>
              > 3) The VAM muffler *almost* fit.  The exhaust pipe hits
   one of
             the mount
              >
              > tubes, preventing the exhaust manifold flange from seating
             against the
              >
              > engine correctly.  There seem to be 3 possible solutions:
              >
              >    A) Make an insert for the manifold flange which adds
   appx
             1/4".  Not
              >
              > convinced the bolts are long enough for this.
              >
              >    B) Cut the exhaust manifold pipes & lengthen them so
   the VAM
             moves
              >
              > 1/4" - 3/8" farther away.
              >
              >    C) Cut the VAM exhaust tube & increase the angle toward
        aft so it
              >
              > clears tube.
              >
              >
             Mark,   When I built the muffler, I did it with the engine
   mount in
             place.  I had it off and on many times.  It had to be angled
        just so to
             slip it over the flange studs, but it did fit. I have no ideal
        why it
             would not fit now.  Of your proposed solutions, the last one
        would be
             easy to do. Cut through three sides of the exhaust so the last
        side can
             act as a hinge. (It can be cut on a band saw or with a
   plasma) Heat
             with a torch and pull it the position  you want.  I can send
        you some
             321 strips for the patch and also some 347 tig rod
   (required to
        weld
             321).   Or, you can patch it with 304, readily available
        everywhere.  To
             weld 304 to 321, use 309 rod.

               I am very disappointed that you are having difficulties,

               Jerry


        We were able to get the muffler over the studs no problem.  The
   trouble
        was getting it to fit completely against the engine - in this
   case, the
        bottom could not touch because the exhaust pipe was contacting the
        engine mount.  How thick is the gasket material which fits
   between the
        engine & the muffler flange, Jerry?  We were doing a dry-fit,
   but it
        didn't seem that close to fitting -- perhaps you had gasketing
   in there
        & it was enough?

        Agree that increasing the angle of the exhaust square-tube is the
        easiest way to adjust it.  Do you suppose there is any reason
   to make
        this adjustment way up by the VAM, or could it be done a couple of
        inches down (where it will be easier to do)?  The only
   difference is
        that doing it a couple of inches down would put a 'bend' in the
   pipe --
        can't see that a bend would make any difference.

        Mark & Mark

        It was kind of loud on the dyno so a bend might help.
        Also you might want to weld in a few of these while you are
        at it. They are reputed to reduce the noise.

        BTW Mark if you use the stock M2 cowl what are you going to
        do with the cheeks?

        Paul Lamar



   We're not going to use the stock cowl.  We were mostly curious to see
   what would happen & the cowl was sitting there... so we helped
   ourselves...  A few measurements & lots of pictures later, we quietly
   returned it to the hangar from which we'd borrowed it.

   Is the idea that the exhaust louvers reflect sound waves back up the
   pipe, thus deadening it somewhat?  It looks like the louvers are bent in
   v-shapes with the points pointing down -- again to reflect sound up?

   You've mentioned several times that the VAM didn't seem to be reducing
   exhaust noise as much as had been hoped.  I assume you were inside when
   on the dyno -- thus getting reflected noise from the walls.  I guess I
   am hoping it will perform better 'in the field' than it did in the
   lab..

   Mark & Mark

   Interesting. I just overlayed the layout on a scale drawing
   I had of the M2. Looks like there is plenty of room in there.


Not sure where you got  that drawing  from, Paul.  I just flipped
through a dozen pics of flying M2s, and none of them have that large
bump-down at the bottom of the cowl.  Plus your drawing of the front of
the cowl is way too big.

Mark

Just something I had lying around. I never got a drawing on the stock
cowl other than that one.

Which one is too big? Send it back so I can see which one
it is. They can always be changed. The key dimension is the height
and width of the firewall. Please check those numbers and send them
to me again.

Holy cowl? I did not think Will James had a holy cowl
let alone for an M2. If so it has two cheek air intakes. Are you
putting one rad under the engine with the oil cooler along side?

The VAM will be too loud outside as well.

Paul Lamar