My expansion chamber is back from my welding guy, and he did a great job on both the new section of headpipe and the hanger bracket. I bolted it up and I am very happy with how it fits. It only took me a mere 18 months.
I was initially concerned that a flat track pipe might have too little clearance in right-hand turns. I concentrated on tucking the pipe in tightly, and I’m confident I maximized clearance as much as possible. With the exhaust bolted solidly in place, I did a quick lean-over test. Even allowing for some suspension compression, I think I’d be well into on-yer-ass territory before this pipe placement is going to be a major issue.
I now need to get the pipe stripped and repainted, but I’m not going to worry too much about the finish; it’s an old race pipe and I’m choosing to see it’s multitude of dings and dents as battle scars that add character. I’m not even sure this pipe is compatible with the Frontera engine’s porting, so it might not turn out to be a permanent solution.
if you look closely in the first photo, you can see a thin rod lying on the motor. I’m using it to visualize how a brake rod linkage might run, but there doesn’t seem to be a straight shot anywhere. I know that bent brake rods are widely used, even by OEMs, but it’s not an elegant or functionally ideal arrangement. I’m re-examining the cable option.
