Exhausting

Twenty years ago we installed a Maniflow exhaust system on the Bugeye. It was purchased from MiniMania. We were always happy with the sound of the car so we opted for another Maniflow system with this new version of the Bugeye. The header was the same one we had used previously we simply updated the finish opting for the Jet-Hot ceramic coating. 

The exhaust pipes, mounting hardware and the muffler were sourced directly from Maniflow in the U.K. https://www.maniflow.co.uk/index.php?view=product&from=207&product=1260. The parts come from Maniflow painted in their signature dark metallic green paint. We opted to paint over the green with a high temperature Rustoleum satin black spray paint. 

We were hoping to be able to use one of the left rear bumper mounting bolts for the rear mount of the muffler but we weren’t happy with the fit. In fact, we weren’t happy with the rear muffler at all. Perhaps on the MG midget or square body Sprite, the muffler is fine but on the Bugeye the muffler seems to hang to low and is very obvious from the rear of the car. Consequently, we decided to reuse the Maniflow silencer we already had. We cleaned it up, painted it and mounted it to the car. We did end up drilling an extra hole in the trunk floor for the rubber mounting bobbin to secure the silencer. 

The video below shows the installation of the exhaust system in the car.

Bugeye Restoration Video Episode One Hundred-Four: https://vimeo.com/1082272507/6be54040aa?share=copy

 

Exhaust

Nothing in our exhaust system is as original! From the header to the oxygen sensor in the exhaust pipe to the dual tip muffler, everything is a modification. We have had the header fitted since the early 2000s. We don’t have a record but we are pretty sure that it was sourced from Mini-Mania and produced by Maniflow in the U.K. The header is a long branch, 1 5/8.” Before we initially installed it we had it Swain-Coated for thermal insulation. While beautiful then, it looks a little tired now so we will send it off to Jet-Hot Coatings to have them refinish it so that it will match our intake manifold.

Header

The Jet-Hot coating now matches the intake manifold.

Jet-Hot coated header

We purchased new exhaust pipes and a twin-tipped muffler from Maniflow to fit the header. The pipe comes in two sections. We will be installing a bung in the front pipe for an oxygen sensor to feed our AFR gauge. We also purchased Maniflow’s installation kit which has the hangers and clamps needed to do the job.

Maniflow Exhaust System