6.1 Hemi 69 Barracuda Fastback Father Son Project

Bought the Holley Hooker Blackheart 2.5" "X" Pipe Exhaust System.
Great price on their EBay Store. All 304 Stainless Steel, $278 plus tax, free shipping. All great so far.
This is the system they show on the website and ebay store.
1706570620939.png

1706570673828.png
X pipe looks like this
1706570698712.png

This is the one I received in my kit. Kind of a hybrid X/H combination... might even flow better than the standard X or H... IDK...
The 2-1/2" crossover tube is more like an exaggerated X but looks like the flow pattern is still closer to an X than an H to me. Still all good right?
1706570803892.png
Let's have a look inside shall we... looking into the short end of the X I can see the weld penetration of the crossover pipe and the tiny little hole they cut into the long pipe to allow the exhaust to crossover...
I could maybe fit one finger through that hole. The is an equally small hoe in the other side of the crossover..
1706571552028.png

1706571676579.png
Like this it's probably not any more effective than if there were no holes connecting the two pipes...


What I'll probably end up doing, is slice the crossover pipe right in the center, cut out following the welds. Put it back together when we install it. Maybe weld it, maybe sleeve it, maybe clamp it... will see depending on how the system fits the car...
Going to be incorporating electric cutouts into this system too.
1706573320191.png
Not the end of the world but kind of pathetic IMO.
Did they think no one would notice?
Is this how all of them are? FFS SMH
The rest of the system seems pretty decent. I laid it all out on the floor and was able to slip it all together.
These kits always require some tweaks, so I fully expect this one will too. Not just the crossover f'up...
Not ready to test fit it on the car yet.

I actually like the look and the concept of this crossover, it's just the execution that sucks.