In a message dated 9/19/05 8:55:48 AM, william.l.greenamyer@BOEING.COM writes:

<< Got a replacement exhaust pipe for the Vanagon (1984GL) and it seems to
not totally line up.  Is this characteristic of exhaust pipes having to be
"adjusted" to get them to fit properly or should they just pop right on?  This is
the second pipe I have gotten that didn't fit properly. >>

This is characteristic only of the garbage the aftermarket vendors sell, not
so of the OE VW item.  I wish I could understand why the aftermarket
fabricators cannot build suitable jigs for the junk tubing they bend.  If one of the
vendors of this dreck tells you that exhaust headers need a little tweaking in
order to fit, tell him to send you a pre-tweaked set.

Once it is welded up, aligning an out-of-whack header is no easy feat.  The
flanges must lie in two offset parallel planes while being on center and with
their bolt holes oriented properly.  Meanwhile, the outlet flanges must
maintain coplanarity at a prescribed distance somewhere out in space.

There are a lot of dodges to bring together the sometimes disparate elements
of an aftermarket exhaust system, but if you do not have an oxyacetylene torch
and you cannot tolerate header pipes mismatched to exhaust ports, go to the
dealer for your headers.  The dealer stuff falls into place and lasts so MUCH
longer it is really cheaper in the end.

One thing I found out regarding aftermarket Vanagon exhaust parts is that you
can't make chicken salad out of chicken shit.

George