I would think that a camera with video would be equal to or even much better than a phone, any phone.

You can get a free account at Photobucket or FlickR (I think) and load a video up to there, then copy the link to here.

Bill,
It sounds like you have a solution that works for you at this point. However, as for local fix solutions, here's an option:

Misaligned inlet flange - Needs tweaking, but brute force means bending/distorting metal elsewhere. Fitting parts under tension can result in metal fatigue at a later date. Here's a vintage tube bending technique:

1) Using a reciprocating saw or equivalent, slice the inlet tube (between flange and muffler) almost completely through such that the kerf (space) created allows the tube to bend (add heat) in the desired direction to move the flange into alignment. Add more slices for additional angular compensation.

2) Tack weld to hold the realigned flange position, remove muffler, then weld-repair the slice(s).

Note that the above operation may slightly affect the position of the muffler or flange. Your misalignment looks relatively minor. BTW, the affected flange (screen left) looks like it's "longer" than the opposite inlet flange (notice the spacing between the level and the muffler body). Thus, a corrective bend should partially correct that as well.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1405454422.jpg

Sherwood

Update,

Builder has read this thread and has finally replied to me asking for pictures of the work I had done.

So with communication on again there is still a chance of a happy ending.

Will let you know.

Ps. Thanks for all the PM's!

Cheers
Bill

Hi All,

The builder Rich at Turbo Thomas in Redditch UK, has not shown any interest in helping me to deal with the problems with this muffler.

He did offer to send me a pair of intake flanges if I paid the postage but this would not have fixed the problem and he offered to make me a new pair of tailpipes with a dog leg offset if I paid him to make them and paid the postage.

He refuses to admit there is anything wrong with the muffler, fitment or quality of his work.

He has asked for pictures of the work I had done which I supplied to him. I decided to only have the tailpipes moved and replaced to make the muffler safe and useable, I left the misaligned intakes alone as I could mount it nearly level.

I sent him a link to this thread and his response was to refer the matter to his solicitor and threatened to sue me for slander!

I will let the pictures of his work speak for themselves and you can decide for yourself if you would want him to make anything for you.



Cheers

Bill

Lol, sue you? He's a funny guy!
How many websites shall we discuss his offerings on?
I can't help but laugh a bit at this... if he had simply stood behind his work, the words here would be in his favour. Why can't people get that? Then he goes as far as making threats? WOW!

There's a reason we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on anything you buy from us. Like was posted earlier, it takes years to build a solid reputation and much less time to trash it. So it's that much more important to never leave customers with a desire to trash it! Had this guy simply sent you a new muffler, or your money back, he could have simply marched on. Instead an entire community of Porsche drivers think (or know) his workmanship is off. Not smart. - Matt

I'd do what Sherwood recommends. It makes sense and gets it on the car.


Maybe next time you are in the UK you could call in and say hello ;)

Bill Douglas,

I do appreciate Sherwoods suggestions but I am not really set up to do this work nor have the time.

I don't really want to throw any more money at this as I am already up to $1200 AUD so far.

I do have the muffler fitted on the car after having a local muffler guy remake the tail pipes with a dog leg offset.

I am hoping the valance will hide most of the muffler which is a shame as I think it is a cool look lurking under there.

I work in sales on a commision only basis. I bend over backwards to ensure my clients are happy as I rely on referral and repeat business to survive.

If I stuff up and I do sometimes I try to make sure the client finds out about it from me first and I already have a solution to offer them when I tell them.

What I am trying to say really is that I work hard to earn a good reputation and probably work harder to protect it.

I emailed Rich the link to this thread back when it only had about 500 hits and invited him to join in on this thread or engage me privately.

He declined both.

Rich if you are reading this and I hope you are I have met a lot of great people on this board that help each other out and warn each other if there is trouble ahead.

It is never to late to turn a negative into a positive and I am certain everyone who reads this thread would like to see a positive outcome atthe end of this thread. Is it really that difficult to be a stand up guy?

Cheers
Bill

It's interesting for me to read this thread.

I bought a second hand M&K muffler about 5 years ago - meant to fit a 3.2 engine with 993 Heat Exchangers fitted. I bought it off Richard Bernau on Impact Bumpers. When Richard got it from M&K, it wouldn't fit - he ended up paying a local welder about £500 to cut and shut it to fit. I don't know whether or not Richard took it up with M&K but I do know he paid to get it sorted out

When I got it it did fit, but one end was slightly higher than the other and the tail pipes pointed slightly down (which looked odd but it also meant they scraped the ground on occasion). Eventually I cut and shut the tail pipes to get them level. It now looks OK.

The point I'm making is what was made above - that fitting a non-standard exhaust onto a 30-year old car is not easy to get right with certainty and doing it at distance can bring issues that are not easy to sort. That this can and does happen to other exhaust builders as well. And that comments along the lines of 'string him up' aren't really helpful to anyone and just enflame the situation without knowing both sides of the story - there are always at least two sides.

It's also interesting because I'm taking my car to Turbo Thomas this afternoon for him to do a custom backbox for me - I'm leaving the car with him and I'm excited about what he will produce.

Hi Sladey,
I do appreciate your comments and point of view regarding fitment and the distance involved.
Regarding 30 year old cars there are no appreciable size differences between a early SC and a C3 when both have SSi's.i have owned both.
The fitment differences regarding the fire risk was in inches not a few mm.
Please look at the pictures in this thread as some of the issues are basic alignment and nothing to do with old cars, aftermarket parts or the fire risk!
Seeing as you are going to see Rich this afternoon please ask him if he would allow my mate with the SC that he has made 3 mufflers for or Bertroex on IB who has a C3 with SSi's he can bring along to take measurements to make a new muffler as his jig clearly does not seem to fit.
Both gentlemen have offered to donate their time to help put this right, clearly like Rich and would like to assist.
I will happily pay the postage and return my current muffler to him.
I have read a few posts on IB where Rich seems to have been more than willing to rework mufflers locally there have been issues with. I appreciate my distance is substantial but the head in the sand approach is not working for me.
I am pretty sure Rich will work on your car till he has got it right as that is what I have read on IB.
My main issue is that he promised me an exact copy of my mates muffler which I was sure would fit. That is not what he made! They are the same set up and old cars do not grow or shrink the dimensions remain the same.
I asked Rich outright if he made an exact copy of my mates muffler never did receive a reply to that or other direct questions about out of line intakes or pissed flanges etc.

I would appreciate you talking to him pehaps you can get him to see all,of this in a different light.

You can PM me or post it here or on IB. I have nothing to hide apart from getting a bit emotional about this.
I did not want to name Rich online but after a month of no progress I had had enough and ran out of patience.
The worst thing was he made me a muffler at short notice, I drove 3 hours each way to pick it up met him and his son and liked him and thought he was proud of his work and expected him to stnd behind it.i
I really did not expect to have the problems I have

My experience with Rich has been disapointing but I truly would like to put this behind us , work out a solution and finish the threads on a positive outcome. That would be best for all concerned.
Cheers
Bill.

Send your muffler to your friend and see if it fits his car. If it does, you know where the problem is. If it doesn't, then you know where the problem is....

One of your 993 heat exchangers has had the flanges cut off , rotated and rewelded to fit the 3.2 engine. I would say all bets are off regarding fitment of any kind.


Bill's engine with SSIs on the other hand should be pretty consistent with another engine with SSIs.

I think the key phrase here is "pretty consistent." Pretty much any custom exhaust would be better fit if the car was in the shop designing it. Outside of that you never know what type of fit you'll get. Sometimes great. Others not so much...
- Matt

Sladey is right. I spent £500 getting an M&K to fit - I could fit my finger in the misaligned gaps. This stuff is custom, so you just grin and get it fixed. I figure that whenever you deviate from standard, its basically your own risk and with mufflers, I would always get it fitted on the car if you are not prepared to take the risk. I know that is less than helpful advice if you are sitting in Australia though.

Rich T is a good guy, but I can't comment on the details of your situation. I would suggest you call him rather than email though.