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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ History lesson on SSI exchangers please
Posted by: itsa914 Jun 27 2006, 08:43 PM
So I have a few pair of SSI exchangers stashed away and no they are not for sale (yet 
) I would like to know the history of the SSI exchangers. I know there are 1.7 / 1.8 style and 2.0. Some are completely Stainless Steel while others the flanges are not SS. So was there more than one source of these. How long were they in production and when?
Thanks.
Posted by: SirAndy Jun 27 2006, 09:06 PM
So I have a few pair of SSI exchangers stashed away and no they are not for sale (yet
) I would like to know the history of the SSI exchangers. I know there are 1.7 / 1.8 style and 2.0. Some are completely Stainless Steel while others the flanges are not SS. So was there more than one source of these. How long were they in production and when?Thanks.
early sets came with the steel flanges, later sets were 100% stainless ...
as far as i know, john (at SSI) hasn't produced any 914 related items in at least 15 years or so,
that makes them all pretty old ...
rumor has it he still has a few 2.0L sets stashed away in his warehouse but he does not
sell to endusers, only to commercial resellers ...
Andy
Posted by: davep Jun 27 2006, 09:15 PM
Got my first set back in 1976. Drove from Hamilton, ON to Columbus, OH and had them installed on my '73 1.7 Alaska blue.
Posted by: Brad Roberts Jun 28 2006, 12:23 PM
He made more heat exchangers for 914's than Porsche made 914's.
Only the very first run of 1000 or so HE's had the steel ends.
It should be down to 8-10 pairs of 914 2.0
He hasnt made the 1.7/1.8's since 1993 or so.
Hasnt made the 2.0's since 1996 or so.
Good info for you: The 914 HE sales cleared enough money for him to go into production on the 911 HE's he still makes today.
The 911 guy's owe us BIG TIME 
B
Posted by: horizontally-opposed Jun 28 2006, 12:55 PM
He made more heat exchangers for 914's than Porsche made 914's.
Only the very first run of 1000 or so HE's had the steel ends.
It should be down to 8-10 pairs of 914 2.0
He hasnt made the 1.7/1.8's since 1993 or so.
Hasnt made the 2.0's since 1996 or so.
Good info for you: The 914 HE sales cleared enough money for him to go into production on the 911 HE's he still makes today.
The 911 guy's owe us BIG TIME
B
Yah, yah, yah -- but how do we get him to make 914-SIX HEs...?
Or a decent sport muffler that would blow everything else away -- with both the twin "center" exits as well as the dual side exits.
pete
Posted by: BigDBass Jun 29 2006, 09:47 AM
So is there any major quality or durability difference between the early ones and the later ones? Is the entirely SS HE setup significantly more desirable?
Posted by: seanery Jun 29 2006, 10:11 AM
I would say yes, but that's just me. I think I'd prefer SS flanges.
I have that style on my car.
Posted by: Brad Roberts Jun 29 2006, 10:24 AM
You will be hard pressed to locate a set of SSI HE's with the steel flanges. Most have rotted away (the steel portion) and were replaced.
They rock.
If we could track some of the parts designed/made for the 914 over the last 36 years. I think you would find that the SSI's outsold all other products ever made for the 914.
B
Posted by: repro914gt Jun 29 2006, 11:06 AM
He made more heat exchangers for 914's than Porsche made 914's.
Only the very first run of 1000 or so HE's had the steel ends.
It should be down to 8-10 pairs of 914 2.0
He hasnt made the 1.7/1.8's since 1993 or so.
Hasnt made the 2.0's since 1996 or so.
Good info for you: The 914 HE sales cleared enough money for him to go into production on the 911 HE's he still makes today.
The 911 guy's owe us BIG TIME
B
Yah, yah, yah -- but how do we get him to make 914-SIX HEs...?
Or a decent sport muffler that would blow everything else away -- with both the twin "center" exits as well as the dual side exits.
pete
Doesn't Patrick motorsports make a 914 6 stainless steel heat exchanger? (I have a set on my conversion.
) Also don't they make a dual outlet muffler? I bought a SS "hot dog" dual out (RSR style) muffler from a guy in Germany who has a trick 914 6 GT conversion. see below. I think I paid $750 including shipping from "der fazzaland".
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Posted by: kobas Jun 29 2006, 11:14 AM
You will be hard pressed to locate a set of SSI HE's with the steel flanges. Most have rotted away (the steel portion) and were replaced.
They rock.
If we could track some of the parts designed/made for the 914 over the last 36 years. I think you would find that the SSI's outsold all other products ever made for the 914.
B
I have a set with steel flanges. Bought used, and did not know to ask if the flanges were steel. I had to grind away a lot of the steel to get down to metal so the gaskets would seal. Carbon steel welded to stainless does not last long, so I'm surprised my flanges exist at all.
Posted by: Brad Roberts Jun 29 2006, 11:18 AM
Patrick has them made by B+B. Typically they crack/break over time
Pete wants John at SSI to duplicate the stock 9146 HE's.
The metal boxes around the B+B stuff... is... well... not to good.
I spent close to 2.5 years at SSI. I know all the available exhaust pieces out there very well.
This site was started because of a dispute between myself and John Dunkle over me offering to repair a set of B+B 9146 HE's that had cracked. I offered to repair them for free. B+B was a Rennlist sponsor and John didnt like the fact that I offered to "warranty" something for a competitor.
Pretty funny.
B
Posted by: repro914gt Jun 29 2006, 11:37 AM
Patrick has them made by B+B. Typically they crack/break over time
Pete wants John at SSI to duplicate the stock 9146 HE's.
The metal boxes around the B+B stuff... is... well... not to good.
I spent close to 2.5 years at SSI. I know all the available exhaust pieces out there very well.
This site was started because of a dispute between myself and John Dunkle over me offering to repair a set of B+B 9146 HE's that had cracked. I offered to repair them for free. B+B was a Rennlist sponsor and John didnt like the fact that I offered to "warranty" something for a competitor.
Pretty funny.
B
Thanks for the history lesson... so what are choices out there if not the B+B? Originals are rarer than a 911 owner waving at a teener!
what options are out there for 6 owners or conversions except for originals, headers or the B+B replacements?
Posted by: 914ltd Jul 3 2006, 09:09 AM
There were very early SSI's that had steel flanges that weren't rounded off at the corners like the later versions. They also seemed to be thinner or different spec stainless envelopes. I've seen them with lots of cracks. How about this interesting photo? The pipe is fractured within the envelope with no obvious signs of trama externally. Check out that exhaust noise, it could kill you! Brad Mayeur
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