Hymee Catback - Group buy
01-19-2004, 07:08 AM
#1
Hymee Catback - Group buy
Hi guys,
A few of you have expressed your interest, and I am now dead keen to get some really nice sounding RX-8 exhausts out there, now that Wildcard's one is a success:
What I need to do is get enough numbers so I can get 10 cat-backs made up. So I need to get an idea from who is interested. You can choose aluminised mild steel (about $400 - $500) or stainless steel (about $800 - $900). Delivery time will be about 4-6 weeks from now. If it looks like it is a go I will ask for deposits (in due course) to get things going.
Hopefully the popular Hymee Grill Kits have shown that only quality products come from the House of Hymee, and I haven't run away with anyones money! So I plan to take the next step, and offer this fantastic Catback. (An other batch of grills is on the way.)
I need to work out freight costs for non-locals. I sent a full V8 dual exhaust for a Commondore to Melbourne (ex BNE) for $80 last year as a guide. International orders welcome as well.
Please support the local RX-8 development. Success with this project will benefit us further down the track as it will pave the way for the "Hymee Mid Pipe" and the "Hymee Headers". Don't forget about the "Hymee Tune" and also the OBDII work I am persuing. These cars will be awesome with a full complementary package of bolt-on mods like this.
Cheers,
Hymee.
BTW, I can't really "advertise" much, but I am organising my own paid forum sponsorship so this is cool. Look out for the Hymee banner soon on you favourite forum! And you can visit Hymee's Bar and Grill at http://rx8.hymee.com for my all-too-quickly-wacked-together webpage. If anyone wants to tart it up for me...
A few of you have expressed your interest, and I am now dead keen to get some really nice sounding RX-8 exhausts out there, now that Wildcard's one is a success:
What I need to do is get enough numbers so I can get 10 cat-backs made up. So I need to get an idea from who is interested. You can choose aluminised mild steel (about $400 - $500) or stainless steel (about $800 - $900). Delivery time will be about 4-6 weeks from now. If it looks like it is a go I will ask for deposits (in due course) to get things going.
Hopefully the popular Hymee Grill Kits have shown that only quality products come from the House of Hymee, and I haven't run away with anyones money! So I plan to take the next step, and offer this fantastic Catback. (An other batch of grills is on the way.)
I need to work out freight costs for non-locals. I sent a full V8 dual exhaust for a Commondore to Melbourne (ex BNE) for $80 last year as a guide. International orders welcome as well.
Please support the local RX-8 development. Success with this project will benefit us further down the track as it will pave the way for the "Hymee Mid Pipe" and the "Hymee Headers". Don't forget about the "Hymee Tune" and also the OBDII work I am persuing. These cars will be awesome with a full complementary package of bolt-on mods like this.
Cheers,
Hymee.
BTW, I can't really "advertise" much, but I am organising my own paid forum sponsorship so this is cool. Look out for the Hymee banner soon on you favourite forum! And you can visit Hymee's Bar and Grill at http://rx8.hymee.com for my all-too-quickly-wacked-together webpage. If anyone wants to tart it up for me...
Last edited by Hymee; 01-19-2004 at 07:13 AM.
01-19-2004, 07:14 AM
#2
abcdefghwakeupneostuvwxyz
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just how "loud" are we talking about by the way?
and what's Mazda's position on the cat changes? will they void anything warranty wise?
I'm sure that even having put the car on my AMEX to extend the warranty won't save me if the cat's are frowned upon by Mazda.
Oh - and don't give up your software engineering rold for Web Design * grin * - and go register at http://ads.websearch.com.au and setup a sponsor listing "ad" and punch in all the car and rx8 and related keywords you can dream up and I'll credit it $20 for $free for fun..
* grin *
and what's Mazda's position on the cat changes? will they void anything warranty wise?
I'm sure that even having put the car on my AMEX to extend the warranty won't save me if the cat's are frowned upon by Mazda.
Oh - and don't give up your software engineering rold for Web Design * grin * - and go register at http://ads.websearch.com.au and setup a sponsor listing "ad" and punch in all the car and rx8 and related keywords you can dream up and I'll credit it $20 for $free for fun..
* grin *
01-19-2004, 07:34 AM
#3
Yeah - I know my web is crap for now. I just wanted to put something simple there... Geez - you mean you want high quality grills, catbacks AND a good website?
Good questions though, Dez.
Wildcard posted his views on the sound in a separate thread. Barely noticible at idle - it just give you a hint it is there. (In fact we initially thought it might have been too quite when we first started it.) No drone at cruise. Not much louder then stock on cruise and partial throttle openings. Open it up and it sounds the goods. And I know what a bad/loud exhaust sounds like. It is not a buzz box ricer exhaust. Sorry, but it is not "foowly sick, man".
As far as warranty goes - It is up to everyone to satisfy themselves in this area, but I will give you my real world experience:
I asked my service manager, and he was cool with putting a new exhaust on the RX-8. Part of personalizing your car. Obviously, the Mazda warranty won't cover the new exhuast, or any consequential damage that an "exhaust failure" might cause. That is the responsibility of the aftermarket supplier. It is no different than putting a RYCO oil cooler or air cleaner in instead of the Mazda part. Exactly the same. Obviously we need to take car with heat sheilding etc. As a matter of fact, Wildcard reports the temps in his boot have dropped noticibly since his Hymee Catback was fitted.
Heaps of MX-5's have exhausts. And the service guys at Mazda serviced Wildcards car just days after his exhaust was fitted, and they all liked it. Seemed like everyone from the Sales Manager down to the mechanics commented to me.
Every man and his dog has put a full exhuast system on there Commodores. I had mine into Holden for warranty work (clutch replacement), and the only comments I got about the exhaust were how it was such a good system, and how nice it sounded.
As far as the mid-pipe and the cats go, the aim is for a fully emissions compliant high-flow setup. I was talking only just today to the cat supplier's rep. about the cats themselves. Very helpful guy he was. And he used to have the nickname of "Hyman". Can you believe that!
Cheers,
Hymee.
Good questions though, Dez.
Wildcard posted his views on the sound in a separate thread. Barely noticible at idle - it just give you a hint it is there. (In fact we initially thought it might have been too quite when we first started it.) No drone at cruise. Not much louder then stock on cruise and partial throttle openings. Open it up and it sounds the goods. And I know what a bad/loud exhaust sounds like. It is not a buzz box ricer exhaust. Sorry, but it is not "foowly sick, man".
As far as warranty goes - It is up to everyone to satisfy themselves in this area, but I will give you my real world experience:
I asked my service manager, and he was cool with putting a new exhaust on the RX-8. Part of personalizing your car. Obviously, the Mazda warranty won't cover the new exhuast, or any consequential damage that an "exhaust failure" might cause. That is the responsibility of the aftermarket supplier. It is no different than putting a RYCO oil cooler or air cleaner in instead of the Mazda part. Exactly the same. Obviously we need to take car with heat sheilding etc. As a matter of fact, Wildcard reports the temps in his boot have dropped noticibly since his Hymee Catback was fitted.
Heaps of MX-5's have exhausts. And the service guys at Mazda serviced Wildcards car just days after his exhaust was fitted, and they all liked it. Seemed like everyone from the Sales Manager down to the mechanics commented to me.
Every man and his dog has put a full exhuast system on there Commodores. I had mine into Holden for warranty work (clutch replacement), and the only comments I got about the exhaust were how it was such a good system, and how nice it sounded.
As far as the mid-pipe and the cats go, the aim is for a fully emissions compliant high-flow setup. I was talking only just today to the cat supplier's rep. about the cats themselves. Very helpful guy he was. And he used to have the nickname of "Hyman". Can you believe that!
Cheers,
Hymee.
01-19-2004, 07:43 AM
#4
abcdefghwakeupneostuvwxyz
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hee hee - I live by scary standards * grin *, love the web site - really I do!
so with the whole noise issue touched on, what's the word on performance benefit?
++dez;
ps: you should be getting some sleep!
so with the whole noise issue touched on, what's the word on performance benefit?
++dez;
ps: you should be getting some sleep!
01-19-2004, 07:48 AM
#5
Until we finalise the best way to bypass "safe mode" on the dyno we won't know. But Wildcard's "after" run really started to take off, compared to the "before", just as the flipping safe mode ruined everything.
The safe mode bypass is another project we are onto, here in the House of Hymee. We put a CRO on the wheel sensors the other night to see what is going on. We think we have theorised the correct solution, but we haven't tried it in practice yet.
Cheers,
Hymee.
PS - I'll go to bed soon. I am just trying to catch up with all your replies you keep catching up on!
The safe mode bypass is another project we are onto, here in the House of Hymee. We put a CRO on the wheel sensors the other night to see what is going on. We think we have theorised the correct solution, but we haven't tried it in practice yet.
Cheers,
Hymee.
PS - I'll go to bed soon. I am just trying to catch up with all your replies you keep catching up on!
01-19-2004, 10:47 AM
#6
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HYMEE
Count me in for hymee exhaust.
Having been fortunate enough to see hear and be a passenger in wilcards RX8 i can independently report my findings.
Sound , great sporty not ricey just right.
Linda lovelace style deep and throaty ( kev i thought youd like that) get back to your cold shower.he he he
Workmanship . As usual top notch looks awesome dans is stainless steel.
Hymee will exhaust be provided in 3 inch configaration as well as (2.5 as dans)
I would want different exhaust tips as well .
Havent decided as yet as to stainless or mild steel still thinking.hmmmmmmm.
How will this exhaust stand up to maurices stage 2 mod. ????
Cheers
michael
Count me in for hymee exhaust.
Having been fortunate enough to see hear and be a passenger in wilcards RX8 i can independently report my findings.
Sound , great sporty not ricey just right.
Linda lovelace style deep and throaty ( kev i thought youd like that) get back to your cold shower.he he he
Workmanship . As usual top notch looks awesome dans is stainless steel.
Hymee will exhaust be provided in 3 inch configaration as well as (2.5 as dans)
I would want different exhaust tips as well .
Havent decided as yet as to stainless or mild steel still thinking.hmmmmmmm.
How will this exhaust stand up to maurices stage 2 mod. ????
Cheers
michael
01-19-2004, 02:54 PM
#7
L&L,
Lots of good questions.
2.5 or 3" With the stock mid pipe & cats & collector being all 2.5", there is nothing to be gained from 3" intermediate pipe. A 3" pipe is freeking huge, and there are a number of reasons not to go there just yet. There is such a thing as being "over exhausted". Ric Shaw advised me that 2.5" was about right. Perhaps it might be required with forced induction. For now I think we will stick with 2.5" We can always change the intermediate pipe for a 3" one later if desired, without any real dramas. It will be the least expensive thing to change at a later date.
Tips... What sort do you want? I'm trying to get the best system with the best tips. Bulk buying helps with economies of scale. I'm sure we can come to an arrangement though.
Stainless looks nicer, and will last longer. Aluminised steel is cheaper. I might get mine done in aluminised to keep the inital costs of jigging down. I really like Wildcard's in stainless. It looks mint.
From my understanding, the Stage 2 mod needs a higher-flow, higher temp cat. That is the plan for the our mid-pipe. I can only see the new exhaust complimenting any ECU mods. I'll talk to Maurice.
Cheers,
Hymee.
Lots of good questions.
2.5 or 3" With the stock mid pipe & cats & collector being all 2.5", there is nothing to be gained from 3" intermediate pipe. A 3" pipe is freeking huge, and there are a number of reasons not to go there just yet. There is such a thing as being "over exhausted". Ric Shaw advised me that 2.5" was about right. Perhaps it might be required with forced induction. For now I think we will stick with 2.5" We can always change the intermediate pipe for a 3" one later if desired, without any real dramas. It will be the least expensive thing to change at a later date.
Tips... What sort do you want? I'm trying to get the best system with the best tips. Bulk buying helps with economies of scale. I'm sure we can come to an arrangement though.
Stainless looks nicer, and will last longer. Aluminised steel is cheaper. I might get mine done in aluminised to keep the inital costs of jigging down. I really like Wildcard's in stainless. It looks mint.
From my understanding, the Stage 2 mod needs a higher-flow, higher temp cat. That is the plan for the our mid-pipe. I can only see the new exhaust complimenting any ECU mods. I'll talk to Maurice.
Cheers,
Hymee.
01-19-2004, 06:17 PM
#9
abcdefghwakeupneostuvwxyz
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In for a grill, so I guess I should be in for a cat!
But I'm really keen to learn more about the performance benefits outside it's "linda lovelace" qualities..
++dez;
But I'm really keen to learn more about the performance benefits outside it's "linda lovelace" qualities..
++dez;
01-19-2004, 08:24 PM
#10
indicator-sensei
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The aluminium mild steel... comes with the same 4" polished tips, no? :D
Oh, and how hard is it to fit? Kinda thing a novice could manage (with the high quality Hymee instructions again
) or need a pro?
Oh, and how hard is it to fit? Kinda thing a novice could manage (with the high quality Hymee instructions again
) or need a pro?
Last edited by pepe; 01-19-2004 at 08:30 PM.
01-19-2004, 10:07 PM
#11
aka Smoothy
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If we can see some real performance gains (5-7 kw) for this exhaust I'm in but I don't want to pay just for a good noise. Otherwise maybe I should buy some speakers for the back of my car like L & L was talking about in another thread.
01-19-2004, 10:13 PM
#12
Originally posted by pepe
The aluminium mild steel... comes with the same 4" polished tips, no? :D
Oh, and how hard is it to fit? Kinda thing a novice could manage (with the high quality Hymee instructions again) or need a pro?
The aluminium mild steel... comes with the same 4" polished tips, no? :D
Oh, and how hard is it to fit? Kinda thing a novice could manage (with the high quality Hymee instructions again
) or need a pro?
It is a bolt off / bolt up fitment. Possibly easier to do than the grill kit. A hoist would be handy, but you could do it with a jack and some stands, and a couple of spanners. No holes to drill, either
Bolted flange at each end of the intermediate pipe, and uses the same slip-on rubber hangers as the stock system. And a small earth strap to connect.Cheers,
Hymee.
01-19-2004, 10:20 PM
#13
Originally posted by rx8 - smooth!
If we can see some real performance gains (5-7 kw) for this exhaust I'm in but I don't want to pay just for a good noise. Otherwise maybe I should buy some speakers for the back of my car like L & L was talking about in another thread.
If we can see some real performance gains (5-7 kw) for this exhaust I'm in but I don't want to pay just for a good noise. Otherwise maybe I should buy some speakers for the back of my car like L & L was talking about in another thread.
All I can say it would be hard to make it much less restrictive than what we have made. The splitter is mandrel bent, the mufflers have straight through mandrel bent perfs. I am also looking at doing mandrel bent intermediate pipe and tail pipes if that can help out a little, but the difference should be minimal at then end of the system.
This is just the first part of a package. The real gains should be made when we get some synergy happening, the different bolt ons all working together.
Cheers,
Hymee.
01-19-2004, 11:27 PM
#14
[rapidus octus]
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Hey Hymee,
I'm interested in stainless with tips that look nothing like the tips L&L wants ( joking ). Seriously, I'd be happy with the picture at the top of this thread.
My preference is for an exhaust not that doesn't intrude under low loads in the lower rev range.
Kev.
PS How's L&L's custom back seat spa coming along
I'm interested in stainless with tips that look nothing like the tips L&L wants ( joking
). Seriously, I'd be happy with the picture at the top of this thread.My preference is for an exhaust not that doesn't intrude under low loads in the lower rev range.
Kev.
PS How's L&L's custom back seat spa coming along
01-19-2004, 11:29 PM
#15
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What exciting times we live in... Car of the Year, the Hymee cat-back orderbook open, and CZ's first Aussie ECU with a report - all in 24 hours!
As we have discussed before, Mark, I'm in for the Aluminised with 4" Magnaflow SS tips, plus grille.
Congratulations on getting the exhaust to market: now for your ECU developments and mid-pipe.
jack
As we have discussed before, Mark, I'm in for the Aluminised with 4" Magnaflow SS tips, plus grille.
Congratulations on getting the exhaust to market: now for your ECU developments and mid-pipe.
jack
01-22-2004, 06:33 AM
#16
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i'd be interested in mild steel, polished tips no larger than stock however, Cant drive around like a rice "hoon" and dont want to.
A sporty level of DB would be nice, just to let people know its a little warm!
A sporty level of DB would be nice, just to let people know its a little warm!
01-22-2004, 06:37 AM
#17
C'mon Kas - Those tips are not rice. And the car does not sound like rice. I could almost take offence to that
Do you want to re-use your stock tips? Could ship without, and get your choice welded on locally. Every "custom" order really makes it harder to keep costs down for everyone else. But we can be flexible to some extent.
Cheers,
Hymee :D
Do you want to re-use your stock tips? Could ship without, and get your choice welded on locally. Every "custom" order really makes it harder to keep costs down for everyone else. But we can be flexible to some extent.
Cheers,
Hymee :D
01-22-2004, 06:51 AM
#18
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sorry if you've taken offence, but my pc speakers arnt working so i have no idea what it sounds like from the other post =)
What size diff is there in the tips?
What size diff is there in the tips?
01-22-2004, 09:07 AM
#19
No offence taken. I said almost. I came from V8 land to this place, so for me to "make rice" would be very bad form indeed!
I don't think the sound files do justice anyway, but I do appreciate people wanting to here it for themselves. I'll see what I can do. Perhaps some better quality mics might be the way to go. WIldcard did a lot of videos when he was up here. Since then he has been studying hard at a "special" course for his work. It is a bit like a "Top Gun" course he is doing, but more aligned at his line of work, rather than Tom Cruise's!
The tips on the Hymee Catback are 4" OD. The ID starts at just under 4" at the outlet, then tapers down to just over 2.5" for the connection to the tail pipes.
They fill the opening in the rear bumper quite well, with a uniform gap between the tips and the plastic. Looks like the ones the designer wanted berfore the accountant got the red pen out!
Cheers,
Hymee.
I don't think the sound files do justice anyway, but I do appreciate people wanting to here it for themselves. I'll see what I can do. Perhaps some better quality mics might be the way to go. WIldcard did a lot of videos when he was up here. Since then he has been studying hard at a "special" course for his work. It is a bit like a "Top Gun" course he is doing, but more aligned at his line of work, rather than Tom Cruise's!
The tips on the Hymee Catback are 4" OD. The ID starts at just under 4" at the outlet, then tapers down to just over 2.5" for the connection to the tail pipes.
They fill the opening in the rear bumper quite well, with a uniform gap between the tips and the plastic. Looks like the ones the designer wanted berfore the accountant got the red pen out!
Cheers,
Hymee.
01-25-2004, 12:17 AM
#20
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I guess I should throw in my 2 cents here....
I have been living with my Hymee exhaust for over a month now and I am still totally happy with it. Every time I approach the car from the rear, I can't help but look at the tips with admiration. They fill the space in the bumper perfectly IMO. I also can't help but have a quiet chuckle to myself now whenever I am out and I see another RX-8 with standard tips. They just don't look right next to mine. (Please don't take offence anyone - If you like the stock tips then that's fine, but I am sure that L&L or Hymee would agree that when you put my car side by side with another '8, the stock tips look a bit puny).
Sound is perfect, as per my previous comments.
Performance is at least equal to stock, probably slightly better. As we know, the stock system is already quite good, and 5-7kW is about the maximum you could hope to gain from this level of modification. 5kW is pretty hard to feel with your butt, so until the dyno problem is fixed, all that can be said is that Hymee's design is about as free flowing as you could make it, hence it should be making as much power as is possible without going to the next step of changine cats etc.
Dyno results are subjective too. You really need to use the same car under the same conditions and do before & after tests. Hymee and I both Dyno'd our stock RX-8's back to back and got different power outputs. (113 for Hymee, 109 for me).
It's not all about power either. Hell, body kits add nothing to performance, but that doesn't stop people from forking out big bucks to make there car look better or more individual. A cat-back exhaust gives you looks and a sweet sound to boot.
I have been living with my Hymee exhaust for over a month now and I am still totally happy with it. Every time I approach the car from the rear, I can't help but look at the tips with admiration. They fill the space in the bumper perfectly IMO. I also can't help but have a quiet chuckle to myself now whenever I am out and I see another RX-8 with standard tips. They just don't look right next to mine. (Please don't take offence anyone - If you like the stock tips then that's fine, but I am sure that L&L or Hymee would agree that when you put my car side by side with another '8, the stock tips look a bit puny).
Sound is perfect, as per my previous comments.
Performance is at least equal to stock, probably slightly better. As we know, the stock system is already quite good, and 5-7kW is about the maximum you could hope to gain from this level of modification. 5kW is pretty hard to feel with your butt, so until the dyno problem is fixed, all that can be said is that Hymee's design is about as free flowing as you could make it, hence it should be making as much power as is possible without going to the next step of changine cats etc.
Dyno results are subjective too. You really need to use the same car under the same conditions and do before & after tests. Hymee and I both Dyno'd our stock RX-8's back to back and got different power outputs. (113 for Hymee, 109 for me).
It's not all about power either. Hell, body kits add nothing to performance, but that doesn't stop people from forking out big bucks to make there car look better or more individual. A cat-back exhaust gives you looks and a sweet sound to boot.
01-25-2004, 12:22 AM
#21
Wildcard,
That was such a nice posting that I want to go and get one myself, right now
Someone has already asked me why I don't have one... I suppose it looks a bit silly not having your own product fitted. I think it speaks volumes though that an othewise complete stranger (i.e. Wildcard) had enough trust in me to have one fitted to his car.
The plan was to make a jig of Wildcards, but it will now have to be off of mine, when I get it done. Partly why I mentioned about 1 month till the first ones get done. I hope y'all can be patient!
Cheers,
Hymee.
That was such a nice posting that I want to go and get one myself, right now
Someone has already asked me why I don't have one... I suppose it looks a bit silly not having your own product fitted. I think it speaks volumes though that an othewise complete stranger (i.e. Wildcard) had enough trust in me to have one fitted to his car.
The plan was to make a jig of Wildcards, but it will now have to be off of mine, when I get it done. Partly why I mentioned about 1 month till the first ones get done. I hope y'all can be patient!
Cheers,
Hymee.
01-25-2004, 12:44 AM
#23
[rapidus octus]
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The underbody pictures look about 1000% better than that borla people were going ape over.
I think you'd better hit the Mazda dealers with a pristine fit on your car, it's an aftermarket area they haven't got covered and one the need to consider.
I think you'd better hit the Mazda dealers with a pristine fit on your car, it's an aftermarket area they haven't got covered and one the need to consider.