Came across this on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/OBX-C...QQcmdZViewItem

Thought it might be of interest to some here on the forum.

Garrett

 

I liked the header so I ordered one - should be here next week. Lets see how good of a SuperSprint clone you get for 299.00

 

Make sure you get all the parts with it, I got mine 3 weeks ago and I'm still waiting for the collector flange, the gasket and the donut gasket, basically all I got is the header, everything else was missing, so I can't even install it yet.

As far as the exhaust, I would like to order it if they resolve my issue, at that price, if it's not good at least I didn't have to spend $800 like most others out there and I'm sure I can sell it for half the price, loosing only $150 plus shipping.

 

Unfortunate about your header. Mine arrived 100%. Overall worth every bit of the 17,500 pennies I paid for it .

Price wise it may create any interesting alternative for many of us.
The Header was 175 + CatBack 299 for a grand total of 474.00 (not including shipping, tax or install) which prices out below many after market just CatBack systems. This might be a great system for the budget mind racer or the weekend street warrior. For me it wil be a question of SOUND, this is a copy of the the SS system and I understand that it is very loud.

I'm not aware of anyone that has heard the system. If you have PLEASE CHIME IN!

Hopefully, I'm doing the install next weekend. I'll take some picks and try to record some sound clips for NAM.

 

I'm guessing it doesn't come with the long straight resonated pipe?

 

BahamaBart, let me know how you like it and give me details as to how you'll install it, from the headers to the tips, what cat combo, what resonator if any, everything.
I don't want resonnance if I can avoid it, I have a Tri-Flo 3" system with X-Pipe on my ZR1 and the resonnance from idle to 2500 rpm is so bad it makes me hill and I don't want to repeat that mistake, I had a Corsa on it before and made the mistake of selling it to buy Tri-Flo, now I want to go back to Corsa.
To bad we can't have dyno numbers of that exhaust system without header so I can know if the exhaust actually gives similar hp to Borla or others.
I like the price but if all it does is make noise and no power compare to stock, I don't know if I would buy it.

 

Correct - it is NOT a true "Catback".

 

I'll post pics and hopefully sound clips.

I've got the header already installed using the stock CAT connected to the 1-ball which I like very much. It made the sound note a bit deeper, bit louder and I like the way the car is pulling (DynoButt). I will be using the stock pipe to connect the CatBack to the Header. If too loud then I will be adding a resonator to the stock pipe portion.

An apples to apples comparison from a parts perspective - OBX catback to Brand X catback system for hp would be appropriate. However, from a price perspective the comparison would be - OBX Header + CatBack versus someone elses header or someone elses catback since most items be it a header or catback sell for more than the two OBX items combined.

Basically you get 2 items for the price of everybody elses 1 item BUT do you get the numbers along with it? Really thats the question.

Just comparing "quality construction" (based on Header experience), OBX does not meet the same level of quality than other header (i only had one to compare it to - Supersprint). In my experience was the quality equal to the price differential NO.

So it will be interesting to see what 299 get ya!

 

Somebody of here in Australia has fitted this system, in Australia it is marketed as Xforce instead of OBX but its exactly the same unit. He had to fit a resonator behind the cat to make it sound right, he said it sounded funny without the resonator in place, he had the car dynoed before and after and didnt see many if any gains!! I will tell him to post his thoughts of the system here.


John.

 

INTERESTED IN ANY FEEDBACK so THANK YOU.

 

Thats what i was trying to figure out b.c the guy selling on ebay posted it as a CAT-BACK so i emailed him about the front pipe. Guess this answers my question. Not that bad for the price and prob under a hundo to have a muffler shop make the front pipe in 2 1/2 .

 

The OBX bolts to the Cat, Resonator or not, it certainly is a true Cat-back. Unlike the Remus, that requires you to cut the existig pipe.

Steve

p.s. my bad I was refering to the OBX cat-back for the Cooper not the S.

 

OBX CATBACK EXHAUST arrived this afternoon :smile: and I have a 9am apointment tomorrow to install it . If all goes well I will post sometime this weekend on the results.

 

How does the quality look? on par with the header?

By the way has anybody heard from Alex (sparktek) lately? I have emailed him a couple of times with no reply..

 

Got it installed, it will take a little to truely determine what I tink about it but here are my impressions so far.

Pros:

1) price 299.00

2) Assembly system is in 4 pieces allows for fine tuning.

3) Sound – deep and acceptable under 4,000 rpm

4) Tips look great sticking out the back .

5) Nice finish on the parts.

6) Mufflers tuck way up and are not visible.



Cons:

1) Not a true “catback” – you need the entire stock straight pipe.

2) Assembly system is in 4 pieces can be a pain in the *** to get everything lined up.

3). Sound – 5,000 rpm it gets louder and 6,000 to redline its dam loud.

4) Incomplete – 6” “connection piece” is 2.5” diameter and stock pipe is 2.25”.

5) Clamps are lowest quality.

I would have preferred less sound but sound and age seem to go hand in hand. My son who is 15 loved it but it’s more than I wanted. BUT normal driving its very pleasant actually and when you hoop on the throttle it transforms to race mode.

Installation


You need to do this at Midas mufflers who can produce the piece to connect your stock exhaust straight pipe to the system. The piece in the kit does NOT fit. The clamps are the cheapest and I opted to buy SS clamps.

The exhaust tips are connected by a small piece of metal welded to each tip. Mine broke within the first hour. The metal piece connecting the tips was small and inferior. I had it re-welded and add an extra piece of metal connecting the two tips welded on as well.

Overall, I can’t complain for 299.00 plus freight plus install. If I had to do it all over again, I would reconsider the budget (i.e. allocate more), I'm sure there are 500-600 dollar systems it beats and those that it does not.

I give it a C+. I gave the Header a B-.

 

Thanks for your input! This will give others an option to look into if they so choose. As for me, I will stay with my 500 scorpion exhaust!


Garrett

 

mmmmm now I'm really confused, I'm an old fart so I'm not keen on it being to loud!!! I would have to install a resonater behind the Cat.

If I was to replace the main centre pipe with 2.5inch would this solve the fitting problem?

What I really want is the Invidia, but its proving hard to source at a acceptable price here in Oz.

John.

 

The resonator would be an option.
2.5" from the Cat would solve the problem.
I hear an Invida sound clip and its proabably in the same loudness category.

I will see how to load a sound clip.

 

some pics -

 

hopefully the sound clips are here for you all - if they don't work, I loaded them in my gallery "bahamabart" and you can access from there.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...cat=674&page=1

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...0movie_001.avi

 

Cant get them to work, but I always have trouble with vids on my slow dial up connection.

 

Ok I got it working!!!! It is pretty loud

 

The only thing that i was thinking about the other night was that the seller should change his way of describing the unit. Since you have to use your old straight pipe, that is not a true cat back. So that could lead to miss informing people.

Garrett

 

Clearly this falls system in the upper end of the loudness group of exhaust systems offered. I just took out a buddy who races and he said

a) it was quieter than he expected
b) it had a "little "rice" - 6,000 - redline.

He didn't think it was a bad sound at all and when I told him the price he was blown away saying "worth 299".

An interesting fact was that we removed the tips to adjust them and decided to start the car. Its sounded different and we took it fo a spin and it was not as loud! The riceyness at the top end disappeared. I found this interesting and may try a different set of tips or look into a resonator.

 

It will take a couple hundred miles for the system to settle and break in. I am already noticing some changes. The system is growing on me.

On the highway in 5th or 6th its very quiet with no negative drone effect.
Its loud when you nail the pedal to the floor as I did in one of the sound clips. So its loud when you are playing with the car.

When driving regularly - shifting below 5,000 RPM, its got a deep low tone which is nice sounding. I finally got to hear the car drive off when I got dropped off at the airport and it sounded good - deep and low sounding. Its no louder than a Ferrari stock system. The tone near redline is what my friend called a bit "ricey" and I may add a resonator.

I mentioned that we drove the car without the tips on (which look awesome) and it sounded very different. I may play with another set of tips or I may add a resonator to see what happens.

My wife actually likes the system saying it makes the car sound BIGGER!
and is not complaining about driving it.

I'll report after a few more miles.