Does anyone know if V12V headers can fit a Rapide?
Discussion
Hello everyone. I'm hoping someone here can shed some light. I'm looking to go catless on my 2011 Aston Martin Rapide LHD. I think the tax on the headers for this car are ridiculous, you'll spend $7,000 on some pipes for the Rapide here in the USA. So I'm exploring a few options here:
1) Grab a set of V12 Vantage headers for very cheap, I can get one for hundreds of dollars, not thousands. I'm wondering if they will bolt right up to the head, even if I have to cut somewhere along the pipe to make it fit to the existing exhaust.
2) Remove the existing manifold and see if a good shop can design me a set of headers based off/ cutting and using the stock manifold's flanges and dimensions.
3) Simple remove the stock manifold and gutting the primary cat. I do not want to do this option because I'd like some of that "high pitched F1" sound from this v12, whereas just gutting the cat will most likely amplify the existing noise without drastically changing the pitch.
If anyone knows of a more practical way to get a set of headers on this car, please let me know. I am also looking for a quality part, I can't deal with cracked welds 8 months down the line when you have to apprently drop the entire subframe to get to the headers. Thank you all in advance!
1) Grab a set of V12 Vantage headers for very cheap, I can get one for hundreds of dollars, not thousands. I'm wondering if they will bolt right up to the head, even if I have to cut somewhere along the pipe to make it fit to the existing exhaust.
2) Remove the existing manifold and see if a good shop can design me a set of headers based off/ cutting and using the stock manifold's flanges and dimensions.
3) Simple remove the stock manifold and gutting the primary cat. I do not want to do this option because I'd like some of that "high pitched F1" sound from this v12, whereas just gutting the cat will most likely amplify the existing noise without drastically changing the pitch.
If anyone knows of a more practical way to get a set of headers on this car, please let me know. I am also looking for a quality part, I can't deal with cracked welds 8 months down the line when you have to apprently drop the entire subframe to get to the headers. Thank you all in advance!
AFAIK they are the same on Rapide and V12V. $7000 sounds cheap, they are £7000+ here in the UK!
Heres one of the better manufacturers here in the UK. As you can see the kit listed for both the Rapide and the V12V are the same.
https://quicksilverexhausts.store/collections/asto...
https://quicksilverexhausts.store/collections/asto...
Wityh regard to option 3), my understanding is that you wont get a ferrari whine by doing this modification - you end up with the same sound but an added hollow whoosh at certain revs. You only get a ferrari whine if you fit a new manifold with equal length tubes. The AM stock and most aftermarket ones here have unequal length tubes to preserve the AM sound.
There are several other manufactures all of whom will ship to the USA I am sure, but if you are looking to do it on a shoestring budget then you may end up with option 3) after all.
Heres one of the better manufacturers here in the UK. As you can see the kit listed for both the Rapide and the V12V are the same.
https://quicksilverexhausts.store/collections/asto...
https://quicksilverexhausts.store/collections/asto...
Wityh regard to option 3), my understanding is that you wont get a ferrari whine by doing this modification - you end up with the same sound but an added hollow whoosh at certain revs. You only get a ferrari whine if you fit a new manifold with equal length tubes. The AM stock and most aftermarket ones here have unequal length tubes to preserve the AM sound.
There are several other manufactures all of whom will ship to the USA I am sure, but if you are looking to do it on a shoestring budget then you may end up with option 3) after all.
Ok that is good info, thank you very much. I am heavily leaning toward modifying or copying the stock manifold into equal length headers. I have one other question though; would it harm anything to run completely catless? I see many people delete the primaries and run just secondary "sport" cats, which I assume is for emissions. Unless running completely catless (rest of exhaust stock) would hurt the car in any way? I would likely tune out the o2 sensors so I do not have a check engine light.
2011DeepBlueAston said:
Ok that is good info, thank you very much. I am heavily leaning toward modifying or copying the stock manifold into equal length headers. I have one other question though; would it harm anything to run completely catless? I see many people delete the primaries and run just secondary "sport" cats, which I assume is for emissions. Unless running completely catless (rest of exhaust stock) would hurt the car in any way? I would likely tune out the o2 sensors so I do not have a check engine light.
Be careful, equal length tubes WILL give you the high pitched Ferrrai type whine that you said you didn't want. The budget simple option is to remove the manifold, chop out the primary cat cansiters and weld back in sections of straight tube in their place.Yes running completely catless will cause ECU warnings,as you say because of the 02 sensors, that's one of the reasons people always run at least a pair of high performance sports cat secondaries. The other reason is most of the posters here are in the UK, and we have an annual test of roadworthiness called an MOT, during which the emissions gasses are tested. There is no way a V12 here would pass such a test with no cats at all. Not sure if you have any similar tests where you are?
AdamV12V said:
Be careful, equal length tubes WILL give you the high pitched Ferrrai type whine that you said you didn't want. The budget simple option is to remove the manifold, chop out the primary cat cansiters and weld back in sections of straight tube in their place.
Agree, I had this on my V12 Vantage, it sounded great but I preferred the burble, so I want back to gutted primaries and highflow secondaries. Gassing Station | Aston Martin | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff