magnaflow mufflers and I really don't like the sound. will you tell me where you got the mufflers "they" use and tell me the length of them? Thanks

Look up. Answered above.

 

[VicTxV10]

Hey Sal, sounds great!! Glad I could help you out.

 

[Black Moon]

Hey Sal, sounds great!! Glad I could help you out.

Thank you for the cats. I really appreciate it.

 

[Threesixes]

What would it take to do this with the factory exhaust? Id like to get rid of the crossover pipes and run some dynomax bullets. Does anybody have a pic or diagram of the complete stock 03-06 exhust?

 

[neo_rambo]

What would it take to do this with the factory exhaust? Id like to get rid of the crossover pipes and run some dynomax bullets. Does anybody have a pic or diagram of the complete stock 03-06 exhust?

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Hope this helps

 

[FrgMstr]

I just took the stock setup off my 2005 Vert and it has made a HUGE difference in the cockpit temp. Every time my wife gets in the car now, she mentions how much cooler it is. The sill temp is however about the same. But I did not go back in and wrap the mufflers with any type of insulation, just left the factory shields in place. Next time I pull the sills, I will wrap the mufflers with glass tape. (And for what it is worth, once you pull the sills once, MAKE SURE you Dremel/drill out a hole for a long socket to fit through the wheel well to reach that forward nut easily. The sill/fender already has a cut away for it, so someone at some point was planning one stock...) I threw on a used set of Corsa Track Catbacks. Great sound, very happy. Will not be sneaking into the hood late though....

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