Custom Exhaust Question: Will it be one big piece?

[86325e]

I know this is probably a dumb question but.. When I take my car to the exhaust shop to have a catback built, will they weld it on to the back of the cats and then its one big thing or will they install it so its removable like stock. I've never had any custom exhaust work done on any of my cars. My car is an 85 325e with a M50 conversion, I used the E34 downpipes/cats from the donor car and all that is bolted up like stock to my car. How must will this run? $150ish? I'm providing the dual in/out stainless steel magnaflow muffler.

Another question.. Should I pickup one of those Ansa muffler pipes deals and have the shop modify that to fit the cats and then they fit that to my muffler?

[turnofftheradio]

well, that's the best part of a CUSTOM exhaust. you pay $$ to have someone make what you want. 2pc, 3pc, flanges, whatever you want, they should be able to build. right?
anyways 2pc with flanges out of stainless.... maybe 200-250? mild steel non mandrel, 100-200?

[Rob]

if I was having a custom exhaust, I'd want at least 2 piece, ideally three (not counting the header)

1. Cat section
2. Catback

or

1. Cat section
2. "B" pipe, midpipe, whatever
3. "rear section"

[turnofftheradio]

I imagine that a 3pc could make speedy work of many driveshaft/trans work. should be a lot easier to get at certain pieces rather than fumbling around the cat section...

[Rob]

yup, plus it'd be easy to swap in a test pipe for the cat for track days or whatever....

[Addissimo]

yup, plus it'd be easy to swap in a test pipe for the cat for track days or whatever....

word

[86325e]

Cool, I'll go with 2 piece for sure. I'm not sure if the cats will pass the emissions test; if I find out they're bad then I'll go 3 piece. Man I ordered my muffler Monday night and tracking says it won't get here until next Monday. I was planning on it getting here on Friday and dropping the car off at the shop late Friday or first thing Saturday morning.

[Gus]

the shop didnt think about mine, and it ended up being one piece. which is a pain in the ass. havnt done any major work for a while, but before i do will be going back to get a flange welded up just after the headers