I've heard getting rid of the mufflers under the seats gives a nice sound. Not much else is worth the effort.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-sound-118732/

 

I ordered some mandrel bends in 1-7/8" and 2". I'll let you guys know what I end up with and how it sounds

I decided the dipstick tube that came with the kit wasn't going to cut it for me - so I ordered a stainless steel flexible one. The price is obnoxious but it also seemed like the best solution for such a tight engine bay.

Next on the to-do list is hooking up the TV cable and the torque converter lock-up switch. And at some point I also need to take a break and clean up the garage. I think I have been working on this for 4-5 months and my garage looks like it.

 

That was fast - I got the TV cable and the kickdown switch hooked up.

I forgot which TV cable I got, but it's really nice. It's got a braided stainless steel outer cover and works well. I had to modify the Quarterbreed instructions but I got it working correctly.

 

Hi Thomas, this is where I got very cautious. Take a look at my thread. At John's TV hook up location, the throttle would move a lot before it ever put tension on the cable. If I tightened it up to where it was loose at idle and gradually tightened up, it would be full tension at about 3/4 throttle and limit me from going full throttle. That's why you measured the TV cable throw length , so you can Mount it somewhere that matches that throw.

 

What is a TV cable, please Guys?

 

Throttle valve cable. It controls the line pressure, shift points, and forces down shifts by telling the transmission how far open the throttle is. It replaced the vacuum modulator that the TH400 has.

When I was a kid helping my dad work on cars, I was so confused why the car had a TV cable when it didn't even have a Television.

 

Thanks, Jeff. I'm going to go look at it again tonight. I re-read your thread and I see you moved the TV cable attachment point to the right-hand throttle linkage. The funny thing it that my cable doesn't have much slack. It starts pulling pretty quick and let's the throttle got to WOT. I'll take a video tonight and get your opinion.

 

That's why we always called it the Kickdown cable.
(';')

 

Throttle Valve. It increases trans line pressure as the throttle is increased for firmer shifts at higher RPMs. If this doesn't increase line pressure (too much slack off idle) correctly, you'll get a lot of slip under lots of power and burn up the trans in a few hundred miles.

 

great to hear, you'd think that this spot would work well considering John has sold this kit for years.

 

Ok, I am at just under 2" of pull on the TV cable. When the pedal is on the floor and the kick-down switch clicks, there is no more pull left on the cable. So I think I am ok.

Here's a video showing the TV cable and you can see it starts to rotate almost as soon as the capstan starts moving.

 

It seems like you are ok. I thought I measured 2.5 inches of movement where John had us mount the cable and 2 inches in the extra hole on the turntable, but it sounds like it works.
it looks like there in no slack in the cable at idle? When I was playing with the cable it would move half an inch before it would activate the valve (take the slack up and start to increase line pressure) .

 

Thanks Jeff - I appreciate the 2nd opinion. There is minimal slack at idle.

 

UPS, FedEx, and the USPS all came to visit me today.


First things first. I picked up a flexible transmission dipstick. It went in much easier than the one that came with the kit. I highly recommend this mod if you're going this route.
I need to fab up a bracket to mount it up top - will do that this weekend.
I now have a gallon of fresh ATF in the transmission - almost ready for start up!


The rest of the packages were exhaust related. I picked up this x-pipe but I talked myself out of using it.


Here's some 1-7/8" mandrel-bent tubing. This will be for the section underneath the rear cage then back to the rear resonators.


When I do exhaust work I normally start at the front and work backwards. This time I'm starting with the section under the rear cage - that's the most critical part of the whole system. I'll try to keep it about 1/4" away from the cage. More to come this weekend.

 

Sorry I’m late. 2&1/2 inch pipe is what makes the most power. The smaller In diameter the higher the note.
On my race car. No mufflers. I’m going from two & 1/2 inch to brass megaphones ‘cause race car.
No you won’t ever hear it on the street because the only time it’s on the street it will be locked up in the trailer

 

Thorsen
I am very interested in this exhaust mod under the cage. Please post some close ups of the mountings that you use. Looks great so far.

 

I spent some time in the garage tonight working on the critical "under the rear cage" section of the exhaust. This is my starting place for connections north and south so I took some time to make sure this was right. First thing was pulling the tie plate from under the car and putting it on my work table.
Next I cut two pieces of 1-7/8" tubing 18" long.


When I made the exhaust for my MGB I ended up using a lot of exhaust couplers to join tubes together. They work, but they look amateur. This time I bought a to flare the ends of the pipe. The kit was just OK but I was not impressed with the screw-and-impact wrench approach. So I picked up a https://www.harborfreight.com/hydraulic-punch-driver-kit-96718.html, replaced the screw on the pipe expander with the hydraulic ram, and I can now easily and quickly flare pipe ends.


One pipe with expanded ends...


Two pipes with expanded ends...



I'm using a piece of 1.5" aluminum angle for the mounts. Each piece of aluminum will bolt through the center bolt of the tie plate to the rear cage. I'm welding some handy weld-on exhaust hangers to hold the pipes. They have a silicone grommet to help reduce heat transmission.

I'm just tack welding for now. When I'm done getting everything lined up I will powder coat the aluminum angle brackets.


One side all tacked up.


Both sides tacked together.


I made a cross-brace out of 2" steel. A hole saw was used to shape the ends to fit between the pipes and another set of tack welds to hold it in place. I'm thinking I can probably remove this when I am done.


In place under the rear differential.


Underneath the trunk looking towards the front of the car.


I think tomorrow I'm going to start working from the back end to the two silencers on either side of the trunk.

 

Thorsen
It looks really smart. I do have one cautious question: Can you get a grease gun onto the nipples of the lower wishbone inner fulcrum, once the plate is in place under the cage? It looks like you might just get to them through the access holes in the tie plate; but if not or if a bit of an effort, then just move the pipes an inch closer together, would be my suggestion.
Greg

 

@Greg in France I am not going to lie - your question made my heart skip a beat. While I lined up the pipes to allow access to both the grease nipples and the diff drain plug, I did not check to make sure I could get to them after I welded it all up. I am happy to report that the grease nipples and the drain plug are all accessible.


Here's the start of the driver's side pipe from under the cage to the rear resonator. The top half is a 90* mandrel bend and the bottom half is a section of 180* mandrel bend I cut to about 30*. This lifts the pipe up towards the resonator.


Here's the resonator. Another 90* mandrel bend and I put in a flange to make removal easier.


Not a great picture but here is the driver's side mostly done.


Here is the assembly before final welding of all the joints. The lowest part is the section under the cage. Everything else is the same height as that or higher.


Looking in from the driver's side wheel well.


I picked up a couple of "turbo" mufflers.


Laying under the car, it's going to be a tight fit.


I decided to hook up the front and rear sections with flexible pipe to see how obnoxious it is without a center muffler. I was also trying to make sure the cooling system was bled and checking the level of the transmission fluid so I didn't get a video of the sound, but it's noticeable louder and I would not consider it to be aurally pleasant.


I'm off to the store for more transmission fluid (how much does this thing take??) and hoping to get it running again tonight or tomorrow.

 

The answer is almost 2 gallons of ATF. I now have reverse and forward gears.

Here's what the car sounds like with no center mufflers. Full disclosure the flex pipes are just slipped on the the front and rear sections of the exhaust so it's louder than it would actually be.