1961 exhaust system

[Jerry A.]

I have a 1961 big brake ex 315 hp fuel car. It has the correct block and I believe correct exhaust manifold. It doesn't have a correct exhaust system. I am planning to replace the existing system with the correct "OFF ROAD" system to make it correct if/when I add the injection system in the future. Do you see any problems ??? Suggestions?? Aluminized vs. stainless? Crossover problems??Where is a good place purchase the system as I live in Michigan?? Thanks very much in advance!!

Jerry

[Dennis C.]

Re: 1961 exhaust system

Jerry - I see no problems. I would not use the stainless - They cost way too much, don't fit very well, expand more than you would think when hot and turn stupid looking colors. Also, should you have the car judged, the point deduction is fairly high. The front cross-over pipes are a little tricky to get perfect alignment, but a little effort will work. Given your location, Corvette Central @ 1-800-345-4122 Sawyer, MI makes sense to me. They also offer plain steel without the aluminum coating for the purist. In my experience, their exhaust systems fit fairly well. Don't forget heat riser "spacer" on RH side and exhaust hanger kit. Dennis

[Jerry A.]

Re: 1961 exhaust system

Thanks Dennis!!

[John H.]

Re: 1961 exhaust system

Jerry -

Also, be aware that although the vendors sell them for any C1, the "off-road" exhaust system (round mufflers) was only available on the 1962 model (RPO 441).

[Dennis C.]

Re: 1961 exhaust system

But John - the round mufflers sound SO much better... I just give the judges some phoney RPO # and hope to get away with it... Dennis

[Tom P.]

Re: 1961 exhaust system

Jerry,
As Dennis said, the stainless turns colors, expands waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much (this is a real problem on 56-60 models because of the rear tunnel which the tailpipe has to pass through) and receives point deductions. The aluminized will probably last as long as you have the car, and you can paint it with the black paint which was on the originals.
I have a 56 (since 73) and over 20yrs ago I bought a complete stainless system. I fought it for 20yrs and several months ago, I finally got rid of it (I hated to do that because of what I had originally paid for it). The problems that I experienced were rattles. When it was cold and I adjusted the pipes so that nothing would rattle, it would rattle after thoroughly heating up and excessively expanding. So, I would jack it up, adjust the pipes/hangers while hot so that nothing would rattle. Then after cooling down and shrinking, the pipes would rattle again. With a 61-2 stainless system, this may not be so much of a problem because of the tailpipes exiting behind the rear wheel.
The only really good thing about the stainless system is that it will last forever.
Oh, also, once the stainless is heated by the exhaust heat, it CANNOT be crushed by a muffler clamp. As a result, if you have a slight leak at a joint and try to tighten the clamps(s) to crush and seal the joint, THE STAINLESS WILL NOT COMPRESS! You will break a clamp first---------------EVEN THE HD TYPE CLAMPS.

[Mike M.]

Re: 1961 exhaust system

agree 100% with tom. Stanless systems on 56-57 are nearly impossible to hang and not have exhaust system banging the frame(X-members especially) no matter how many times you try to adjust the hangers. Also, the tail pipes on my 57, as they exit the tial pipe chrome bezels, will grow in length by 1 inch when real hot.Not too cool at judging time. suspect it would probably fail P.V..Aluminized(corvette central) has worked real well on most recent C-1 i brought back to life. mike

[Steve Westphal]

Re: 1961 exhaust system

I used the Corvette Central "Off Road" round mufflers on my '56. I didn't use the SS system. Although the car sounds beautiful(actually sort of loud) the hangers and clamps were a waste of money. They might be correct but I don't want to replace them regularly so I used better clamps.

[Dennis C.]

Re: 1961 exhaust system

Hey, # 14, why can't you ever agree with me 100%...??? You know I'm usually right...

[Dennis C.]

Re: 1961 exhaust system

Steve, I understand, Dennis

[John H.]

Re: 1961 exhaust system

I put a Zierden full stainless round-muffler system on my '57 six years ago when I restored it (got a great price after they went under); after spending most of a day under it finessing joints and adjusting hangers (including cutting two slits in the outer pipe ends at each joint, which weren't there when I got the pipes), I never had to touch it again, and never had a rattle anywhere, hot or cold. Without the slits (as the OEM pipes had), you can't clamp the joints and have them stay that way.

Also did a comparison on the expansion issue about a year before I sold it, vs. a neighbor's '60 with an aluminized system; the aluminized system's tailpipes grew a little over 1/4", and my stainless tips grew about 1/2" - a difference of 1/4" between the two - hardly noticeable. If you look at the linear coefficient of thermal expansion differential between steel and 300-series or 400-series stainless, it's statistically insignificant.