So... my misuse of a 914 (Google - rallying) has resulted in the back box of the European Racing Exhaust sounding like I was storing the tools in it. It was obvious to me that the baffle had essentially come loose or had broken up and was rattling around inside the back box. So, long story short, I couldn't find a direct replacement anywhere and knowing that that silencer isn't exactly a performance product!! I was on the lookout for a simpler, lighter, performance alternative.

But first, let's solve the mystery of the rattle shall we

We start with the offending article:



attack with the grinder reveals the cause of the rattle. As I expected, the baffle had come apart and was loose inside the box



for those interested this is what it looks like inside there






So after a little digging around I discovered (thanks to the ever friendly and helpful Chris Foley of Tangerine Racing) that the Phase1 muffler is a slip-on solution. All I had to do was cut off a few inches off the old muffler at the 4into1 flange end. The Stage1 muffler then slipped over that bit. A very simple bracket later and voila!!





It doesn't protrude from the back any further than the bumper



and finally... here's the before/after make-over shots

BEFORE



AFTER




Noise level is 102 dB at 4000rpm measured directly 50cm away from the tip of the exhaust (as per my regulations).

Looks, sounds and performs absolutely superbly. So if anyone else out there is in the same predicament and needs to upgrade or replace that silencer for that type of system then look no further than Chris at Tangerine Racing.

Lovin' it

(Stage I, not to be confused with Phase 9)

Seems like a strange way of measuring exhaust loudness.
Who's gonna have their head less than 2 feet away from the muffler while laying on the ground?

Hi Chris. I corrected it to Stage 1 now. Cheers. Moggy

Looks cool!!!
Lets hear it.

What?

Chris Foley mufflers, actually total exhaust is the best. And it proved so on the dyno if anyone is interested.

Click to view attachment

No arguments there. But there was a good few years left in my present 4-1 header, it was just that the back box had fallen to bits. This 1/2 way house solution also now means that when that 4-1 header finally gives up the ghost then I will replace with the CFR header and simply slip the Stage 1 onto it.

I forgot, is that SC motor in your 914 or another car?

It was in my bug. It's now powering a barn door split

Barn door split?

OK, a bus...I get it.

So how does that puppy run with the SC motor?

Don't know yet. Bus isn't built yet. I can be sure of one thing, it's gonna be scary

Could you get a vid of how it sounds?
car service

Have you done any dyno testing with the European exhaust system? I've been using mine on two different engines and feel it really drops power at anything over 4.5K rpm. Just want to see if anyone else has had that experience?

I must admit I've only had the car on the chassis dyno with the new back box on and can honestly say we saw nothing to suggest that the exhaust was negatively effecting the perfromance from 4500 upwards. Even with the original back box on it used to pull well all the way to 6.5k. I'd look for another cause than the exhaust. Unless you're running something over a 2.3litre engine, in which case I'd probably go up a size in bore compared to the European system.

How do you know it was the exhaust? were you comparing to another exhaust system on the same day?