LT's or no LT's thats the question? Need serious opinions!

[JerZeyStangz]

As some of you know my K-member has to get dropped because I dented the pan by accident from the low profile jack slipping on my incline driveway, a serious NOOB mistake which I will never make again. Now this situation presents a huge opportunity to upgrade to some exhaust parts that doesn't usually go on there which is Long Tubes! My dilemma is that the car is still stock auto which is getting removed for T56 in the very near future. What should I do? Should I save and get Long tubes while the oil pan is getting replaced or should I hold off get my trans in before I consider long tubes. FYI, I have the clutch pedal box, ecu, trans harness, flywheel and bolts, steeda quadrant adjuster so I've been planning this for a while.

-Nathan

 

[stprorolla49]

If you plan on getting LT's at some point in the near future, now's the time since the k will already be out. No sense in removing it twice. I'm thinking about long tubes myself over the winter but I'm worried since my car is so low I'll rip the collectors off. We'll see. Good luck with the decision bro!

 

[Musturd]

Even if you plan on doing a t56 later drop the k member then to when you do the swap it's the easiest way to do
Anything on modular cars

 

[Rice_slayer]

My car came with longtubes and I hate them. I have no real comparisons for power feel, but they make doing anything with the tranny a PITA. I can't even change my starter now without dropping the k-member to get at the one longtube. I'm contemplating taking them out when I put tubular stuff in, but can't find any shorties that aren't overpriced for a Mach 1 (Seriously, $800 for JBA shorties?!?!?!). They sound cool though. Dunno, For me, I wouldn't do it, just because it's a pain to work around them, but again, all personal opinion/experience.

 

[Musturd]

With a tubular k member maintenace is alot easier on modular cars

 

[JerZeyStangz]

If you plan on getting LT's at some point in the near future, now's the time since the k will already be out. No sense in removing it twice. I'm thinking about long tubes myself over the winter but I'm worried since my car is so low I'll rip the collectors off. We'll see. Good luck with the decision bro!

I totally agree. I want new polyurethane motor mounts, with Long tubes and matching shorty mid-pipe. My car is very low as well but yours even lower could be a problem depending on which LT you want. I know some hang lower than others, and some tuck in neatly under the car. Good luck with your decision man.

Even if you plan on doing a t56 later drop the k member then to when you do the swap it's the easiest way to do
Anything on modular cars

I Agree. Doing anything under a modular car people swear by dropping the k-member. The tubular k-member makes things 10x easier as well.

My car came with longtubes and I hate them. I have no real comparisons for power feel, but they make doing anything with the tranny a PITA. I can't even change my starter now without dropping the k-member to get at the one longtube. I'm contemplating taking them out when I put tubular stuff in, but can't find any shorties that aren't overpriced for a Mach 1 (Seriously, $800 for JBA shorties?!?!?!). They sound cool though. Dunno, For me, I wouldn't do it, just because it's a pain to work around them, but again, all personal opinion/experience.

I heard a lot of good feed back with basanni mid-length headers. I have to do more research on them but you almost get the best of both worlds especially if your rocking the stock k-member from a logical perspective.

With a tubular k member maintenace is alot easier on modular cars

Yeah I was thinking about getting one in the near future when I start getting serious with the car.

 

[Musturd]

Yea just do long tubes now there a pain unless the k member is dropped. Instructions may make it sound easy it's not
Easy .

 

[Mustang Mark]

Do it for the sound!

 

[stprorolla49]

Yea, as you mentioned above, I'm seriously thinking about going with the Bassani mid-lengths and their matching x-pipe. If you buy the catted version, it comes with sections of tubing you can install in place of the cats to make it an off road pipe. Best of both worlds, especially for guys like us who have to pass gay ass NJ/CT emissions testing. Scope out corral dude, you can find some great deals on used setups over there. I found a set of midlengths and x-pipe for $400 about a month ago but I was too late to the draw to pick them up. Good luck.

 

[JerZeyStangz]

I was thinking of the basanni manifolds. They sound like they can be the best of both worlds.

 

[BLCKSTNG96]

if your going to do headers at all,deff longtubes and if you plan to make power or do cams or anything decent to the car in the future,longtubes will make all those pieces shine.some longtubes hang low,i heard the kooks snag on everything,i had ceramac coated on mac on my car and never really had an issue with them hitting and my car is extremely low as some of you know or have seen.the macs tuck up quite nice but the coating does not like oil getting on it so i sold them and bought stainless steel pipes longtubes.they are an exact replica from mac except use a single flange to botl to the the head and its a lot thickers as well as the lower flanges but i will say,they fit pretty shitty,they (no exaggeration) hug and touch my starter,knock on wood no issues with it even hot sumer days and they rub in a few other spots minor but for the price i couldnt beat the stainless.they tuck right in the frame rail too so if they ever scrapped,it was a big as bump.

 

[g36 monkey]

you guys are all talking about mod motors. how are long tubes on pushrods? and are they as much of a pain to put in?

 

[JerZeyStangz]

if your going to do headers at all,deff longtubes and if you plan to make power or do cams or anything decent to the car in the future,longtubes will make all those pieces shine.some longtubes hang low,i heard the kooks snag on everything,i had ceramac coated on mac on my car and never really had an issue with them hitting and my car is extremely low as some of you know or have seen.the macs tuck up quite nice but the coating does not like oil getting on it so i sold them and bought stainless steel pipes longtubes.they are an exact replica from mac except use a single flange to botl to the the head and its a lot thickers as well as the lower flanges but i will say,they fit pretty shitty,they (no exaggeration) hug and touch my starter,knock on wood no issues with it even hot sumer days and they rub in a few other spots minor but for the price i couldnt beat the stainless.they tuck right in the frame rail too so if they ever scrapped,it was a big as bump.

Good information. I really wanted the Mac LT's or the bassani mid lengths in the near future. Mac's are so affordable and make good power but it will be such a pita when I do my manual conversion.

 

[BLCKSTNG96]

The only time longtubes become a pain in the ass with a trans,is when u have a 3650 or t45 bc the trans can not be seperated from the bellhousing making it a HUGE challenge to get the trans in and out.it IS possible with them on bc I've done it numerous times until I blew my the last t45 in my coupe and went with a tko and quicktime bellhousing,now its a breeze and was a big reason for going to that trans.with a t56 it can be seperated from the bellhousing so i wouldn't worry too much about that

 

[JerZeyStangz]

The only problem I have is that my car is an auto for now and if I buy long tubes, its going to major PITA to get a new trans bolted up with long tubes in the way. Only way to combat this is dropping the k-member and loosening up the header for wiggle room from what I read. I might hold off on the LT's just because I haven't done my trans swap yet.

 

[DropTopPony]

Living in NJ has kept me from getting LT's. I have to drive into Philadelphia for work and the roads are soooooo bad I wouldn't even chance it. If I didn't have an auto I would have done the Bassani mids 10 years ago. When they came out I saw several dyno sheets posted with identical gains to LT's so they do make power.

 

[Rice_slayer]

The only time longtubes become a pain in the ass with a trans,is when u have a 3650 or t45 bc the trans can not be seperated from the bellhousing making it a HUGE challenge to get the trans in and out.it IS possible with them on bc I've done it numerous times until I blew my the last t45 in my coupe and went with a tko and quicktime bellhousing,now its a breeze and was a big reason for going to that trans.with a t56 it can be seperated from the bellhousing so i wouldn't worry too much about that

Ya, I have a tr3650, was not a fun job :/

 

[JerZeyStangz]

Living in NJ has kept me from getting LT's. I have to drive into Philadelphia for work and the roads are soooooo bad I wouldn't even chance it. If I didn't have an auto I would have done the Bassani mids 10 years ago. When they came out I saw several dyno sheets posted with identical gains to LT's so they do make power.

Yeah, I've done some research on the mids and they make good power just like a long tube, and you can still pull the trans out effortlessly, AND probably get away with emissions because there isn't a huge collector in view. It's either MAC LT's, or bassani Mids all day...Thanks for the insight.