Vintage Speed exhaust

It didn't take a lot of thought to out my old turbo muffler. I've had it for the best part of 9 years and during that time I've become less fond of it.

I used to love the way it stuck out below the valance with that huge curving pipe coming off the header. But now that is what annoys me the most. Still, it was always a step up from the Euro Twin Tuckaway I had once upon a time. That thing was LOUD and made children cry - seriously!

These days I want something a bit more subtle, a little less loud (showing my age) and something that actually uses the exhaust cut outs in the valance. There are a few aftermarket performance options on the market that fit the bill and I'm sure any one of them would've suited my 2007cc engine (yes I'm finally going to get it in the car), but the exhaust I went for hails from Vintage Speed in Taiwan.

If you've never heard of them I can happily tell you they make some great products for air-cooled VWs, including several different exhaust systems, depending on your needs, for both Beetle and Bus.
I first saw them at the VolksWorld show 3 years ago and was very impressed with the build quality as well as the dyno proven power gain. That was when I decided I wanted one for the Ragtop. Since then they've added to the range and made them better.

I've opted for their mid-range exhaust which is said to be good up to 2400cc engines. It has a 1 5/8-inch (42mm) header that bolts onto the silencer which has two 2.5-inch (63mm) tailpipes that exit through your valance cut outs. I don't like to use this word to much but I have to say it looks 'awesome!' The welds are amazing quality and everything fits together 100% snug, unlike a few other exhausts I've used in the past. Plus there is minimal fuss in the pipe work department, which is another reason I went for it. I know merged headers have a great reputation but I'm getting board of all that winding fuss.

The next step will be to fit it but I have a few other tasks on the list to complete first. These include buying some cylinder heads, getting my pistons skimmed and putting the engine in. Updates will obviously follow as and when.

As for the exhaust, watch out for our product review and product test in the magazine where we'll be comparing it against other systems. And no doubt you'll see it surfacing in my project updates in the magazine too!

If you fancy getting one of these systems yourself or to see their product range check out www.vintagespeed.com.tw . Their site is in English and they have a currency option in their shop too, so you know exactly what your spending.

Click on the images below to see larger versions.