66 vette

[bruce]

hi, does anyone have any helpful tips for hanging sidepipes

[John H.]

Re: 66 vette

Assuming you're adding them to an under-car exhaust car:

1. Save the pieces you cut off the front fenders for clearance.

2. You'll have to bend the rocker molding brackets out of the way or cut them off.

3. Prepare for a 100+ point deduction.

[William C.]

DON'T *NM*

[Joe L.]

Re: DON'T

Bill and bruce-----

I agree 100%!

[Joe C.]

Re: 66 vette

Bruce,

They sound great, IMHO, but if your Corvette is not originally a sidepipe car, then I would not install them. Midyear Corvettes have gotten very expensive lately, and originality is worth far more in today's market than a "cool" sounding exhaust note.
Further, they are supposedly more restrictive than stock mufflers. If your Corvette has a smallblock, then that is not a big problem. It would really choke any high horsepower big block in its high RPM band. A smart alternative would be to install the "off road" exhaust, RPO code N14.

Joe

[Michael H.]

Re: 66 vette

Bruce,

I would like to offer one suggestion. If you decide to install the side exhaust system, it may be a good idea to temporarily delete one step of the installation. If you're not 100% sure that you want to keep this system forever, I would definitely not cut/remove the fiberglass tabs at the rear of the louver panel or the front of the rear 1/4 panel. The system can be installed without cutting these tabs off. If you later decide the installation is permanent, you can always easily cut them off at that time.

Also, the metal rocker mldg support brackets need not be removed. As previously mentioned, these brackets can be bent inward enough to clear the new side pipes but, like the fiberglass tabs, it's not a permanent non reversable decision.

If you one day decide to sell the car, the next owner may want to reinstall the correct original system and it would be a LOT easier if these items are still in place.

It's a little like one of our younger generation that wants a great big tatoo on their forehead. I highly recommend they try it out for a few weeks with something that washes off.

[Donald M.]

Re: 66 vette

Bruce, First, take off those wimpy under-car pipes and second, install a pair of mean sounding side exhausts! Don't forget to fill in holes in rear valence or buy an aftermarket one w/o holes.
Don

[Don 42616]

Re: 66 vette

Bruce, Even tho my add on side pipes cost my 66 top flight I would not give a thought to change. The trade off of 2nd flight is acceptable. The look & sound does it for me. Some of the advise from your other responses to avoid cutting out org. fiberglass makes sense. Side pipes were added to a lot more cars then sold. Don

[Clem Z.]

same for KO wheels i never saw a set back

in the 60s except in corvette ads

[Michael H.]

Re: same for KO wheels i never saw a set back

Yup, I agree Clem. I only remember ONE guy that had a 64 coupe that originally came with the wheels. By 66, he had the wheels in his living room. Made a coffee table out of them with a glass top.

I thoroughly dislike KO wheels now. Sold my NOS set about two years ago. They now live on Roger Judski's 66 big tank coupe.

[Mike M.]

Re: same for KO wheels i never saw a set back

i've got 9 midyears with original K/Os. of the 45 wheel/tire combos, 4 refuse to retain air in spite of my crude attempts to correct the problem. hey, that's less than 10% failure rate. love those K/O's/Bolt-ons. mike

[mike cobine]

If the sound is what you want, why not

slip some glass packs under the back?

No one seems to do that anymore.

[Gary S.]

Or you can go with

the under-car chambered exhaust. 75% of the side exhaust sound, it is reversible, and you keep all of your parts original.

Just my opinion.

Gary

[Clem Z.]

i'll bet that side pipe cars sell faster *NM*

[Patrick H.]

Re: Or you can go with

I've had those on the 71 for 4 years. They sound great.

Patrick