The performance of your “stroker” is very dependent on the type and condition of the exhaust. As MLT relies on a Sport exhaust that was second hand many years ago I have been looking into what available replacements there are. Having run with a Sport system for years now, I would be loathe to return to the standard set up but, obviously, some owners are happy with it so I looked at the availability of the standard set up first.
The V4 centre pipe and rear silencer are a direct replacement and your local exhaust supplier (e.g. Europarts: centre (www.europarts.com) should be able to supply those You will need to convert the rear box mounting to the donut-type, if it has not already been done – a bit of DIY may be involved here! The Saab Club Sweden (www.saabklubben.com) can supply the front box. As yet I have found no front box suppliers in the UK. My preferred option is the Sport twin pipe system. This time two V4 centre pipes are required plus the special Sport type front and rear boxes with the twin pipe openings.
Again the Swedish Saab Club can supply. One thing I should point out (thanks to Chris Partington for this) is that this is a standard box with two openings not the proper Sport box with the internal cones which are meant to improve performance – also it can be a bit of a pig to fit! I have as yet failed to find any UK suppliers. It is possible to modify the original Sport box for more power as per the Saab tuning manual if you can weld and are brave enough to dismantle the box. Glenn, our Membership Sec., has done this on his Monte Carlo and it sounds very good!!
There is another option that is becoming popular – the 2” system offered by both the Swedish Saab Club and Motor Sport of Sweden (www.motorsportsweden.com). This system replaces the twin pipes of the Sport system with one larger 2” pipe and front and rear boxes to suit; it gives a great sound! If you really want to push the boat out then Classic Saab Racing (www.classicsaabracing.com) is the place to go, their XP tuned pipe front box is expensive but links to the 2” system previously mentioned. This box has been computer designed to give the best average power between 3000 and 6000 revs and works even on a standard engine. All the above are mild steel options.
Whether it is worth going for stainless steel on a stroker I am not sure – most people don’t use their cars every day so perhaps it is not a viable alternative. You could use a V4 centre pipe and rear silencer but I haven’t as yet found a front box in stainless but plan to investigate the possibility with my “soon-to-be-local” stainless steel man: Sterling Exhausts at Llanbedr. It is a bit disappointing to find no suppliers in the UK at all for the main parts of a two-stroke exhaust although perhaps that is one of the penalties of running a rare Swedish classic. I think I am prepared to live with this for the pleasure of all the other advantages of driving a stroker!! NB It would probably be a good idea to have the fuel mixture checked and carburettor jets changed as necessary with any exhaust changes.
Pete
Reprinted from the March 2004 edition of the Club Magazine
