When I release the ABF Tech Division turbo back for the R56, I started receiving a large number of request for a catless down pipe option that mates up to stock and after market downpipe back exhaust. Since then the request kept coming, so I went ahead and reconfigured the DP section of the turbo back and am close to releasing a final production piece under my side company,
Seven Swords Perfomance.

The new DP will incorporate the same craftsmanship and materials as the turbo back exhaust, but will now give owners the freedom to choose the exhaust style and tone they want.

Here are some of the pics of the pre-production protype I've been testing on my car.







Just like my original full exhaust, with this down pipe owners will find;

- 2.5" seamless 304 stainless steel for it's full length, from flange to flange.

- Fully mandrel bent

- 100% tig welded / back purged by hand here in SoCal

- The turbo side flange is waterjet cut from 3/8 stainless steel plate for precise fitment and seal

- The exhaust side flange is shaped to mate perfectly with the stock exhaust or any aftermarket equivalent.

- Stock block mounting is utilized, although not shown in the pre-production pictures.

- Both the lower and upper heat shields fit in their stock locations with no modifications require leaving vital engine bay parts safe from heat as well as maintaining a stock look.

- Finishes will be offered in either polished or thermal coated

- A new turbo side gasket

- Altered AccesPort stage 2 mapping will be provided to eliminate the cat fault CEL

- Fits S and JCW models R56, R55,and R57 ( R60, R58, and R59 yet to be tested )

- Cost TBA, but will be reasonable, I promise.

Initially these will be made to order or as part of a group buy, so there will be about a 2-4 week lead time

I still need to hit the dyno for some hard numbers, but the car feels almost the same as it did with the full 2.5" system. This is even with the secondary cat in from my stock mid section.

I'll try and get some graphs up this week along with some sound clips using the JCW tuning kit exhaust. Sorry I don't have any now. I already have a fairly good idea what power will be like, my main concern was test driving and making sure there was no fitment or odd drone issues before proceeding with a final piece.

 

Shouldn't be much different then other DPs in horsepower.

 

you guys need to make maps for different downpipe options. My Akra dp to fJCW is much more free flowing than stock but not technically the 3" you guys used nor 2.5" fully catless

 

Exactly This is why I wasn't in a mad rush to toss it on the dyno. Wont be the first catless DP I've seen, but it will be one of the few that is actually available.

 

I gotta touch base with Jeff or Chris at Alta on that some time actualy. They had posted they were workign on alternate map upgrades for the stage 2 to suport 2.5" catless or some of the Akra like DP's since they stopped making their 3" catted DP's

 

If it ends up being verified as working on the R58 (JCW) I'm in! No doubt! Just started to research doing this this week.

 

Yeah I really wana try it out, I've just had very little exposure to the roadster. I'm pretty sure it will bolt up to the JCW since it still uses the N14, but I'm not going to say for sure since I haven't done it my self yet.

 

Why did you guys weld it in the middle instead of just making it one solid pipe?

 

Probably so the bends of the catted and catless are exactly the same. to make a catted one, you just put the cat where that straigh pipe would be. or else, it is an extra bend section that is too tought to mentrel.

Mike, will you get back about the Akra support? thanks!!

 

Those welds were done just for the proto type since it needed to be slightly adjusted. The finished part will have one weld. This is done solely to bring the cost down because it reqiures more labor to do combound bends on the machine in short production runs. Aesthetically it's not as nice as a single piece, but it has no effect on the strength or performance.

 

If when the time comes, you haven't had a chance to try it out, I'd be willing to give it a go if you'd be willing to do a refund if it didn't mate up. Honestly I can't imagine it not working on my JCW Coupe. It's the same layout as the R56. The only thing I could see as a difference is the Coupe is slightly shorter but I don't think the exhausts reflects that.

Either way I'm glad to see someone doing this!

 

BTW how is SMOG checking going when you go catless? Of course I am assuming correctly that you will state that this is an offroad use part only? I am just curious if the MINI will pass emissions even without a catalytic convertor.

 

This is not some thing you want to try and get past smog, it is intended for off road use and will fail the gas analyzer portion of the test for sure.

The installation and removal is easy enough though that you realistically would only spend 2 hours at the most every 2 years to return the exhaust to stock.

 

Couple updates:

I spoke with the mandrell operator and he is willing to cut me a break on the compound bend. This means the production units will have a single pipe instead of the welded sections like the protype.

The downpipe will come thermal coated black standard, with the option to be polished at an additional cost

My goal to hit the dyno this week is going to be delayed thanks to the 800 HP GTR that broke it last night.

 

Do you plan on adding the suport brackets at the bottom of your D/P as on the OEM ? I remember one member having an aftermarket D/P without any bottom suport brackets and untill he added the bottom brackets he could not keep the aftermarket D/P tight at the turbo flange.

 

Mike,
Are you sure about this? I always thought that if a car was tuned properly it should pass smog, catless or not.

 

I mentioned this in the o/p, but yes the bracket will be on the production piece.

 

Your odds are more in favor of failing then passing. Like I said it's a 2 hour install at the most, once every 2 years. Small price to pay for the power advantage over a catted DP.

 

Yeah I am transferring to Cali this year and will have to SMOG so I will be doing the install of the stock DP and exhaust. Good thing NM's intake is CARB legal.

 

I don't want to change out my entire JCW exhaust so this dp is coming at the right time since I've started looking into exhaust mods. I'd like to add some sound/volume to an already great sounding system but I also want the benefit of getting rid of the restrictive cat as well so this sounds like what I'm looking for.

I have a factory JCW. Do you have any idea if adding this dp will require any other mods to avoid throwing a cel/codes or any other troubles?

 

Yes, you will need to shut off the code with in the ECU. The easiest and best way to do this is through tuning. My weapon of choice is the Alta/Cobb AccessPort.

The DP will come with a cd with all the standard stage 2 Alta maps converted to run a 2.5" catless with out throwing a code. Going this route will also take
full advantage of the new DP because the ECU will now be correctly set up to
handle the modification.

With out tuning you will only see significant gains in the upper RPM and may lose power down low.

 

is that map safe to run with an Akra pipe? I was given than map when i had the riss but now i'm running the Akra

 

I'm not sure what your other mods are, but the stage 2 Alta maps are designed for a 3" pipe. I would guess you can get by, but it's not recommended. I would see if Alta can give you a new map.

 

Mike,

I have a helix I/C so if I add your catless D/P to my JCW would you have any stage 3 maps?

 

Yeah I was gonna run this idea by the tuner here. He going to write the stage 2 batch for me any ways, I can probbaly have him do the stage 3 alterations as well. I'll let you know.

Your local too I thought, so you could schedule dyno time when your ready and we can protune the car.