Solid Fabrications, Brixton
Discussion
I had a thread earlier on wanting a custom exhaust done for my Morgan:
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
In it, I described how a number of providers were either quoting rip-off prices, or had appalling service. Someone on the thread recommended Alan, the owner and main welder/fitter at Solid Fabrications in Brixton, London. And I thought that I would share some feedback for what I think is an incredible find. Forgive the long review, but he really deserves it.
First off, this chap is well-known to the Japanese car fraternity, apparently - and I read some online reviews, which were great. So I phoned him - he was very helpful, and off I drove to see him last Saturday.
My heart sank as I found his workshop - impossible to find, tucked away in a railway arch in one of South London's less picturesque neighbourhoods. I threaded the Morgan into his little workshop, fearing the worst.
I was greeted by Alan, who is a very very nice chap; friendly, enthusiastic, and clearly knowledgeable. Lying around his workshop were a number of pieces of his work, including a number of GTR exhausts for a retailer.
I can only describe these systems as artwork. The welding was perfect, all bends mandrel (not cheaply jig-bent, leading to loss of shape in the bends). The stainless he uses is of lovely quality. Honestly - my friend and I just spent a while admiring his work.
He listened to my car, had a look, took measurements, and we agreed a price (which was better than any I had had to that date, actually - although generally he's a bit, but not stupidly, more expensive than the Powerflow franchises of this world). I was to bring the car in on Wednesday evening, he'd have it done by Friday.
He actually called me on Thursday afternoon, saying it was ready, so I picked it up after work. He was chuckling over the phone when I asked him how it sounded...
What can I say - the dull silence until 3000rpm, followed by irritating Harley Davidson-esque blaring (this is a Morgan Aero 8 on factory sidepipes) has been replaced by a mellifluous, fluid muscle car burble, rising to a proper classic V8 howl at higher revs. Perfect at cruising speeds with no drone or vibration. It's actually still a little too quiet for me at idle - but I asked him to be overly cautious, as I don't want to annoy the neighbours or set off car alarms. Quite an old-school TVR sound, actually, which is exactly what I asked for - bassy, offbeat and rumbly.
The Caterham will be to him for its full system if me and the co-owner decide to upgrade the exhaust. In fact, as long as I live in London or the surrounding areas, any performance car I own will be going to him. His work makes the £3000 Tubi on the Ferrari 360 I test drove recently look cheap and nasty - and I am not exaggerating.
The price? Less that the nationwide franchise with whom I had such a poor sales experience, and significantly less than two other PH recommended custom outfits I went to. Mind you, as discussed in another thread, I genuinely thought that these other outfits saw the car and saw pound signs - it was, after all, only a pair of backboxes I was after. Solid Fabrications just quoted for a pair of backboxes - there was no Morgan mark-up.
The workmanship? Makes the the previous exhaust, a factory stainless item, look laughably budget (this was an £80,000 car new). Seriously - it is that good - the best I have ever seen, in fact. He even managed, somehow, to get McMerc SLR style slash cuts (although less acute) onto the side exit tips, despite the lack of space in the cutaways. I had asked him if it would be possible. He said he'd try - and he did it, somehow.
We then spent a few minutes just listening to it in the tunnels, and chortling to ourselves. Him and his team came out in the rain to hear me open it up down the road as I went home, still grinning.
Anyway, I thought I would share. We rarely praise suppliers who deliver, and frequently criticise those who do not. Alan and his outfit not only delivered, but over-delivered value to an extent that he has a customer for life, and recommendations to anyone who cares to listen.
Outstanding.
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...
In it, I described how a number of providers were either quoting rip-off prices, or had appalling service. Someone on the thread recommended Alan, the owner and main welder/fitter at Solid Fabrications in Brixton, London. And I thought that I would share some feedback for what I think is an incredible find. Forgive the long review, but he really deserves it.
First off, this chap is well-known to the Japanese car fraternity, apparently - and I read some online reviews, which were great. So I phoned him - he was very helpful, and off I drove to see him last Saturday.
My heart sank as I found his workshop - impossible to find, tucked away in a railway arch in one of South London's less picturesque neighbourhoods. I threaded the Morgan into his little workshop, fearing the worst.
I was greeted by Alan, who is a very very nice chap; friendly, enthusiastic, and clearly knowledgeable. Lying around his workshop were a number of pieces of his work, including a number of GTR exhausts for a retailer.
I can only describe these systems as artwork. The welding was perfect, all bends mandrel (not cheaply jig-bent, leading to loss of shape in the bends). The stainless he uses is of lovely quality. Honestly - my friend and I just spent a while admiring his work.
He listened to my car, had a look, took measurements, and we agreed a price (which was better than any I had had to that date, actually - although generally he's a bit, but not stupidly, more expensive than the Powerflow franchises of this world). I was to bring the car in on Wednesday evening, he'd have it done by Friday.
He actually called me on Thursday afternoon, saying it was ready, so I picked it up after work. He was chuckling over the phone when I asked him how it sounded...
What can I say - the dull silence until 3000rpm, followed by irritating Harley Davidson-esque blaring (this is a Morgan Aero 8 on factory sidepipes) has been replaced by a mellifluous, fluid muscle car burble, rising to a proper classic V8 howl at higher revs. Perfect at cruising speeds with no drone or vibration. It's actually still a little too quiet for me at idle - but I asked him to be overly cautious, as I don't want to annoy the neighbours or set off car alarms. Quite an old-school TVR sound, actually, which is exactly what I asked for - bassy, offbeat and rumbly.
The Caterham will be to him for its full system if me and the co-owner decide to upgrade the exhaust. In fact, as long as I live in London or the surrounding areas, any performance car I own will be going to him. His work makes the £3000 Tubi on the Ferrari 360 I test drove recently look cheap and nasty - and I am not exaggerating.
The price? Less that the nationwide franchise with whom I had such a poor sales experience, and significantly less than two other PH recommended custom outfits I went to. Mind you, as discussed in another thread, I genuinely thought that these other outfits saw the car and saw pound signs - it was, after all, only a pair of backboxes I was after. Solid Fabrications just quoted for a pair of backboxes - there was no Morgan mark-up.
The workmanship? Makes the the previous exhaust, a factory stainless item, look laughably budget (this was an £80,000 car new). Seriously - it is that good - the best I have ever seen, in fact. He even managed, somehow, to get McMerc SLR style slash cuts (although less acute) onto the side exit tips, despite the lack of space in the cutaways. I had asked him if it would be possible. He said he'd try - and he did it, somehow.
We then spent a few minutes just listening to it in the tunnels, and chortling to ourselves. Him and his team came out in the rain to hear me open it up down the road as I went home, still grinning.
Anyway, I thought I would share. We rarely praise suppliers who deliver, and frequently criticise those who do not. Alan and his outfit not only delivered, but over-delivered value to an extent that he has a customer for life, and recommendations to anyone who cares to listen.
Outstanding.
Edited by Harry Flashman on Friday 13th July 12:23
Will do pics as soon as I have th car out in decent weather and I have a decent camera to hand (should have taken one to the workshop yesterday).
If he can do a GTR exhaust, he can do a Porsche, I'm sure of it. He's never done a side-exit Morgan before (or any Morgan, for that matter), and his job is perfect...
If he can do a GTR exhaust, he can do a Porsche, I'm sure of it. He's never done a side-exit Morgan before (or any Morgan, for that matter), and his job is perfect...
Went in to see Alan yesterday. Next project - replace the rusty, horrid cat-back downpipes with some more of his stainless - and he's going to do something with remote controlled bypass valves, so that when I want, by thumbing a button in the cabin, I can get a monster straight-through pipe V8 noise, bypassing the silencers completely, but in normal driving, sounding as it does now - civilised. He built something similar for a Dodge Charger recently, so reckons the Morgan should be do-able.
All a bit experimental, but I like this plan. And over the winter, he's going to have the wings off and start working on some proper tubular manifolds, to replace the standard BMW items and hopefully free up some airflow (also fitting sports cats, as the final touch).
Shall update you all on progress when it all gets done. Decent new camera arrives next week, so should be able to get photos and video for those who wanted it.
All a bit experimental, but I like this plan. And over the winter, he's going to have the wings off and start working on some proper tubular manifolds, to replace the standard BMW items and hopefully free up some airflow (also fitting sports cats, as the final touch).
Shall update you all on progress when it all gets done. Decent new camera arrives next week, so should be able to get photos and video for those who wanted it.
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