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  1. #1

    Default 78 futura axle back exhaust?

    Hello I have a 78 futura and prev owner has flowmasters with dumps before the axle. I hate them cause it sounds like a old grain truck at cruise speed ans plus the fumes is dumb.
    Anyways american muscle has some sr performance 2.5 axle back pipes for 159usd. I can make some but wont be stainless for about 85 bucks.
    Question will the mushrat pipes xome close to fitting or will not come close? I have a 8.8 axle if that makes a difference I doubt it as they are the same but this has quad shock brackets on the diff.
    Would like to do subframes and tail pipes this winter.
    Maybe a bigger carb and k and n eci. Depending on a vac test under load testing. Then on to my 68 mustang 289 as the Futura has no more mods left that I am interested in.
    Anyone with any experience in the exhuast topic is appreciated.

  2. #2
    FEP Senior Member
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    Its been about 20 years, but in the mid 90s, I had a 80 Futura that I swapped the 6 cyl auto for a 302 with a T5 and 8.8 into. At that time, the local auto wrecking yards were full of crashed 5.0 FOX Mustangs, and since I always liked the sound of the factory 5.0 Mustang exhaust, without cats, I pulled a complete factory exhaust system , from behind the stock H pipe, from a low mile 1990 LX. Since I already had a set of Hedman long tube headers, I installed those, and the rear exhaust from the wrecking yard. I took the time to remove all the factory hangers and brackets from the doner Mustang, the hanger brackets that attach to the rear of the mufflers were easy to mount in the Fairmont, as was the driver side tailpipe hanger. On the passenger side, the hanger for the right tailpipe wanted to go right where the gas tank filler pipe was , so a bit of bending of the tailpipe hook, and a bit of minor fabrication overcame that. I did not change to the Mustang rear brake line and hose, the rubber brake hose was a bit close to the tailpipe, but in the 8 years I drove the car like that, never had any issues from that. Since a Fairmont, especially a Futura/Z7 has a much longer rear overhang, I had to extend the tailpipes by over a foot on each side to allow the exhaust to reach slightly past the rear bumper. Up front, I just had a local exhaust shop make up a pair of almost straight 2 1/2" pipes that connected the long tube headers to the mufflers. After a while, I did install a crossover between the 2 pipes, but never really noticed any measurable improvement, either in sound or performance. (I bracket raced the car regularally for several years, as well as driving it to work every day). So, since a FOX Mustang factory exhaust system was almost a bolt in, I imagine a good fitting aftermarket kit for a Mustang should fit as well. Since the Fairmont platform has a 5" longer wheelbase than a Mustang, that issue would need to be adressed. By the way, I added the factory quad shocks to my Fairmont, and they did not interfere with the exhaust in any way.
    1978 Fairmont 2 door sedan, 428CJ 4speed. 9.972ET@132.54mph. 1.29 60 foot
    Replaced the FE big block with my 331/4 speed in my Fairmont, best 10.24ET @128 MPH.
    1985 Mustang LX hatchback NHRA Stock Eliminator 302 4 speed best in legal trim 12.31@107 mph, but has gone 11.42@115 with aftermarket intake, carb, and iron Windsor Jr. heads.New for 2012! 331 cube SB Ford, AFR 185 heads, solid flat tappet cam, pump gas; 10.296ET@128.71 mph, 1.37 60 foot.
    1979 Zephyr Z7, all original 302 auto, 2nd owner.

  3. #3

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    Yeah, like he said, the Mustang tailpipes will not be long enough. You will be able to bolt them up, but an extension will be needed. I have Mustang catbacks on my car with a stock size H-pipe, and the catbacks had to be extended before the mufflers and again after the axle. If you want something pretty, have yours made. Mine is stainless except for the extension pieces and doesn't look so good.
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  4. #4
    FEP Power Member
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    Just a piece of info. I recently installed Summits cat back system on my 92 GT. Priced at $220., it came with seperate turn down tips as you would expect for aGT of that year. I had to cut the tail pipes some 4” to have enough room for the tips. The tips just slide on and held in place by clamps. That said, it may give you the 5” you need for longer tail pipes.
    Fox Body/3rd Gen MCA Gold Card Judge
    84 SVO 24K miles, 85 Mclaren Capri Vert. 84 GT Turbo Vert.
    88 Mclaren Mustang Vert 20K miles, 89 Mustang LX Sport Vert,
    03 Mach 1 7900 miles, 74 Mustang II, 69 Mustang, 67 Mustang, 07 GT500,
    14 Mustang CS/GT, 15 F150 FTX Tuscany, 16 F250 Crewcab, 67 Tbird 47K miles

  5. #5

    Default

    Probably just make my own then as muffler shop would cost another 400 to get it done. The previous owner paid 600 to get to the dumps..

  6. #6

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    I used lincoln mark 7 tailpipes on my fairmont i had a 351w in years ago. Easy fit but were small diameter.

  7. #7
    FEP Senior Member E2ZZGLX's Avatar
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    Jan 2012
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    STINGER has 2 1/2 inch mandrel bent tail pipes for fox body T-birds that should work for you
    Current keepers...
    77 Cobra II

    80 Bobcat Sport
    82 GT-first new car is back home!
    85 ASC Coupe
    86 SVO
    86 Escort GT
    88 Ranger GT

  8. #8

    Default

    I emailed stinger will see. I did not see any pipes for sale for a tbird dual exhaust. Hopefully they get back to me.

  9. #9
    FEP Senior Member
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    Dec 2016
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    Grand Rapids, MI
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    About 3/4 of the way down the page. They are listed as Mustang or Thunderbird 2.5" Tailpipes. You can get them in aluminized or stainless steel.

    https://www.stinger-performance.com/headerparts.html
    '89 XR-7 5 Speed
    '95 SC 5 Speed
    '91 Crown Vic P72 351W
    '97 Thunderbird
    '85 Ford LTD Squire

  10. #10

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    Nice! I'm curious to see how they fit on an F/Z!
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  11. #11

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by ZephyrEFI View Post
    Nice! I'm curious to see how they fit on an F/Z!
    In 3 to 4 months will find out.

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