Stainless Works' long-tube...
Stainless Works' long-tube LT1 C4 headers are crafted from mandrel-bent 304 stainless steel and feature built-in air-tube and O2-sensor bungs. Ours came with the optional Random Tech high-flow catalytic converters.
This month marks the reappearance (again) of our '96 LT1 Corvette, a car whose halting progress toward the goal of achieving C5 Z06-quality acceleration without pauperizing its owner has been unfolding seemingly since the days of the optional whitewall. To date, the Polo Green coupe has been the beneficiary of a number of cost-effective modifications, ranging in scope and difficulty from a comprehensive valvetrain upgrade to a quick-and-easy (and surprisingly effective) ultrasonic fuel-injector cleaning.
In this installment, we'll tackle the car's exhaust system. Given that replacing the OEM rear-section exhaust setup is typically one of the first alterations made by any mod-inclined Vette owner, you may be wondering what took us so long to reach this point. The answer has to do with the limitations imposed by a dwindling C4 aftermarket and our longstanding predilection for covering only the latest, most notable performance hardware whenever possible.
While converter-back systems for the C4 abound, long-tube headers-critical for making maximum power in a high-output Gen II engine- are about as common as yeti sightings in Cozumel. When we learned late last year that Stainless Works was cooking up a full, header-to-tips system for the '92-'96 model, we signed on to be the first to install and test the new parts. The highlights of the daylong job-performed once again by the inveterate Vette nuts at AntiVenom EFI in Seffner, Florida-follow, along with some subjective impressions and post-install dyno results.
 Complementing the headers...  Complementing the headers was this converter-back exhaust system, which came to us with dual 21/2-inch intermediate pipes, an X-style crossover, a pair of polished tips, and a full complement of hangers. Like all SW exhaust parts, it's covered by a limited lifetime warranty. |  After more than 77,000 miles...  After more than 77,000 miles of use, our '96's original exhaust system resembled something left over from a marine-salvage operation. Worse, it was starting to leak. |  AntiVenom tech Will Edgar...  AntiVenom tech Will Edgar begins the job by unbolting the stock exhaust hardware, starting at the cats and moving rearward. |
 With all the bolts liberated,...  With all the bolts liberated, Edgar and shop honcho Greg Lovell remove the entire system as one piece. |  Here's the old factory setup...  Here's the old factory setup as laid out on the ground behind the shop. Note the large, sound-attenuating resonator positioned ahead of the dual mufflers. |  A comparison of the Random...  A comparison of the Random Tech cat (foreground) and the OEM unit reveals a marked contrast in design efficiency. The new piece is smaller, lighter, and cleaner-looking than the stocker. It also flows better and radiates less heat. |
 With the rear portion of the...  With the rear portion of the exhaust removed, Edgar drops the car and moves on to the job of pulling the cast-iron factory manifolds. |  Now sans manifold, the LT1...  Now sans manifold, the LT1 shows off its traditional D-shaped exhaust ports. |  If you're following along...  If you're following along at home, you'll need to source your own gasket... |