An all new Sports Exhaust for the MR2... Hayward & Scott

GSB · May 29, 2003, 15:58

You may remember that I have been looking at having an exhaust system custom made for my '2, as I wasn't really to happy with the alternatives being offered. As we all know the TTE is too heavy and expensive considering it's a re-badged Remus unit, and does nothing for power, although it looks and sounds fantastic, and is the only exhaust guaranteed not to screw your warranty. The only other readily available alternatives are the Magnex, or the Team Moon. The Magnex I just didn't fancy, and the Team moon sounds just a bit to loud for my liking. Basically I was after something of high quality that looked good, was lighter than standard, sounded good without being to unsociable, offered at least a little bit of power and would be available more or less off the shelf to the whole MR2 community, preferably with a bit of scope for customisation as you're all such fussy bastards! The holy grail of Exhausts you might say.

After looking around I eventually settled on a small company in Basildon that some of you may have heard of...

Hayward & Scott.

For those of you who haven't heard of them, Hayward and Scott are well known purveyors of very high quality hand built stainless steel exhaust systems. They've been in the business for years and have done some spectacular work in racing and rallying, as well as making exhausts for road going cars. I had a look at some of their products, and was sold on the quality and obvious care they had taken in the design. Some of the more intricate parts like their manifolds are works of art.

Anyway they've now had my car sitting in bits in their workshop since Tuesday morning in order to build me a new exhaust and to make a jig that will enable to them to build further cat back exhausts for the MR2. With the aid of the jig they can make another system without needing a car to base it on and so have it ready to fit for when the customer who wants it turns up. That way you only need to be there for a matter of hours for fitting and you wont have to be without your car for a week and get the train home from Pitsea like I did! Handily, if Basildon isn't exactly round the corner from you, they do have a mail order service if you're willing to fit it yourself. There's another bonus as well. As every system is hand made, including the silencer box, you can specify within certain limits what sort of sound you want, and what kind of tips you would like. I chose 3 inch, rolled in, round, slash cut tips for my own car, but there's no reason you cant have 4 inch, rolled out, straight cut ovals on your own car if you so desire. I believe the system is also lighter than standard, mainly because it's a bit smaller, but I haven't got a definitive figure for it as yet.

The bad news is this: I had intended to bring you comparative dyno results of before and after showing any improvements, but fate stepped in and scuppered my plans when, for reasons that aren't important here, my car was down 12bhp on the dyno in standard trim. After a bit of thought I now know what the problems were, but I didn't have time to re-figure the car before it went in to have the exhaust done. Sorry to all those who wanted to see them, but for now you'll have to rely on the old fashioned "butt dyno", as any dyno plots I show you wont be showing the full story. Perhaps the next guy will have more luck!

So that just leaves me to tell you my own impressions of the system. And of course the price. All will be revealed when I get the car back tomorrow afternoon. Once it's finished they'll know what it takes in man-hours and materials and will fix a price to suit. I sincerely hope that
a) I like it, and
b) its at a price where it can be seriously considered by the rest of you.
H&S have been known to do the odd group buy for IMOC at times, so I imagine with a bit of persuasion they'll do the same for us here. In the meantime, If anyone wants to see or hear the system in the flesh at any point, I can generally be cornered in and around East London, or up around Chelmsford during the weekend, or around Enfield during the week. PM me and if I've got a spare minute, I'll take you for a spin.

More details and photo's here after I pick up the car, in the meantime you can dribble to your hearts delight over the pictures on the H&S website...

http://www.haywardandscott.co.uk

Cheers...

Anonymous · May 29, 2003, 16:07

As a fellow Chelmsford Posse, I will be looking out for you...sounds the business!

markiii · May 29, 2003, 19:43

Grant,

Any chance they tok measurements for the manifold and cat as well? As I'm looking to ditch this lot at some point.

Mark.

GSB · May 30, 2003, 08:00

Not as far as I know, as the brief was simply for a cat back system. Thats not to say the cant do it though. They have done quite a few such conversions, using high flow sports catalysts and their own manifolds, and they tend to release quite a few extra horses... On the website you'll see an example of a 2 litre ford focus, which seems to have just as restrictive an exhaust as we do. With a new manifold, cat and pipe, they managed to get 132bhp at the wheels. Not bad when the focus ony normally musters 130bhp at the flywheel. Factor in the typical 12-15% driveline losses and you can see they got a significant gain.

I'll be picking up my car this afternoon, so I'll ask them what sort of money they would be after for the job, I'm fairly sure they'll be up for it...

Anonymous · May 30, 2003, 09:23

arh me old mates Hayward & Scott. been going there for a few years. But never thought that they could do anything for the 2. But obvoiuly thhey can and have. I went there ages ago to have my other car upgraded with manafold and exhaust and looked and sounded the dogs dangles.

Would be interested to know the price and what it looks like ! Me and cragie are alwasy around chelmsford GSB so if you wana show it off PM us and we can meet ya somewhere.

GSB: what did you think of the service H&S provided and would you say that it's a better exhuast than the TTE or magnex?

GSB · May 30, 2003, 10:21

Hayward and Scott have thus far been fantastic in terms of service, and the helpfulness and friendliness of staff, Despite the fact that they are clearly running around like blue arsed flies to trying to keep up with the workload. It's pretty busy in there... They have done work on MR2's before, particlualy the Mk2 turbos, and they did an exhaust for a mk3, but never had time to knock up a jig, since then they've had plenty of enquiries, but no-one has wanted to part with their car for the amount of time it takes to develop a new product.

As for the exhaust itself, I have yet to see it, and in the end theres only so may ways you can compare one bit of pipe to another, so its pretty subjective. Given we have no performance data from any of the systems, its really down to quality of design and construction, and your opinion of which sounds better. Heres how I looked at it though (and justified prising open my wallet for a product that didnt even exist at the time!):
Out of the overpriced re-badged Remus exhaust (TTE), the bolt on unit that could easily be the same box you'd find hanging out from under a Max'd Nova (Magnex), and the hand crafted custom designed unit built in the UK by professionals with a proven record in motorsport (H&S), which would you rather have?

I'll post a load of pictures here on Monday morning and you can see for yourself. Not sure exactly when I'll be in Chelmsford next, but if I take the scenic route home it could be this afternoon around 4-5ish if your interested?

Anonymous · May 30, 2003, 14:03

Just wondered as i had a twin exhaust built by H&S and it was very loud and i wanted a quite system just for asthetics realy. But i put up with it and it turned out to be ok but very loud.

The only thing i can see being a problem id the noise as hte magnex and the TTE are both relativly quite but a pro made one is always louder but maybe it's my personal taste and you will love it, being able to hear the engine notes makes all the difference. s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

What are prices like?

Anonymous · May 31, 2003, 10:58

So how is it then? s:D

s:D

Had a Magnex on my other car until recently and it was very good, well built, with good performance gains (about 30bhp s:shock: :shock: s:shock: ) and sounded great at high revs, but not much louder than standard when ticking over/cruising.

Does anyone here have a Magnex fitted and, if so, how does it sound and what are Toyota dealers like with warranty issues?

Sorry for all the questions s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

Anonymous · May 31, 2003, 11:24

Quote from: "Evo"Does anyone here have a Magnex fitted and, if so, how does it sound and what are Toyota dealers like with warranty issues?

That'll be me again then s:D

s:D

Sound is a quietish burble at tickover.
Bit noisier at speed but not much.
Sounds best at 2000 to 3000 rpm.....2nd gear in town s:wink: :wink: s:wink:
Looks good.
No warranty issues I know about as my Toyota dealer fitted it.
Lifetime guarentee from Magnex as long as it is checked anually.

Should be at Northern meet in June & defo at JAE for those not in a rush.
Will be attempting a sound bite on digi cam next week.

Anonymous · May 31, 2003, 22:49

QuoteWill be attempting a sound bite on digi cam next week.

That would be s8)

s8)

GSB · June 2, 2003, 09:08

Ok... Its on. I have no pictures yet, but there will be some available a little later once Ive worked out how to post them.

My impressions (and those of four other people who have driven the car this weekend) of the system:

It sounds incredible, Nice and bassy when pulling away from junctions etc without sounding like a Max Power Nova. At higher revs it seems to quieten down a bit, but still sounds really good all the way to the red line. The sound level is perhaps a bit higher than a TTE, I'll have ago in a TTE equipped car next week and compare it.

The car seems to be a lot more lively in the bottom half of the rev range, even breaking traction occasionaly at fairly low revs while I was driving it yesterday, which is not something its normally prone to do. This need further investigation, and I urge the next person to buy one to get a before/after dyno plot done to see what it does...

At motorway speeds on an even throttle it is virtually silent, only making it's presence known when you floor it or lift right off the throttle. Conversation is always possible at any stage though, and the noise isnt too intrusive. Also, and this was one of my major concerns, it doesn't seem to get boomy at any particular speed. Ive heard exhausts before that seem to resonate at a particular speed. This one doesn't. Dont get me wrong though, if your a bit of a wallflower and dont like a bit of extra noise, or don't like people looking at you when you blast past them like a screaming banshee and drift sideways around the next corner, you wont like it. But then again, if your one of those people, why the hell did you buy an MR2?

It definitley sounds best when scratching down country lanes though. The sound when changing down and braking for a corner is brilliant, with a few little pops and crackles on the over run if you're really leaving the braking late for the corner! Everyone who drove the car this weekend loved it, and it gave me the oppurtunity to listen to the car from the outside as well, it sounds just as good and not the least bit offensive from the outside.

Prices for the exhaust are going to be somewhere around the £425 - £450 mark. Which includes VAT and fitting, so it just about undercuts the TTE. which I believe is listed at £500 plus fitting, although you may be able to get discounts on this. It is lighter than stock, and it does seem to offer noticible gains in power over standard.

If anybody wants to hear it in person then PM me and we'll sort something out.

Apparently they have recieved several enquiries about this system since I posted about it the other day, including a phone call from a gentleman in Germany (Victor?) so hopefully all this has been worth it and we have another viable alternative to the usual suspects of Team Moon, TTE Clones and Magnex, that offers everything that owners want without breaking the bank...

Photos later...

Cheers

Anonymous · June 2, 2003, 15:19

nice write up glad ur happy with it and you say that they have made a jig up so all they got to do if fit it now

?

GSB · June 3, 2003, 07:52

Yep. They have a jig so they can manufacture an identical system without needing a car to try it on. They simply build it to your requirements and send it to you, or you can drive in and have them fit it for you.