You do have some excellent points MNC5. It always comes down to time vs. money. However, if $4k is 2 months wages, I would say he is time rich and cash poor Seems to me like he is going about it the right way and trying to gather 90% of what he is going to need up front. You must be willing to accept that it will be a slow process and you will never have everything you need to get it done in the time frame you are hoping for. A friend of mine and I started on my project last Saturday and got a lot of work done in a single day. However, I have access to my friends full shop with every tool you would ever need... If you are going to have to pay to get simple things done like cutting and welding pipe then I would have to agree with MNC5's advise.

 

Well, I have spent lots of time under trucks, installed lift kits,lowering kits, put a 472 in a 2wd chev, fabed bumper, built race car w/ interior roll cage, hand made trailing arms, cross member,strut tower brace, built numeros mining equipment. First thing I built when I got my welder was a cart to put it on. I was in my local NAPA monday and I saw a cage style belt guard on a big drill press, and I was like. I built that when I worked here, 13yrs ago. But anyway my wastegate flanges should be here today. Just remember my wife drives this truck as much as me. So Im not gettin to nuts, and if its not a perfect daily driver Ill hear about it. My friend will bend my pipe for couple bucks a bend, and a 10' piece of pipe is only $25. I will to figure out posting pictures, and keep ya posted.
Jeremy

 

Good luck with it, take lots of pictures. Typically the STS install takes less than a day to complete.

But I'm interested in seeing how long it takes you to get it finished. How long to you think its going to take to complete it now that you've started?

 

tig weld it, mig is just nasty and you cant get a decent looking setup with it....just my $0.02 if you have to outsource, you cna tack with the mig then send it out

 

Don't forget bigger injectors and a solid tune or HPTuners, LS1Edit, etc. Trust me, this is one of the most important steps. Unless you like lumps of metal that once resembled pistons.....
As a reference the Dodge STS kit has a T60 with 0.96 A/R exhaust. Not sure what the GM guys get.
I would also keep an eye out for a used kit, they do show up quite a bit and will save a ton of money.

 

I was going to do the whole kit myself, but I stumbled across an awesome deal on a GT67, and then I researched further and found that you can by a kit less the turbo and WG. I got an abnormally good deal on the turbo-less kit, and I did the calculations with the parts and my time and there wasn't much difference. I also got a warranty too. That's something that your creation won't offer. Also my truck was only down for a friday night. That was important to me since I drive my truck EVERYDAY.

I'm not saying you shouldn't do it, but your time IS worth money and you have to weigh the differences. Like a warranty, down time, research time, mistakes you might make etc.

 

good luck man i think its better when u fab something up yourself then waitin for the ups truck to drop it off. maybe u can desing somethin better then sts keep me informed

 

I have started gathering parts but I havent started fabricating yet. And I do know about the bigger injectors, and a good tune. I dont think I will tig weld it, I mean even a NASCAR chassis is mig welded, Id save the tig for stainless and aluminum. I will use aluminized pipe though. And Iv heard of guys calling STS on a pipe only kit and they still wanted $2k, just for the pipe and couplers, granted it HPC coated. Just think what youd pay for a custom exhaust, from the manifold to the tailpipe, beside using couplers instead of welding every section its not to far off. But dont get me wrong there is a lot of little stuff to contend with, oiling, pcv, wastegate, wiring, relays, and so on.
Anyways, has anyone out there ever muffled a STS setup?
Thanks Jeremy

 

Hey whats the best way to post pictures? Do I need to resize them?
Thanks Jeremy

 

Get a photobucket account. They are free and automatically resize pics for you.

Good luck on your fabrication.