I've tried JBA for an off-road (w/out catalytic converters) h-pipe, but they only sell one for their long tube headers.
If anyone has found a h-pipe w/out cats that fits stock manifolds for an 05 GT, please let me know.
Thanks alot,
Bucky

 

Mac has a sweet setup with their prohamber offroad pipe....check this link..


http://www.macperformance.com/store/catego...Category_ID=938

 

thanks for the quick reply, but i was hoping by now some one would have a regular off road h-pipe w/out cats for a reasonable price.

 

$450 for an off-road h-pipe? That's insane. Anyone know how hard it would be to take off the existing mid pipe and cats, and possibly cut the cats out and weld some pipe where the cats were? There has to be a way to do this for cheap. Any ideas to rig this up?

 

Prochambers have an insanely nice sound. They make more power than regular h pipes as well. I just installed a prochamber on my GT last weekend and I do not regret it one bit. The sound is amazing and everyone has been commenting on it and it definitely turns heads. I would try to see if anyone has a sound clip of the 05 with a prochamber and then make your decision from there.

 

I don't doubt that the prochamber makes more power, but for 4 times the price, it better do something special.
I've talked to a friend of mine that owns his own exhaust shop, he has advised that he can cut out the cats and reweld replacement pipe and the bungs for the o2 sensors for about 125.00, but if I ever have a warranty issue, then I will be screwed b/c I won't have a stock H-pipe to put back in place.
Still debating.....

 

Well the price off of MAC's website usually isn't the cheapest place you can find one. I got my prochamber for $205.00 shipped from part shopper. At the same website they had MAC off-road h-pipes for about $170.00.

 

I have a feeling though that the 2005 pro chambers are going to be a good bit more expensive than the previous model Mustangs. Probably close to $400 on part shopper... they usually aren't too much more than 20% off of anything from the manufacturer's site. $125 isn't too bad to take off the cats and have new pipe extensions welded and the bungs put in them. But, what about the option of cutting a rectangular hole in the cats and clearing them out. And then having someone weld a plate back on to close it up. Most cats have some sort of honeycomb filter in there. Nothing a grinder or other small tools can't take care of. Once the cat is cleared out and a plate is welded on, it would basically just act as part of the pipe. It won't restrict any airflow, and would actually appear to be stock if you cut the hole out in the top of the cat. Any thoughts on this? Has anyone actually opened up a catalytic converter before or know what exactly is inside of them? This could be a $25 option if you did everything yourself other than welding a plate of steel on the cats. Another option may be to use a long drill bit/hole cutting bit that is 2" or 2.5" in diameter and drill down into the cat from the end of the pipes, drilling out a hole the diameter of the pipe so that air can flow smoothly through the cats. That way, it would appear stock. Nobody would know unless they actually took a flashlight and looked into the cat. I believe that the cats in the '05 Mustang are fairly close to the tips of the mid pipe side connecting to the headers. As in there are no bends and you would be able to drill down into the cat parallel to the pipe. There has to be a cheap way to rig up your own off-road mid pipe and also have it appear to be stock.

 

I sure wouldn't be gutting the cats out. What happens in 4-5 years when you have to get it tested? Aftermarket cats are questionable when it comes to emmisions laws, too questionable to challenge IMO.

I'd remove and/or replace, this way you'll have the stock ones around when that time comes.

 

Tony... in Lousiana where I live, there are no tests for emissions, even after 5 years. If they ever sanction this state to start emissions testing, I can easily get a cheap catted H or X pipe at that time to throw on for testing. Knowing this state, by the time they ever get around to testing, I'll be able to go to a junk yard and get a stock midpipe off an '05 Mustang. It's either buy it now or wait until I need it. I'd rather wait. But, as far as coring out the existing cats... what is everyone's thoughts on this?

 

After months of searching for an off road h-pipe, I finally broke down and did it my self. Instead of removing the cats all together, I just knocked out the inside and reinstalled them. It sounds just like the older body Mustangs now. It only took 1hr and 15 minutes from start to finish. The sound is incredible, I already had Flowmaster 40 series mufflers, but it wasn't loud enough, it only gave the car a different tone.
The car is a whole lot louder now on the outside, but still quiet enough on the inside to be a daily driver....probably b/c the mufflers are at the back on this model.
-just figured I would let everyone know about this, and it didn't cost one dime.
-no check engine light either (yet)!!!

-no emission tests here either

 

Sounds like a great idea. Post up some sound clips when you can!

 

i've got a video sound clip, but do not have anywhere to post it due to size, i could email it though

 

Bucky... can you please be a little more specific about what you did? You said you knocked out the inside of the cats? What exactly did you do? Was it as easy as it sounds? Did you have to drill it out, or just pushed whatever is in the cats out?

 

Oh well, I'm used to all of my mustangs having check engine lights on, as for power, you can't tell a difference, I'm sure it will need to be reflashed for any power increase, but the sound is so much better...it's what I'm used to hearing from a mustang.
-as for how to hollow out the cats, all you have to do is remove the h-pipe and use a tire iron or long hard object that will fit into the opening and break up the inside and start dumping it out, it took about 30 minutes to do, i used a jack handle to break up the inside of the cats, you will also need a pair of needle nose pliers to pull out a metallic like fabric that is in there,
-there is nothing to it, simple hour long job.