Custom manifold, downpipe, and exhaust build
 

Thought I would throw up some sequential pictures of the turbo setup I just finished and installed about a week ago. I used hf-mx5t's manifold as inspiration, because I wanted it to be a short tubular manifold with the same turbo mounting position as my previous manifold (low mount). I made a jig from the previous manifold to hold the two flanges in place so that I could work on the manifold without the car.
It is completely tig welded, and I used mcmaster carr steel 1 1/2 inch bends to make the manifold, some short radius, some long radius. I had the manifold ceramic coated afterward.
The downpipe and exhaust is full three inch all the way, steel also. Next setup will be all stainless.

I started by making the manifold out of toilet paper rolls to help me visualize the whole thing and see how it would go together.

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Next I made the front and back halves separately, so I would only have to deal with the collector two pieces at a time.

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Then I cut each half to fit them together, and welded the manifold up.

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Then I sandblasted the whole thing and drilled the hole for the watesgate and welded the flange on. I bought the wastegate used, and i thought i should machine out a slot for the little protruding ring to fit into, can you guys see that? In hindsight i think that flange is supposed to be flat to push the ring up to seal. I had to put a gasket on the flange into the wastegate to make it seal.

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Done picture, and one with air box and filter back on, my favorite.

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Downpipe all tacked together ready for welding. I still need to put a flex tube into the wastegate part, anyone know where i can find a 1.5 inch flex tube? I couldn't find one from a place I trusted online.

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Exhaust pieces, a picture of how close it was to make the 22 inch magnaflow fit, a final exhaust picture, and a v band weld. The muffler was completely worth the hassle of fitting it in there.

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Overall, I love it, it spools way faster than my old log mani, internal wastegate, and 2.5 inch exhaust.

Damn dude, super nice work.

Looks really good, almost like a flipped ETD manifold.

Great DIY work man

Great stuff, thanks for sharing!

awesome! Wanna help me make the v-band exhaust when the time come? I have the same magnaflow muffler.

- Jason

I really like your exhaust. It is one of the best looking ones I have seen.

loosen off the vband and level out that muffler.

Thanks for all the compliments guys.

Jason I'd love to help out, pm me when the time comes. You have a place to do it? We can use my garage if not, it's doable to make a whole exhaust in a day.

Shlammed- I would, but the v band is too far down by the diff that the other parts of the exhaust would hit stuff if rotated. I would have to add another vband and change the hangers a little bit, I will probably do this when I do the rest of the changes late march. ( adding flex to wastegate tube)

that is a nice looking manifold. great job!

Okay, I will PM you when I get everything together. I have a garage but no 220v outlet in my garage.
- Jason

Awesome!

Nice job! Lookin good.

Impressive

Nice job, looks clean.

Can I ask why you welded the hangers to the thin part of the muffler casing and not the thicker endcaps?

What?! no cardboard manifold?! weak. no balls man.

It was easier for me to weld the hangers there when i made that setup, and it was welded to enough surface that it didn't matter at all.

Since that build, I've built two more exhaust systems with the same muffler, both times I welded the hangers to end caps and made the entrance to the muffler shorter. Every new setup i learn something new :).

Impressive!

Very nice work. I love the external wastegate position. If I ever went tubular mainfold, I'd do a similar setup.
Great job!