Aston Martin advice from Bamford Rose independent specialist
Discussion
Hi Dave.
The picture of the cats you show is both the baffled and un baffled type, which explains why they are different. We introduced the baffle to get the exhaust note down to 99db, remembering that without the baffle 'Lance' alerted the police in the next county he was coming.
Exhaust note is extremely personal and to smooth down the bass / baritone exhaust note (if the customer wanted) we also introduced an X pipe intermediate section. However, whilst some liked the smoothed exhaust note the X pipe brings, the majority who took it actually came back in to swap back to standard because they lost their bass / baritone 'Aston' exhaust note, preferring that to the smoother high pitched note the X pipe gave, remembering that there is absolutely no performance difference between X pipe and standard factory intermediate pipes, so its OK to swap and change to get the noise wanted.
On understanding what type of exhaust note the customer wants, we now actually alter the primary and secondary pipe length of the manifold to get the exhaust note the customer wants (bass / baritone or high pitched / tenor) and use the baffle in the cat to give the noise level the customer wants. So without an X pipe, which gives a bit of an undesirable Ferrari note and no performance gain, we can make the V12 sound like this V12VR;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kdm7e4HdGs
or like this green Zag
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxUkx0cT73o
or like this creation;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dwq5NbABxsY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr412k8yvtA
Hence the comment of Bob, saying the manifold was a finely tuned wind instrument, wasn't too far off the truth
The picture of the cats you show is both the baffled and un baffled type, which explains why they are different. We introduced the baffle to get the exhaust note down to 99db, remembering that without the baffle 'Lance' alerted the police in the next county he was coming.
Exhaust note is extremely personal and to smooth down the bass / baritone exhaust note (if the customer wanted) we also introduced an X pipe intermediate section. However, whilst some liked the smoothed exhaust note the X pipe brings, the majority who took it actually came back in to swap back to standard because they lost their bass / baritone 'Aston' exhaust note, preferring that to the smoother high pitched note the X pipe gave, remembering that there is absolutely no performance difference between X pipe and standard factory intermediate pipes, so its OK to swap and change to get the noise wanted.
On understanding what type of exhaust note the customer wants, we now actually alter the primary and secondary pipe length of the manifold to get the exhaust note the customer wants (bass / baritone or high pitched / tenor) and use the baffle in the cat to give the noise level the customer wants. So without an X pipe, which gives a bit of an undesirable Ferrari note and no performance gain, we can make the V12 sound like this V12VR;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kdm7e4HdGs
or like this green Zag
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxUkx0cT73o
or like this creation;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dwq5NbABxsY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr412k8yvtA
Hence the comment of Bob, saying the manifold was a finely tuned wind instrument, wasn't too far off the truth
Mike,
Scary pics! Very glad I had a PPI done on my '05. It's solid. Since it will never see salt, it will stay solid -- right? It won't see much rain either, but is rain enough to cause that?
Also, you said the car in the pics is an '06, and that the enhancements took it from 460 to 530 hp. A 460hp car would have to be pre-S MY04 or earlier -- I'm confused...
Scary pics! Very glad I had a PPI done on my '05. It's solid. Since it will never see salt, it will stay solid -- right? It won't see much rain either, but is rain enough to cause that?
Also, you said the car in the pics is an '06, and that the enhancements took it from 460 to 530 hp. A 460hp car would have to be pre-S MY04 or earlier -- I'm confused...
Hi Mike, I have a modified AM sports exhaust on my DB7V; the cats have been replaced with 200CELs, but the centre box and rear silencers remain the same. Since replacing the cats, the exhaust has gained a crisper 'bark', but I'm wondering what effect does the centre (collector?) box has on the exhaust note?
Speedraser said:
Mike,
Scary pics! Very glad I had a PPI done on my '05. It's solid. Since it will never see salt, it will stay solid -- right? It won't see much rain either, but is rain enough to cause that?
Also, you said the car in the pics is an '06, and that the enhancements took it from 460 to 530 hp. A 460hp car would have to be pre-S MY04 or earlier -- I'm confused...
You should be perfectly fine and not have corrosion because of the environment you car is in. When Greg, our US agent from Arizona came to visit, he saw what UK climate does to Vanquish and was shocked / surprised. So was i when i went to Arizona, lots of early vanquish looking as if they had just rolled off production line. You then realise why Arizona has a great car culture and many private collections are stored there.Scary pics! Very glad I had a PPI done on my '05. It's solid. Since it will never see salt, it will stay solid -- right? It won't see much rain either, but is rain enough to cause that?
Also, you said the car in the pics is an '06, and that the enhancements took it from 460 to 530 hp. A 460hp car would have to be pre-S MY04 or earlier -- I'm confused...
The vin on this vanquish was last of the non S, and it must have sat for a bit before being registered. My comment on age was registration related and not model - sorry for confusion.
Navyatco said:
Hi Mike, I have a modified AM sports exhaust on my DB7V; the cats have been replaced with 200CELs, but the centre box and rear silencers remain the same. Since replacing the cats, the exhaust has gained a crisper 'bark', but I'm wondering what effect does the centre (collector?) box has on the exhaust note?
the key to getting the DB7V exhaust note is changing the centre section for aftermarket as first step - which gives a good note. If wanting louder / more bass, baritone go cats, then if that's not enough go back box. I say back box last because the risk would be a back box which went a bit high pitched and raspy, and that might not be the desired end result, and most likely cats and centre section hits the spot. But i wouldn't go any further without first changing centre section next, then listen to a few different back boxes before choosing which brand to go for. Speedraser said:
Thanks Mike, I feel better, But I'm in NY, not AZ. Does that change your opinion? My Vanquish will never see salt, and rain will be very rare, though I will use it -- pointless not to! No worries about the model year confusion -- good to know I haven't become forgetful (yet)!
The corrosion occurs because of instead of like we do - zinc plate and powder coat a frame, it is released with the most wafer thin bit of paint to protect it from the years of use ahead. My opinion is that rain water or excess water from washing runs down drain channels and sits on top of frame. There are what appear to be holes from manufacture process which become saturated / water rests in or around that area. The frame is mostly 3 layers metal construction, the water penetrates the middle of the layers from getting through the manufacturing holes and over time degrades / spreads until corrosive state compromises structural safety. Kept in good environment, no salt exposure the frame will last longer, but, based on material and exposure from how water rests on frame, i would say all vanquish at some point will need a frame - just like all heritage cars need a restoration. Based on some areas of the frame susceptible to corrosion and difficult to get to, i dont think that in situ anything can be done to prevent the inevitability. If you are that worried about yours, put car on ramp, take trays off and send me some pics and based off experience i could 'life' yours.But, subframe renewal shouldn't really be much of an issue to worry about. Its a relatively straightforward job to change and the frame is a relatively simple piece to make. It has been made a worry because of horrific price of new frame and labour at a dealership. The customer of the car in the pics i posted was quoted £13k at dealer for fitting a new frame, mindful that a new frame is a ticking time bomb because it is not zinc plated / powder coated and a decade on with many failures in marketplace, the OEM part is still only coated with an airbrush worth of paint.
The cars i have seen in Arizona will likely never need a frame, kept in very good conditions but with an exposure to rain / water i would life to approx. 20 years. With exposure to salt and other accelerated factors (left outside), i have seen life as short as 5 years.
BamfordMike said:
Exhaust note is extremely personal and to smooth down the bass / baritone exhaust note (if the customer wanted) we also introduced an X pipe intermediate section. However, whilst some liked the smoothed exhaust note the X pipe brings, the majority who took it actually came back in to swap back to standard because they lost their bass / baritone 'Aston' exhaust note, preferring that to the smoother high pitched note the X pipe gave, remembering that there is absolutely no performance difference between X pipe and standard factory intermediate pipes, so its OK to swap and change to get the noise wanted.
On understanding what type of exhaust note the customer wants, we now actually alter the primary and secondary pipe length of the manifold to get the exhaust note the customer wants (bass / baritone or high pitched / tenor) and use the baffle in the cat to give the noise level the customer wants. So without an X pipe, which gives a bit of an undesirable Ferrari note and no performance gain, we can make the V12 sound like this V12VR;
This is the absolute truth. I had my V8V exhaust replaced with Mike's version and was extremely impressed with whole setup. Mike then contacted me out of the blue to explain that should I want to change the exhaust note, he now had the X-pipe which he would fit free of charge for me to trial. If I wanted to go back to the original, then no dramas. As it was I stuck with the X-pipe as I preferred the howl. What continues to impress me more than anything else is the focus BR place on the individual. I simply can't recommend them highly enough. On understanding what type of exhaust note the customer wants, we now actually alter the primary and secondary pipe length of the manifold to get the exhaust note the customer wants (bass / baritone or high pitched / tenor) and use the baffle in the cat to give the noise level the customer wants. So without an X pipe, which gives a bit of an undesirable Ferrari note and no performance gain, we can make the V12 sound like this V12VR;
bins!BamfordMike said:
the key to getting the DB7V exhaust note is changing the centre section for aftermarket as first step - which gives a good note. If wanting louder / more bass, baritone go cats, then if that's not enough go back box. I say back box last because the risk would be a back box which went a bit high pitched and raspy, and that might not be the desired end result, and most likely cats and centre section hits the spot. But i wouldn't go any further without first changing centre section next, then listen to a few different back boxes before choosing which brand to go for.
Many thanks for the advice Mike.DBS oil question.
I have a 2009 DBS, its appears overfilled by what looks like 0.5-1 litre after its recent service (AM dealer says the level is correct because they measure the exact amount), but is this because I have a long dipstick or did the DBS have the correct dipstick from the word go?
Its confusing because I dont know what level I should check for !
I have a 2009 DBS, its appears overfilled by what looks like 0.5-1 litre after its recent service (AM dealer says the level is correct because they measure the exact amount), but is this because I have a long dipstick or did the DBS have the correct dipstick from the word go?
Its confusing because I dont know what level I should check for !
JPF40 said:
DBS oil question.
I have a 2009 DBS, its appears overfilled by what looks like 0.5-1 litre after its recent service (AM dealer says the level is correct because they measure the exact amount), but is this because I have a long dipstick or did the DBS have the correct dipstick from the word go?
Its confusing because I dont know what level I should check for !
DBS came with correct dipstick. How can anyone "measure the exact amount" of oil to fill the engine after a change? That's beyond nonsensical. Oil must be between the 2 marks when measured cold.I have a 2009 DBS, its appears overfilled by what looks like 0.5-1 litre after its recent service (AM dealer says the level is correct because they measure the exact amount), but is this because I have a long dipstick or did the DBS have the correct dipstick from the word go?
Its confusing because I dont know what level I should check for !
DB9VolanteDriver said:
DBS came with correct dipstick. How can anyone "measure the exact amount" of oil to fill the engine after a change? That's beyond nonsensical. Oil must be between the 2 marks when measured cold.
I guess they drain it fully and measure xx litres of oil using measuring jugs.JPF40 said:
DB9VolanteDriver said:
DBS came with correct dipstick. How can anyone "measure the exact amount" of oil to fill the engine after a change? That's beyond nonsensical. Oil must be between the 2 marks when measured cold.
I guess they drain it fully and measure xx litres of oil using measuring jugs.Edited by DB9VolanteDriver on Tuesday 5th April 17:45
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