C2 Radio Speaker Question

[Ralph E.]

The radio in my '67 was recently reconditioned. When I removed the speaker I notice there was NO "boot" around the bottom. It seems to me that if a boot was below the speaker more sound would come out the top dash and I could hear the radio over the side pipes Should there be a boot. I checked my AIM and I don't see one.

Ralph #37280

[Joe L.]

Re: C2 Radio Speaker Question

Ralph-----

No speaker enclosure was used for any Corvette speaker, mid year or otherwise.

[Gary J.]

Why have....

Whay have a radio when you have side pipes to listen to? Sidepipes put out better tunes, higher volume, and are commercial free!

Gary
#3503

[Joe L.]

Re: Why have....

Gary-----

You'll NEVER find me driving a Corvette with side pipes. NEVER. EVER. If, for whatever improbable reason, I ever acquired such a car, the very first thing that I'd do would be to take them off and install an undercar exhaust system with original Corvette mufflers.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Why have....

Maybe as "Collection Executor" I'll put them on a gold 69 and a yellow 92 someday.

Just kidding. Really.

Patrick

[Ralph E.]

Re: Why have....

Joe,
You'll NEVER EVER find me driving a Corvette without side pipes
If I wanted a quite car I would have bought a T-Bird

I still think that if a boot of some type is placed behind the speaker more sound would come out the top where I can hear it!

Ralph #37280

[Joe L.]

Re: Why have....

Ralph-----

Speaker boxes may well improve sound. However, I don't think that there will be any dramatic difference. You're certainly free to fabricate them and install them. It's doubtful that anyone will be able to discern their presence if you're concerned with originality.

As far as the exhaust goes, 63-72 Corvettes with factory-original, undercar mufflers (standard or 64-68 off-road) were not quiet cars, at all. They had a sound UNIQUELY CORVETTE and ABSOLUTELY DISTINCTIVE. Back in the days when the cars were new and I was young, I could tell a Corvette (NON-side exhaust) approaching without even seeing the car. I can't anymore because so few Corvettes have original mufflers these days. Replace the original mufflers with ANYTHING ELSE and the distinctive sound "goes away".

I could never distinguish a Corvette with side pipes as a Corvette without seeing it, though. That's because they sound pretty much the same as many hot rods. There's just nothing DISTINCTIVE about the sound, at all. It's LOUD, but NOT DISTINCTIVE. I was never too much into hot rods, so I never "acquired a taste" for this sort of sound.

From my point of view, the ABSOLUTELY DISTINCTIVE sound of 63-72 Corvette undercar mufflers is a big part of what "makes a Corvette a Corvette". Take that away (e.g. via N-14 side exhaust, "Flowmasters", "reproduction mufflers", etc.) and you've made the car "a LOT less Corvette". It may be loud, it may sound really powerful, it may "announce its presence" from a quarter mile away, but it won't have the distinctive and sophisticated sound of a Corvette.

[Ralph E.]

Must Have Side Pipes

Joe,
The truth is I my next Corvette may not have side pipes. I will miss the distinctive sound of the roar of the side pipes. I will miss setting off car alarms while driving down side streets If the heavy overburdened sound a undercar exhaust Corvette makes is the distinctive sound you refer to, that sound unfortunately is not what makes the car. That sound does not translate to HP like side pipes do. A Corvette without side pipes only looks good when PARKED.
Joe, why are we going down this road????
This is fun but I have work to do.

Ralph #37280

[Patrick H.]

Re: Must Have Side Pipes

Actually, side pipes make less power than under-the-car exhaust.

Nowadays, side exhaust says "Corvette" to many because it's virtually impossible to her original under car exhausts anymore. And, the side pipe sound is quite different from the "f*rt pipes" on the Hondas.

Patrick

[David W.]

Re: Must Have Side Pipes

Patrick:
I've heard many times that the hp is reduced with sidepipes. Is it because of the lack of backpressure or some other flow related problem? You would have thought someone could have develeoped a solution for that.

I bought a 64 that was already converted to sidepipes and it is 10 times more fun to drive than my stock 64. Also scares the hell out of those rice burner boys. My goal in life is to gradually take this driver and make it a top flight car while keeping the sidepipes. Did I just hear a collective groan....?

[John H.]

Re: Must Have Side Pipes

The core pipe through the factory sidepipes is only 1-7/8" in diameter, and effectively is somewhat less due to lack of laminar flow and turbulence from the perforations. Sidepipes were marketing-driven, not engineering-driven.

[David W.]

Re: Must Have Side Pipes

Interesting and it makes sense. Are we talking about 10-15 hp or more?

[Joe C.]

Re: Must Have Side Pipes

David:

They have a much greater effect on BB cars. In the case of your L75, I would guess about 10 HP. In the high horse SHP smallblocks, it would be more like 15 - 20. With a BB, it is probably in the order of 30 - 35. I have been unable to obtain any MEANINGFUL, "apples to apples" dyno tests to compare stock, to N11, to N14.

The design of the "chambered" exhaust system is inherently louder than a baffled system.

There are a few manufacturers who produce what they claim are low restriction sidepipes. Here are links to two of them:

http://www.sweet-thunder.com

http://www.spiralturbobaffles.com

The first is a chambered system, using larger diameter tubing (inner and outer). I am told that the largest tubing, with its very low restriction will practically make your ears bleed.

The second uses a non chambered outer tube with a spiral insert (somewhat like an auger). This system purportedly provides ultra low restriction, and a mellow sound, which roars when you hit the "go" pedal. The BB guys like these inserts.

Joe