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Please help me decide "Mac or Pacesetter"

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Old 02-03-2016, 08:32 PM
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Default Please help me decide "Mac or Pacesetter"

Hello All

I am having trouble making up my mind. I have a 6.0 lq4 that I want to swap into my firebird. I don't have much cash so I need to make good decisions. The firebird is a convertible and will be for weekend cruising not racing. I can purchase a Mac header and y pipe for $300. I believe they are stainless. Here's a pic.




Or do I purchase the pacesetter and y pipe for $200. I would blast them and ceramic coat them which I can do at my friends shop. Here's a pic




What are your thoughts?
Old 02-03-2016, 08:50 PM
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Out of the two you posted, the Mac's are mid leangth and will sacrifice power for clearance. The pacesetter's are likely 1 3/4 primaries and will leave a lot on the table, but they are at least full long tubes.

If you can manage it, this would be your best bet on a budget.
http://http://www.speed-engineering....e-version.html
Old 02-03-2016, 08:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Mongoose350
Out of the two you posted, the Mac's are mid leangth and will sacrifice power for clearance. The pacesetter's are likely 1 3/4 primaries and will leave a lot on the table, but they are at least full long tubes.

If you can manage it, this would be your best bet on a budget.
http://http://www.speed-engineering....e-version.html
Do the speed engineering headers and Y pipe tuck up pretty well? I want to put strano springs on and don't want to bottom out. Also, are they easy install? Thanks
Old 02-04-2016, 03:27 AM
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The Speed Engineering headers are a little nicer IMO, and tuck up about the same as the Pacesetter from what I've seen
Old 02-04-2016, 08:10 AM
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I would go with the Speed Engineering headers too. They are "long tube headers" and they are stainless steel. 1 7/8" would be good for you setup. You just can't beat the price of the Speed Engineering headers.
Old 02-04-2016, 08:53 AM
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What about this. It's a full exhaust from a 99 z28 with ls1 and t56. I am planing on swaping a 6.0 lq4 with t56 into my 95 firebird, so I will need a complete exhaust. They are asking $350. If they are stainless it seams like a good deal. What are your thoughts?





Old 02-04-2016, 09:29 AM
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http://www.speed-engineering.com/spe...e-version.html
SS headers and y pipe for $400 is a no brainer.
Here is a pic of mine...
Attached Thumbnails Please help me decide "Mac or Pacesetter"-img_20140913_123401_033.jpg  
Old 02-04-2016, 10:16 AM
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Originally Posted by jcparmley
What about this. It's a full exhaust from a 99 z28 with ls1 and t56. I am planing on swaping a 6.0 lq4 with t56 into my 95 firebird, so I will need a complete exhaust. They are asking $350. If they are stainless it seams like a good deal. What are your thoughts?





What brand are the headers? What size are they? The mufflers look like Flowmaster 10 series, which sound great.
Old 02-04-2016, 10:19 AM
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If you go with the pacesetters ditch the Y pipe and get a flowmaster merge. The Y pipe on the pacesetter is pretty awful.
Old 02-04-2016, 10:55 AM
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The Macs are a midtube I use to run them on a old Fbody. I had pacesetters on a old LT1 and they were **** but they have been popular through the years for the LS1. Speed Engineering seem to be a great buy and believe it or not Ebay makes a pretty decent rip off stainless header. I'm currently running a set on my C5.
Old 02-04-2016, 12:24 PM
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Originally Posted by ragtopz28
http://www.speed-engineering.com/spe...e-version.html
SS headers and y pipe for $400 is a no brainer.
Here is a pic of mine...
that looks clean and done right.
Old 02-04-2016, 03:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Rise of the Phoenix
What brand are the headers? What size are they? The mufflers look like Flowmaster 10 series, which sound great.
I asked the seller what kind of headers they were and he didn't know. I believe they are stainless. I have a convertible so I don't want the exhaust to be so loud that it is bothersome with the top down. So what muffler would you recomend if I go the route of Speed and Engerninng?
Old 02-04-2016, 03:32 PM
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magnaflow makes a quiet muffler.
Old 02-04-2016, 05:57 PM
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Originally Posted by ULTIMATEORANGESS
magnaflow makes a quiet muffler.
Thanks for the compliment and I agree with the muffler choice.
Old 02-04-2016, 05:59 PM
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Originally Posted by ragtopz28
http://www.speed-engineering.com/spe...e-version.html
SS headers and y pipe for $400 is a no brainer.
Here is a pic of mine...
The stock Y hanger was removed after the pic was taken...JSYK
Old 02-04-2016, 06:26 PM
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Originally Posted by jcparmley
What about this. It's a full exhaust from a 99 z28 with ls1 and t56. I am planing on swaping a 6.0 lq4 with t56 into my 95 firebird, so I will need a complete exhaust. They are asking $350. If they are stainless it seams like a good deal. What are your thoughts?





I'm not a fan of dumps , but if that whole system was 3" and ss , which I doubt then it would be a good buy at $250 or $300
Old 02-04-2016, 06:37 PM
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LPP performance has stainless LTS and ORY with a bracket on the y pipe (prevent and banging on the floor) for 450 shipped. Mine I got are 1 7/8 and these are 1 3/4 from them. Has far as per difference goes I saw a thread where they dyno'd a stock ls3 camaro ss with a m6 and it put down 374rwhp, with 1 3/4 it did 401 rwhp, 1 7/8 it did 406rwhp, and 2 inch it did 410 rwhp. All of these results where on the same car with out a tune. Might be more than a 4-5 rwhp difference after a tune but take that for what it is. Whatever you do don't do shorties or mid length...you will most likely find yourself swapping them for LTs eventually and will have spend a bunch of extra coin.

I am extremely happy with the build quality and fitment with the LPPs
Old 02-04-2016, 06:44 PM
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Side note I also had the pacesetter shorty headers and the build quality was fine but in less than a year the ceramic coating was rusting. Also my buddy got a set of pacesetter LTs. As we were installing them I noticed light shining through between the flange and primary. So much for quality control or testing....what a pita that was, had to take it back out and wait for another one from pacesetter(at least they didn't give him a hard time about it and sent him another one).
Old 02-04-2016, 06:50 PM
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Here are my Speed Engineering 1 7/8 headers.
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Along with TSP true duals.
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The hearders are fine for clearance but the duals hang low, particularly on the driver side. I should be able to squeeze another 1/2in or so and that will be enough clearance.
Old 02-05-2016, 04:27 PM
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Originally Posted by Mongoose350
Here are my Speed Engineering 1 7/8 headers.

Along with TSP true duals.


The hearders are fine for clearance but the duals hang low, particularly on the driver side. I should be able to squeeze another 1/2in or so and that will be enough clearance.
THose look great. Do they bottom out at all?


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