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Trying to ID VR/VS V8 4-into-1 extractors

LXCHEV

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Hi all,

Purchased a VR 5 litre Calais project car and work is slowly progressing on getting it back together and up and running. The previous owner had just installed a set of extractors (FYI: he passed away, so unable to ask any questions). I've been trying to find out what these pipes are and if they're any good or not - with no luck. Would appreciate any feedback from anyone who is more familiar with the offerings for these cars....

They are really short in terms of overall length - all 4 primary pipes merge together into the collector (4-into-1) and terminate with a cone style flange - similar to factory manifolds - rather than the more common flat flange that you'd find on most aftermarket pipes. I've taken some photos of the passenger side only at this stage. As you'll see, the flange barely makes it past the rail. The driver's side is shorter again - with the flange right next to the steering column knuckle.

The coating is a light blue/grey kind of colour. Also has a bung for the O2 sensor already in place.

Any ideas on who might have made these? (Assuming they're an 'off-the-shelf' offering). Or is it possible they're been hacked together? Thoughts on the 4-into-1 style and short lengths? Any other comments, good or bad? I haven't been able to find anything close on the net so far...

Passenger Side 05.jpg


Passenger Side 03.jpg


Passenger Side 08.jpg


Passenger Side 07.jpg


Passenger Side 09.jpg


Cheers,
Brett.
 

Not_An_Abba_Fan

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Factory HSV headers.
 

gtrboyy

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They look fairly ordinary by those pics...easier to tell looking at super short driver's side

Not sure if modded factory or just half-arsed copies...kind of think vn/p era as those were cone type then vr went 2 bolt flat flange but yeah seem closer to factory calais/hsv headers.

I think vt 195i went back to cones but primaries stick out further & either hit chassis rail or nearly touch.

o2 sensor usually further up iirc unless they were on y-pipe & on yours they tried to go twin cats ol' common mod.
 

LXCHEV

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Yeah I've found several ads on Ebay for what people are claiming to be 'genuine HSV headers' from the VN - VP - VR - VS era. Those ones are flat flange style and non-coated. But overall, very similar as far as pipe lengths and positions go. Perhaps there were a few variations at the time as they worked their way through VN to VS? They certainly appear to be (potentially) period correct....
 

Immortality

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They kinda look like the headers on my VS Senator.
 

Not_An_Abba_Fan

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VN-VS V8 are all interchangeable anyway so they could be any one of those.
 

Not_An_Abba_Fan

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They'e fitted to his car so he obviously doesn't. Aftermarket headers had an issue with the variable ratio, but I'm about 88% sure the HSV ones didn't matter.
 

LXCHEV

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A bit more tinkering around on the VR today..... with some interesting findings...

Firstly - just a couple of pics of the drivers side pipes....

Drivers Side 01.jpg


Drivers Side 02.jpg


Drivers Side 03.jpg


Next up is where it gets interesting.

When I picked up this project car, it came with some brand new exhaust bits in the 'spare parts pile'. Namely an aftermarket high-flow cat and a Redback 2.5" single exhaust system (consisting of main muffler and rear muffler). Not a bad starting point. Thinking that I had aftermarket extractors, I was convinced I'd need to get a custom Y-pipe made for the front. The car actually came with 2 old Y-pipes (what I believe are factory pipes).....

Here's a photo below....

I believe the one on the right with the O2 sensor bung and longer passenger side pipe, is the factory VR setup, for fitting up to the standard exhaust manifolds. Does this sound right to anyone else with a VR?

Y Pipes.jpg


The one on the left has no O2 bung, and has a much shorter passenger side pipe. I jumped under the VR today and low and behold it seems to be a perfect fit with my extractors pictured above. I'd still love to identify what model this is off (assuming it is factory)??
 

LXCHEV

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Another question to the brains trust.....

Should I run the O2 sensor in the bung located in the passenger side extractors (as per my earlier pics) - or block that off and instead run it much further downstream in the cat? Here's a photo of the new cat....

Cats.jpg
 
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