Hey ZARDOZ and Obsidian Pete ~ maybe you can help me out.

I'm searching the world (literally) for a New or Like New "ANSA" exhaust system for my 1970 240Z.

I had a set on my car for 12+ years but when I found the car again and bought it back, the system had been replaced by a single pipe.

The ANSAs are no longer available here in the USA, but I thought maybe a set might be still available in Australia. The ANSAs were unique in that they were dual pipes, all the way back, of very small diameter (usually 1-1/2 inch). All other systems used bigger pipes. My system had dual "cigar" glasspacks behind the driver's seat, emerged under the rear bumper like an over-under shotgun, and sounded great. No other system ever duplicated that sound.

Two members of our Club have sets of original ANSAs on their cars, but both cars are pristine and 90-point restorations, so there's no hope of living long enough for the cars to ever be parted out (Bitzed).

If you blokes ever come across a usable set of these original ANSAs, please notify me straight away. I'll come get them myself!

Thanks!
Frank

Frank,

I'm sure you remember what the ANSA system sounded like, but here's a sound clip...

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/1971 ... 205421.htm

This guy might be worth contacting...

http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?p=942169

Or this guy...

http://www.gangloadoparts.com/z/id14.html

Thanks anyway, Phil ~ these are all ANSA dual-tip resonators, made to fit on the end of a single pipe. Colin cgf240Z found these also. (And the 2nd link is no longer available ~ I guess he sold them all).

The system I need has dual pipes from the header back to the bumper, with a single straight-thru glasspack on each pipe. The tubes are either 1-1/4" or 1-1/2" ID. That way, ANSA wound up with a total of 2-1/2" or 3" inside diameter, but less backpressure and faster excavation because of the dual pipes. Right at 5100rpm it used to make the rear deck resonate like a drum, but other than that it was the sweetest sound you've ever heard.

AirJockie has a used set which looks just like the ANSAs, except his system uses Gawd-Awful Big pipes. It must sound like a semi when he winds it up.

I shall not rest until I have them! After the Whale!

Frank like this one?

Hi Clive!

NO! These are the ANSA dual-tip add-ons for a single pipe. They approach the same sound (altho not exactly), but do nothing for performance, since they work off a single pipe.

The original ANSA system had tiny dual pipes the length of the car, with a chrome tip on the end of each pipe. This add-on is intended to duplicate the appearance of the original ANSA, but it ain't the same animal.

I'm trying to get our Guru Vinny Bedini to fabricate a set for me. I'll probably have to ask Colin cfg240Z or John Kish to let Vinny copy the original ANSA systems on their cars, but that's gonna be a hassle and take time.

Oh well, I'm retired, it took me 23 yrs to find my old car again, and if it takes awhile longer to put it back the way it was when I owned it last time, I'll wait!

I feel like Captain Ahab chasing the White Whale. I shall not rest.

Thanks, tho!

Frank

OK, I am canceling my "Want Add" for the ANSAs. I have settled on a "TWICE PIPES" system from MSA and they are being ceramic coated and installed this month.

Thanks to everyone who offered help on this impossible quest.

Frank

What changed your mind Frank? Did you get a chance to hear a set of twice pipes??

Phil

Frustration, Phil.

The old ANSA system is simply not to be had.

I have heard the Twi-Pi system several times, and they are a close copy of the original ANSA exhaust. The ANSAs were a mere 1.5" ID, which gave them a distinctive note. The TPs are 1.7" ID, but believe it or not that gives them a slightly different tone. Also, the TP Glasspacks are slightly larger than the ANSA units, which makes them a bit louder.

My main concern about the TPs was that the chrome tips, which are welded to the twin mufflers, emerge out the rear in the "Abarth Side-by-Side" configuration. This is a tight squeeze in the little exhaust cut-out in the rear valance of the old Z cars, and sometimes requires cutting, which I was NOT prepared to accept.

But I got referred to a Wizzard who was able to turn the twin Glasspacks on their side, then remove and remount the chrome tips in the proper "Over-Under" arrangement. Not as easy as it sounds ~ the original tips not only came out side by side, but also with an upward tilt, as well. So they had to be removed, turned 90* and re-attached, keeping a close eye on the bevel cut into both tips so they followed the same angle.

I think he did an impossibly good job and I'm very happy with the result. I will do a VENDOR RAVE on this guy for sure. Not everyone could have done this ~ apparently the new industry standard for pipe-bending mandrels only goes down to 2". Only MEINEKE muffler shops still have mandrels which are capable of bending pipes down to 1.5", but they quoted me $1,000 to reconstruct the old ANSA system, and even then I would have had to choZe among some pretty funky mufflers. This guy not only did the job, he also saved me enough money from the MEINEKE estimate to let me afford to have the entire system ceramic-coated, from header to bumper, for less than MEINEKE wanted just to build it.

There was nothing wrong with the 3" stainless single-pipe exhaust system which was on my Z when I bought it back ~ it was simply too mundane for my taste. The FlowMaster muffler looked like it belonged on an Oldsmobile and I just feel the Z should sound like a Sports/GT car.

I saved the old system as a spare, in case the neighbors threaten to move or burn my car when they hear the Zero-restriction headers, twin pipes and straight-thru Glasspacks.

Like these.......

I came across this thread trying to google where I can get tiny 1..5" glasspacks Mine measure ~20in long without the tip (6in tip), 2.5in in diameter and 1.5in inlet/outlet and the resonators/premufflers are 12in long.


Did you ever get your installed Frank?

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71' 240Z: HLS3040666

I'm all set, thanks!

You, my friend, need the original CHERRY BOMB GLASSPACK for your car. That's exactly what you have on your Z now.

http://www.cherrybomb.com/Catalog/Categ ... spack.aspx

Last year they had a different website homepage which let you select the correct inlet/outlet diameter sizes. This year doesn't offer that. They no longer make the 1.5" system for the 240Z, but they get close ~ you can buy a 1.7" inside diameter glass pack and weld a sleeve over the end so it fits snug over your exhaust pipe.

They come in different lengths too, but again, this year's on-line catalog doesn't seem to let you dial-in all the dimensions like you could last year. I'm sure you can order the right size, you just have to call them on their toll-free number and discuss it with the young lady.

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1970 240Z

I do remember you saying they were cherry bombs but it wasnt long before I noticed that most of the glasspacks inlet/outlet was larger than my entire glasspack. Didnt know they made more than what was listed on their website. Any idea how such a narrow exhaust affects performance?



Could this be what I have? Looks identical all the way back except I have two resonators before the glasspacks

An admin on classiczcars put together a list of period correct 240Z exhausts.

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71' 240Z: HLS3040666

["Any idea how such a narrow exhaust affects performance?"]

The ANSA system was dual 1.5" pipes, which equates to 3" total area. That's more flow than the stock system allowed, so there's a breathing increase there, resulting in a few extra ponies.

The tiny pipes gave *just* enough back pressure to bring engine performance up onto the cam a little. My original ANSAs gave me great usable horsepower and torque btwn 3200 and 6,000 rpm. They sounded wonderful. I had no resonators, only the original CHERRY BOMB GLASSPACKS at the ends of the pipes. My Z was hotter than any other stock Z, and routinely beat newer 260s and even 280s (up to about 70mph). My manifold was stock.

The downsides were:

1. Carbs had to be really well synchronized or I got two different exhaust notes and iffy performance;

2. There was a wicked resonance from that big 'drumhead' in the cargo area, exactly at 2200rpm (which was unfortunately where 55mph came in). Driving cross-country listening to that droning vibration behind your head would make you drive faster or slower just to avoid it;

3. My pipes dropped so low at the exhaust junction point (just under my feet) that I pulled them off the car about 2-3 times each year. They were the lowest point of my car, except for the tires. Curbs, speed bumps, steep driveways....anything which could reach up about 4" would snag my pipes off the flange. I can't even estimate how many times I had them re-welded. They never dragged on the ground; they would simply disconnect from the flange and sound like a bear. (My current MSA Twice Pipes tuck wayyy up under the car and are not even visible unless the car is on a lift).

That excellent diagram you show differs from my original. In the first place I had a stock manifold and this one has headers (which I couldn't afford back in the day). Accordingly, the juncture btwn the headers and the exhaust pipes are not the same as was on mine. Mine had a double-barrel 'down pipe' connecting the stock manifold with the exhaust pipes. Also, this system shows two small resonators (which probably eliminated the resonance I mentioned above) and mine didn't. Otherwise, it is nearly identical.

ANSA contracted a single private California company to build all their competition exhaust kits for the early Z. That firm is now (long) out of business, but I have spoken by phone with an actual employee who worked with them. He said the Z production kept them busy 7 days a week and it was hard to keep up with demand. He doesn't think any of the plans survived when the company closed (owner retired), but our NYC member GALBAN knows a NY shop who duplicates them exactly. He has a set on his 1971 Z and they sound precisely as they did in Days of Yore.

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1970 240Z

If you are worrying about performance between the different size pipes just keep this in mind. As frank said two 1.5" pipes has more flow than a stock single 1.75" pipe but a single 3" pipe has twice as much flow as twin 1.5" pipes.

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Adam Perry
Datsun 260Z

I was getting used to telling people that I had an ANSA exhaust but I guess Ill have to switch to saying I have Datsun competition exhaust system until someone can prove otherwise . Im just now starting to read up on exhausts but its good to hear that running what at first seemed to be a narrow exhaust isnt detrimental to performance...but it turns out I actually have 2" pipes in the back. I assumed the back of the broken off glasspack and the pipe were the same size. I dont know if this is good news or bad news for my wallet but the pipes at the end of my exhaust are easily removable so I can swap out mufflers as I please.

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71' 240Z: HLS3040666