After changing mufflers this weekend I started to think about the clearance issue with the intermediate pipe. A thought popped into my head about changing the angle of the pipe coming out of the header. If you took a saw or grinding wheel cut from the bottom the the exit pipe up to almost the top, heated the top and bent that down and welded it, it would allow a better angle, with more clearance to put a larger pipe with less severe bends in it. Might allow a muffler shop to make the pipe as well. Just thinking out loud, lol. Any thoughts?