Vick Auto exhaust and header installation

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bjwhite

True Classic
So...I'm curious if anyone can help me out.

I ordered a Vick Auto header and installed it without hardly a problem--except it absolutely did not work with my stock exhaust, which was puzzling because both their website said it did, and other people here have shown pictures of it installed that way. My intention was to try it with the stock exhaust to see if I liked the sound ok--and if not, I was going to order their exhaust too.

But my factory exhaust's connection was way too long to work with the header. The end of it went half way up the exit of the header itself--no way in hell it was going to fit. And since I left the exhaust hanging on the springs in situ, I got a ding or two in the header at that part. booo.

So....I ordered their exhaust. I figured it would show up and it would be an easy installation. Seems it, except for their hanger bracket. Looks like it can install in a few different orientations and after various emails to Vick (they only answered after the third attempt) they simply said "the bracket bolts to the body of the car" and "then you attach springs from the bracket down to the muffler." Well duh. Completely not helpful...and I'm not impressed. Very disappointed in their responses. But they were certainly quick to call me and email me immediately when the shipping costs calculated on the website were less than actual and they needed authorization to continue with the order.

Anyway. Can anyone who has installed this Vick muffler and used their hanger bracket show a pic of how you installed it (showing the correct orientation)? Did you remove the heat shield parts on the sides where the stock muffler spring brackets go? Did you reinstall those spring brackets over the Vick bracket? The holes on the Vick bracket are huge which makes me think maybe the stock bracket spacers install in them. I don't know--I'm not quite an amateur, but it's not immediately obvious how this bracket installs.

Sorry for the long winded question. Thanks in advance for any help.
 
Posting pictures of what parts you are dealing with would certainly help us help you.

I have an older version of the Vick's header which was designed to bolt up to the stock muffler only. No stock cat, no stock down pipe. I think the new version is different in that the pipe and flange to fit the stock muffler are a slip on option. Here is the header on the engine.
mockup_4.JPG


And here is the same engine/header installed in the car with the stock muffler bolted up to it.
exhaust_2.JPG
 
Thanks for your reply and help. Yes, I've seen those pictures--however, that is the header with the factory exhaust (a version that fits).
When you order the Vick muffler itself, it comes with a bracket that bolts to the body of the car and then springs hang down from that to hold the exhaust. You don't have this part because you're running the factory muffler with the header.

Looking for someone who has installed the Vick mounting bracket that comes with the exhaust. They don't show a picture of this on their website, and it's up at my shop space and not home with me. I tried to find a picture online, but I don't see any.
 
You said your original intention was to run your "stock exhaust". I was wondering what the stock exhaust you were trying to fit looked like. Good luck.
 
Ok, I’ve ordered the header and the muffler they offer. I have not received it yet as it will be arriving with a fellow fiat club of America member when they come down my way. When purchasing the header, it states that it will not accommodate the stock catalytic converter. It should bolt directly to the muffler. I’ve chosen to go with their complete setup so I’ll be watching this thread closely to get tips...also, pictures are always helpful...
 
You said your original intention was to run your "stock exhaust". I was wondering what the stock exhaust you were trying to fit looked like. Good luck.
Ahh.. Basically it looks like this. The muffler end after the curve is longer and goes up about halfway up the header section where I marked it. The exhaust says Fiat on it and everything looks original. It's an 82...one of the last by Fiat before they went Bertone if that matters. I was certainly surprised that it didn't fit after seeing pictures of people using the Vick with the factory exhaust as well as the descriptions on the Vick site. Still, that's not my complaint at all, but that's why I can't use the factory exhaust with the Vick header.

exhaust_2.JPG
 
Ahh.. Basically it looks like this. The muffler end after the curve is longer and goes up about halfway up the header section where I marked it. The exhaust says Fiat on it and everything looks original. It's an 82...one of the last by Fiat before they went Bertone if that matters. I was certainly surprised that it didn't fit after seeing pictures of people using the Vick with the factory exhaust as well as the descriptions on the Vick site. Still, that's not my complaint at all, but that's why I can't use the factory exhaust with the Vick header.

View attachment 26402
Ah, well there's your problem. This style of header works with a muffler from Carb'd X1/9s. Seems like you are trying to use a muffler from an FI X1/9. I don't see that carb/FI muffler difference specified in the Vick's item page, so I see where you got the idea all would be well with what you had in hand.
 
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Ah, well there's your problem. This style of header works with a muffler from Carb'd X1/9s. Seems like you are trying to use a muffler from an FI X1/9.

True, but now I’m passed that. I ordered the Vick muffler, but it comes with a mounting bracket whose orientation is not obvious—and they’ve not been helpful. So I’m hoping someone can give some insight.
 
I too have a vested interest in this as I will soon be in the same predicament....my car is an 82 and non ac. I believe this header is designed to fit non Ac cars only. Could you post some pictures of the bracket in question alongside your parts? Perhaps a set of different eyes on it will shed some light.
 
The only "bracket" that I know of for X1/9 exhaust, are the long bracket that mounts to the gear box/trans mount.
While you may not have prepared for a SNAFU, it doesn't seem like a terrible issue. An exhaust shop should be able to cut or add pipe as needed to fit.
I haven't looked at the listing on Vicks site, but it should list if the exhaust is intended for FI or not. If this info isn't there, THAT is a problem. Sorry your having an issue. Good luck
 
So here is the bracket. I removed the heat shield padding on both sides....it’s not fully screwed in. The orientation does seem important, and it is how I think it should be for proper spring hanging.

AC7727E8-56F3-4285-BE32-7941AB47CE3D.jpeg


NOW the problem is that I can’t get the damn exhaust on the header. I can either get it on then it hits the body on the right preventing it to be twisted into place. Or, I can pre-twist it and try to get it on and the O2 bung gets in the way and I can’t get an angle on it to start sliding it on.

I’ve tried raising and dropping the engine to see if I can get the right angle but no dice.

Man, how nuts.

Still no reply from Vicks by the way. I emailed them on Friday explaining to them that their header only works with factory exhausts from carbed cars. Injected cars have longer pipes on the muffler. Example: Pic credit rx1900.
F1383897-4BF0-43A1-BB2B-D6391148E11C.jpeg
 
A bunch of the aftermarket headers require the carbed muffler with the shorter U pipe. On my X I actually had a carbed muffler laying around but only wanted the U bend pipe so cut it off the stock muffler to mount my Summit Turbo muffler.
 
I'm running both the Vicks header and muffler on my FI '81. You may need to use the stock hangers if you intend to use the stock muffler. The Vicks muffler has little wings welded on each side for the springs to attach to in conjunction with their overhead hanger. Does the pipe for the stock muffler connect well with the header? Just eyeballing the two, I see that the diameter of the Vicks header/muffler combo looks a lot wider than stock so I'm not sure how well they'll mate up without some sort of adapter. By adding a connector between the two may allow the muffler to shift slightly to the left providing the needed clearance on the right but hard to tell without knowing exactly where the clearance issues are.





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Thanks for those pics. Appreciate the help.
Just to level set.......once I realized that the stock FI exhaust does NOT work with the Vick header, I ended up ordering the Vick performance muffler and that's what I was asking help with the orientation of the bracket. This is the black bar that you can see the springs hang from.

Brycele,
Did you install your header first, and then your muffler second? Or did you fit it to the car all assembled? I'm having massive trouble now slipping the Vick muffler onto the header once the header is already installed.
 
A friend here in Germany has the Vick exhaust.
He ist happy with the header but not at all with the muffler.
It keeps tearing in different places.
Namely, where those spring tabs are welded to the muffler (shown above), both sides, but also in other places.
Maybe installing an additional cross brace under the muffler between the springs could prevent this.

All emails about this matter from him to Vick were ignored by the way.
 
For my header and turbo muffler setup, the only hanger I have is a typical Pep Boys hanger that is a strap type that is clamped to the exit pipe from the muffler and the other end of the strap is bolted to the rear body panel. I have done three Xs like this with no problem. I can take a picture if requested.
 
Sorry our reply didn't help you.

I have personally installed one of these batch of headers onto an 87 and retained the stock muffler. The slip fit flange adapter makes it so the header collector can be cut down. This is so it can fit the largest group of cars and so it can be adjusted to make the muffler fit across the largest range of cars. It can be cut when installing our muffler as well to help with fitment and tip location. This is very typical of aftermarket exhaust.

If you're afraid of the spring tabs on the muffler or use springs with 100lbs tension you may want to use some other method for supporting the exhaust.
 
I installed the muffler after the header was already in place - I don't recall having too much difficulty getting it attached. The only problem was the stainless clamp that was included isn't very sturdy and broke as I was tightening it down but this was easily solved by sourcing another from O'Reilly's for a couple of bucks.
 
I installed the muffler after the header was already in place - I don't recall having too much difficulty getting it attached. The only problem was the stainless clamp that was included isn't very sturdy and broke as I was tightening it down but this was easily solved by sourcing another from O'Reilly's for a couple of bucks.
Wow you received a stainless clamp? I don't think I received one--but I can go look at the shipping boxes..maybe it was in there among the packing material.
 
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