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HybridZ

First attempt at Mig'in


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So I've got a nice lincoln mud gun that I borrowed from an ex-co-worker (yeah, I double dashed that) so I can start fabricating my downpipe on my Z31 project.

 

I did a few test runs then decided it was time to start on the reducer -> flange piece. I think it turned out pretty well for my first time on the MIG; I had the gas down a tad too low though I think which caused some spatter.

 

Pics are easier though!

 

img1377.jpg

 

I ran a bead around the inside of it because my fitment wasn't as good as i had hoped it would have been, then hit it with a dremel tool for (4 hours!) to smooth it back out and remove the spatter.

 

img1379.jpg

 

I then hit a brick wall as to what to do next. Hopefully I'll have progress to report before the guy wants his welder back or I run out of gas.

 

img1381.jpg

 

 

Anyone with tips/tricks for making downpipes, it's much appreciated. Being a first timer for prettymuch everything in the entire build, I take all the help I can get.

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nice.

looks good, very good.

honestly, looking at the end result, i wouldn't say thats a first timers job.

guess we'll have to wait and see the rest of it though huh :)

 

what tips do you need?

where to go with the pipe?

 

I usually find it easiest to buy a few mandrel bends, you can use masking tape to hold them in place while you trial fit everything.

I also find it handy to mark the pipe with a sharpie or something, make sure your marks are unevenly spaced, so you have a reference to work with later.

once you know where it needs to be welded, you can do it on a bench, and test fit again.

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Thanks guys, I took night classes for both oxy/acetylene and GTAW, but I figured I would never need to take a GMAW course as I was planning to buy a tig, alas the job market said eff you and laid me off.

 

Thanks for the tips, they're pretty similar to what most people said across the great interwebs. I got this far before I ran out of bends. (ok I only had 1 to begin with but I thought I could use some of my old exhaust, but it turned out to be more oval/octagonal than I had anticipated.

 

 

img1386.jpg

 

img1388.jpg

 

img1395k.jpg

 

 

clearance between pipe and steering shaft. going to have to cut it down a bit more to clear both the steering shaft and the transmission.

 

 

img1393r.jpg

 

 

the gaps are pretty tight i think for my first time ever doing exhaust work. tools to do this:

 

angle grinder with zip discs and flapper wheel

mig welder

stump

small vise

file

dremel.

 

more to come when more pipe comes in!

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That looks great man!

 

You're going to want to tig that all together or put down a few more tacks before you start welding the sections together or you'll create little gaps as the newly laid metal cools and contracts.

It would look great TIG'd though.

 

Planning on any type of coating?

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most likely going to wrap it with similar stuff to what the manifolds are done with. mainly because i'm strapped for cash and ceramic coatings are out of my league for the time being.

 

You know it's a rule that all z31 owners must be broke, were broke at one point in time or are on their way to being broke. It's what we do :P

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ITs scarry! to see the basic tallent some of you gentelmen have, I doubt that 75% of the PROs can do as nice of work as some of you guys do on your cars

img1395k.jpg,

img1386.jpg

if I wasn,t living on a pension ID hire some of you to work on MY CAR, because I don,t think Id do any better

Edited by grumpyvette
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most likely going to wrap it with similar stuff to what the manifolds are done with. mainly because i'm strapped for cash and ceramic coatings are out of my league for the time being.

 

You know it's a rule that all z31 owners must be broke, were broke at one point in time or are on their way to being broke. It's what we do :P

 

Haha, Ive been messing with rx7s, maximas, and 280zs. And I just drove my Z for the first time in a month or 2(has bad rings, smokes), but still smokes the tires. and I remebered what I like about it, out of all those other cars it just feels more like a race car to me... but yea im broke thats why I cant fix it, and its just sitting in my yard haha.

 

I want to see your car running soon!:mrgreen:

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finished up to putting a flange on it and welding it out.

 

 

img1415z.jpg

 

img1417a.jpg

 

img1409d.jpg

 

it sits pretty close to where i want it.. might take a little massaging to get it exactly where i want it, but right now it'll do me good enough to move onto other things.

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  • 5 weeks later...

im going to say what may of us are thinking.

 

 

Your a liar, a big fat liar.

Youve been welding for over 20 years and your just ♥♥♥♥ stirring us arent you?

 

seriously, you have some insane skills there. it looks like it was done by a machine.

If i could weld like that, id be showing everyone too....

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