I have a Baja and 30.5 ESP engine from DDM:
http://www.davesmotors.com/store/product2007.html
Absolutely awesome motor, but sadly I had the head bolts come loose and injured my 30.5 ESP on Sunday.
So this just my first impressions of the TGN Race Pipe, performance will have to come later, probably nearly 2 weeks later. Partly because I am sending the pipe off to get ceramic coated. I can only compare this pipe to the JP V2 and V3 that I have and have seen, the X-Can and the stock exhaust. Remember, all comments are based on my opinion only.
The pipe took less than a week to get here from the US with excellent service and communications from Mark at TGN, champion man. So I opened the box to find the pipe well packaged and looking huge and serious.
The quality immediately impressed me, while it's presumably only a pre-production unit, the welding is first class and the curves are very neat and smooth. Better than the JP pipes here which have more slaggy welding and some compressed curves. The flange on the JP was bent from the welding distortion. The TGN flange is much thicker and dead straight and flat. Hopefully you can see in the vid.
Click here to watch TGN-VS-JP-V3
I think the design is great. Looks like it sits just under the spark plug / rear wing line and will move on it's springs in an impact. I'm sure it's made from thicker , stronger material than the JP too. The mount it comes with to brace it back to the chassis is bendy ali, but thats ok as it should take some of the impact in a sideways hit. I suspect this pipe will be far more durable than people suspect. I will take that back when we see a bent one! Anyone seen a straight JP V2? Not me. Seen a bent JP V3? Me either. Mines copped a pounding and has no dents at all that weren't there from new. I think this pipe may be a similar situation, looks risky but will probably be fine. Time will tell though.
The design of the muffler is better than JP's too. I can not keep the V3 muffler attached to the JP, it keeps blowing off. Hi temp silicon, hose clamps, braided line etc etc, nothing works for more than a tank. The TGN muffler is held on with a spring after slipping on, Won't be falling off in a hurry. Can't say how it sounds yet, sorry. Will report back.
No pics of it on the car yet, see Timmah and others awesome threads for that:
http://www.hpibajaforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5832
http://www.hpibajaforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5803
But I took some shots of it, click for bigger ones:
Just inside the flange there is a lip that all pipes I have seen have. Not sure if it would be possible to build a pipe without it, I guess you would need a bigger diameter header which may be worse for performance than the lip? I can't dremel it off on this or the JP as I would cut through the header. I'm sure it's not a big issue, and as I said all pipes have it. Anyway, it's a lip in the way of gas flow so I took pics:
The pipe has a clear coating on it to stop rust I guess. It works, but scratches off with a fingernail:
Click here to watch Coating-Scratches-Off
Will be fine if you don't scratch it off, but will probably wear off sooner or later. On the joint between the 2 pipes there is some minor surface rust, as expected:
You could just wipe the pipe (get it?) with oil to stop any rust forming, or not bother about it.
I planned to get mine coated anyway so it won't rust and so it's easier to clean. Was going to chrome or coat, a mate is getting some bits jethot ceramic coated for his GTR skyline so I'm sending the 2 parts of the pipe, minus muffler and springs, off tomorrow with his bits. Can choose black or an aluminum looking colour. Not fussed and will choose tomorrow. One is a higher temp than the other I think, will report back tomorrow.
Strangely, there is 1 weld that wasn't finished on mine, definitely a one off, it's just one of those things you make 10 prototypes to sort out! I thought it was fine, just unfinished, but I blew in the pipe and it leaks a lot of air, not sealed, so I will tig or mig it up at a mates workshop (thanks Sam) tomorrow before sending it off for coating. No big deal and I'm sure I got the only one like it:
Click here to watch Missing-Weld
I weighed the pipe, the JP V3 and the stock can with extension still attached at work today. Grams only, sorry yanks and pomes! Here are the results:
Stock can: 167 grams
JP V3 Pipe: 437
JP Muffler:
222
Total JP: 659
TGN Pipe: 858
TGN Muffler:
126
Total TGN: 984
So yes, it's freaking heavy! The Baja weighs 9660 grams stock, the TGN pipe and muffler is over 10% of the weight of the buggy. The stock can is less than 2% the weight of the buggy. The JP V3 and muffler is under 7%. It's a heavy pipe but maybe could be made out of Ali? Would be weaker then of course. If it's proves to be tough the weight will be worth the strength.
The weight IS between the wheels though, which is hugely important to handling. Ever driven a 911? I have.
for bashing I guess it's fun to be tail heavy but this is called the TGN RACE Pipe. Not that 911's can't race, most successful race cars ever. Anyway, forget the 911 analogy. The point is that I believe the extra weight of the pipe is more than justified by the improvement in performance and that it's a good thing that the weight is between the wheels, even if it's offset to one side. As in a full size with a driver only. I think it will be great. I intend to find out for sure asap.
Thanks to Mark for giving us the opportunity to test these great pipes, very impressed so far and I expect cool things from it when I can run it. The waiting is almost as bad as waiting for the Baja was in the first place!
Thanks for reading, will put up a more comprehensive report when I can.
Here is the pipe:
http://www.teamgonads.com/Merchant2/...ode=hpiexhaust
Please leave any comments you have!