What I had hopped to have been a nice enjoyable half-saturday job has (typically) dragged on all day. Undefeated by installing new manifold studs, and with the front end jacked up with both wheels off, I just cant seem to get the angle of the front pipe section between the gearbox hanger and chassis. With the front end of the pipe behind the drivers wheel I can almost get it - but my trolley jack is fully extended and axel stands with 3 blocks of wood - still cant get it. Tried threading back to front, vice versa, but no luck. Do I just need to push the jacking up, well, a little beyond that I am confortable with - perhaps putting wheels back on and jacking it onto something. Downloaded the S3 manual, checked Haynes - nuffin! Packing it for tonight, but any advice would be gratfully received! So frustrated, its put me off me reward Guiness!
Bobsticle
De Villes Advocaat
Had this issue the first time I fitted a britpart exhaust. Did it eventually bridged over a high kerb. When that fell apart 18 months later I wasn’t looking forward to fitting the stainless replacement. Strangely with a little fiddle around it just went in.
You can undo the gearbox mounting bracket to give you more room but it’s a faff. Take the bracket off completely.
You can undo the gearbox mounting bracket to give you more room but it’s a faff. Take the bracket off completely.
Many thanks for the inmail Bob. Especially with it being the weekend. Yes, the price point of Britpart is all too attractive! Because I was under the bl00dy thing all day, I was too busy trying to get it finished to stop and think - so thank you for your suggestion ( most annoylying the long hair'd general, the home manager said, "stick some wood under all 4 wheels". Instead of a kerb I have found several bits of offcut, plywood, oak sleeper and slowly but surely I am jacking up all 4 wheels rather than just the front. Getting to some heady heights, but not there just yet. Will pick up an oak sleeper tomorrow and keep jacking it up! I run a rag top (with an original 1980 hand made style fume curtain), but I will listen out for it blowing. I did more closely inspect it after your inmail - doesnt look great, so I may run a low heat of weld along it. Although MOT free I do put the kids in in - so I have continued with an MOT (due in May), so will crack on. Once I have got this bl00dy thing fitted I will do a little write up - since a search of 104 previous threads there was no one single source. Once again, cheers!
Bobsticle
De Villes Advocaat
Id have said removing the three bolts from the gearbox and one from the crossmember may be less of a faff than jacking to six foot 
You may as well get used to doing it. I replaced the britpart back half after 18 months as it simply fell to bits and I painted both with high temp paint. Both boxes leaked from new. The second one didn’t manage two years either. Eventually went with stainless.
You may as well get used to doing it. I replaced the britpart back half after 18 months as it simply fell to bits and I painted both with high temp paint. Both boxes leaked from new. The second one didn’t manage two years either. Eventually went with stainless.
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My experience with a Britpart exhaust is eerily similar to at least two other posts on this thread. The PO fitted a Britpart exhaust to my 88 which lasted 2 years and 1500 miles at which time it looked as though it had been retrieved from the Titanic and made a nice pile of rusty flakes on the garage floor. Utter junk and a total waste of money and time no matter how cheap. Nearly asphyxiated myself when driving it a short distance home from doing some repairs with a floor panel out.
My advice is throw the Britpart in the bin; honestly it should not be that difficult to install if it was accurately made. I predict you will be doing it again in short order so you are wasting your time persevering with it. I replaced the crumbling Britpart with a Bearmach, chosen because I've got another Bearmach system on my V8 which after three years it is still in great shape with only some dulling of the coating and no corrosion, though it cost not much more than a Britpart. The Bearmach went on the 88 with no issues. I threaded the front section through with no need for jacking or dismantling anything.
Like the reference to the long-haired general by the way - in my house she's also known as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) Home Command.
My advice is throw the Britpart in the bin; honestly it should not be that difficult to install if it was accurately made. I predict you will be doing it again in short order so you are wasting your time persevering with it. I replaced the crumbling Britpart with a Bearmach, chosen because I've got another Bearmach system on my V8 which after three years it is still in great shape with only some dulling of the coating and no corrosion, though it cost not much more than a Britpart. The Bearmach went on the 88 with no issues. I threaded the front section through with no need for jacking or dismantling anything.
Like the reference to the long-haired general by the way - in my house she's also known as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) Home Command.
Hi Just a short note to thank nickjaxe and Bobsiclke. Yup - jacked her up high and yes, it was the 180 degree angle behind the drivers wheel that got it in. I even did it after last nights night-shift, so thrilled. Once again, thanks for the advice. I will be making a further "help" shout out later on another matter. Thanks
