Topic: Need opinions/suggestions regarding CB550 exhaust

[jasonpfm]

I've been stalking and learning a lot on this site for a couple months. I recently picked up my first SOHC ('75 CB550) to restore. Before this, I had only worked on Honda twins. My question is regarding exhaust. When I bought the bike it came with the original 4-4 exhaust. All the headers are in really good shape. The 2 upper are good, and the 2 lower both have several small rust holes. The PO also had removed all the baffles. This will be a bike that I will eventually sale. Should I:

try to fix the originals, and make some baffles?
try to sell the original and purchase one of the numerous 4-1 available (in this shape, do they have value?)
cut the mufflers, and replace with Emgo or something?
try to purchase new lowers, and make baffles for the upper? but would it ever be right?

Thanks for everyone's help

[Stev-o]

Hard to say if your current exhaust can be repaired, take em to a local muffler shop and ask them if they can braze them. 

[rb550four]

   I'm thinking when you said you want to restore it for sale, you shouldn't alter it for the next guy. Do what you need to do , don't get attached to it ,and sell it to someone who appreciates what it is for the age it is.                        There are people out there who like it stock and want original as much as possible. Then others will just discard your work and cafe it or something. so it would be silly to invest in new exhaust or modify it in that case .
   Keep it stock.

[TwoTired]

So, you are flipping the bike for maximum profit?  And you want to restore it to original?

Proper exhaust for it will be about $1200.  Try David Silver Spares to see if they still sell them.

Baffles removed = exhaust destroyed.  (Do you even have a pattern for the correct baffle shapes?)
Rust holes = exhaust destroyed.  It may be possible to braze patches over the holes.  But, it won't look original/restored and there is still the baffles issue.

I can't imagine why anyone would want to buy damaged original pipes.  But, if you shop them in the right place and find the right person, who knows?  There are some who can sell snow cones to Eskimos.  I've no idea the extent of your bike flipping skills.

If a running, ready to ride bike will collect more profit than a restoration project, then find the cheapest exhaust you can find to help sell the bike with minimum investment.  And then throw in the original looking exhaust as a bonus deal sweetener.

[jasonpfm]

I can't understand why anyone would ruin these pipes either. Guess i'll find a good aftermarket 4-1 and throw the originals in with the deal. I keep an eye on profit margin, but I also want to be proud of it as well. I love seeing a bike that sat for 15+ years back on the road.

Thanks for everyone's help!

[Duanob]

HAH I bought mine from a kid that drilled out the ends to make it louder. It just sounded like crap. I was able to fix it.

Cone engineering has slip or weld on style mufflers. Although going back to 4 x 4 might be a bit difficult you could go 4 x 2 with a peashooter (triumph) style muffler.

http://www.coneeng.com/motorcycle_components.html

[jasonpfm]

So I would need to get a 2-1 collector and a muffler for each side? I've never dealt with Cone, but I've seen them mentioned here before.