Driving with side sills removed?

[Dale Craig]

I have replaced the factory cats with high flow cats and need to get the front ends (where the cat connects with the header) welded. Tight Seal clamps worked great on the straight sections of pipe, but at the front of the cat, where there is a slight curve in the exhaust pipe, just before the pipe goes to the header, it leaks. I was wondering if anyone has experience with driving the car with the side sills off? I would need to go about 25 miles one way to the muffler shop. I can put the car on the trailer but it would be simpler to just dive. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Also, a very big thanks Sean Roe for your help; the exhaust with your cats (HMS cat back) is not too loud <VBG>!!! Thanks Dale..

 

[Ulysses]

I haven't done it myself, but aside from the funny looks you would get, I don't see a real problem doing it. Just be careful when you get out of it lest you want to burn your calfs.

 

[Jon-Mike]

Of course, once JonB answers, there is usually no need for additional posts

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, BUT, I figured I would just add my 2 cents too! I had a side sill off for repainting a while back and drove probably a good 200 miles (over a couple of weeks) with NO problems.

It does look a little rough, but there were actually a few people that really liked the look. It did have more of that orig. Cobra look...

 

[Sean Roe]

Dale,
Sounds like somebody cut the pipe too far forward and into the curve. If you cut it on the straight section, just in front of the stock cat, there is plenty of straight pipe to clamp to. Can you reduce the length of your intermediate pipe so that it doesn't run so far forward into the curve?

 

[MaxedGTS]

I drove my other SC Viper for a short time with the side covers off to be painted. You can't believe how much heat is produced by the stock cats. No problems driving with the side covers off. I would be darn careful not to touch the exhaust.

Max

 

[Jay Herbert]

Other than the potential "calf tatoos" from the hot pipes, no "functional" issue at all. Actually, Rich H. in Chicago ran his car at Viper Days events W/O the side sills (damaged in an "incident") for quite some time, he had the Car at VOI.4 that way.

Only real issue is the stupid things others may do while car is outside of the muffler shop:

"Hey, look at that Viper's exhaust, never seen that before..... OUCH, it's hot........" "Hey, I touched a hot exhaust pipe on a Viper today that looks like it should have been covered, who do I sue?"

 

[Dale Craig]

Thanks for all the input. I will be driving over to the muffler shop this Friday. I have already figured out how hot the exhaust gets, just running the car for five minutes and getting out. Some first aid cream on the back of my leg has helped a lot. Thanks again.. .. Dale