I was browsing for some headers...checked MAC's website and saw 1 5/8 headers with dual converters for $750 (and that's from their site.) This seems like a real good buy. I've been looking at SLP's too, but this seems to be far superior since it comes with the y and dual cats. Anyone have these or know about them? Easy to install? Quality? Thanks

 

install is pretty easy, good power for a stock cubed motor. Plugs are rather easy. Get the JetHot coated ones. Cats just rob power.

 

I bought the SLP's because of them being stainless steel, 1 3/4" primaries.. and for 150 dollars used... who could complain. I do plan on getting a aftermarket dual cat y-pipe, but not anytime soon and it will either be stainless works or random tech. The macs aren't coated, and the SLP's can be coated.. for about 700 dollars from SLP, which doesn't include a y-pipe. The y-pipe isn't so bad either, stock has high-flow cats and the opening is 2" on both sides. Just my opinion though.

 

I got my coated MACs, Y-pipe, and coated ORP (for single cat sys.) for around 550$ from LS1Speed last year. Pretty easy install and good plug access. I did have to cut/extend/reweld Y-pipe about 3/8" wider at flanges to properly fit the headers bolted up tight with copper gaskets. Before modifying the Y-pipe it pulled the header collectors in enough to cause the header flanges at the head to pull away from head on one side. I'm sure it woulda kept blowing gaskets if I didn't tweak it

 

A good set of highflow cats are NOT going to rob power with his set-up or quite more...

But with that said, do NOT use the crappy Catco cats Mac uses with their system if that is the route you choose to go...Those things have been tested to flow less cfm than the stock OEM cats...For real!

What I'd recommend is to buy Jet Hot coated Macs w/ their ORY and then have a good exhaust shop weld in a couple good highflow cats into the ORY-pipe...Carsound cats are fairly cheap ($65.00 each) and flow great...Magnaflow cats also flow well, but not sure on the price...And of course Random Tech are well proven too, however, quite expensive...

BTW, I'm obviously using the Mac single cat header set-up for my '95...But rather than run a highflow cat I'm going to use a Dynomax Race Magnum bullet muffler in its place.

Good choice with the Mac mid-lengths as they are awesome headers for a bolt-on car and more than hold their own against the best longtubes on cars up to 400rwhp even with their 1 5/8 primaries...Not to mention plug access seems to be the best by far with them over any other aftermarket header on the market that I know of...Just make sure to go with some nice gaskets to avoid any potential leaks...

Mike

 

Can't seem to find MAC's w/out a y-pipe though...will they bolt up to my stock y if I want to wait and get a random tech later on? Maybe I'll go with the off-road pipe. Anyone running w/out cats know if I'll pass a sniffer? I got guys that'll pass my visual...maybe I'll just get the MAC/off-road y for now, if it fails I'll invest in an emissions set-up. Thanks guys.

 

i got mac headers with a cat-less y pipe and gained .5 second in the qaurter and about 3-5 mph so i thought it was a good deal but now i wonder if i should of bought LT's

 

Going by the rough rule for F-bodies that +10 hp is +1 mph in the traps, you gained about 30-50 HP with the headers. Looks great to me, and not any worse than LT's.

I gained an honest 0.6 seconds and 4 mph in the 1/4 with my Macs and Hooker catback.

Dan

 

Gibby,
If you want to go with a cat, get a Carsound (which is Magnaflow). I doubt that the stock Y-Pipe would bolt right up to the MAC's. Besides, why would you want to do that anyway? Chances are, you won't pass emissions without a cat.

Trust me on the MAC/Carsound/Borla setup. It sounds MEAN. I get people I don't even know comming up to me and telling me my car sounds incredable. With the headers alone I made close to 30rwhp and was scared of my car for the first week at WOT.

 

I love it. I have to tell ya, I felt the same way when I got mine done, although mine was more of a big .

With your exhaust, I bet your car would scare the crap out of a lot af other people on the road.

Dan

 

I like the idea of getting the MAC with an ory until late summer when my emissions are up and then getting the carsound cats welded up to my y-pipe. Thinking that's the route I'll go. +30 hp sounds great, and it's good to know someone likes the way they sound with their Borla system too, thanks