1965 Exhaust Pipes

[Michael S.]

First, thanks to all those who responded to my questions on the color of the exhaust manifolds and use of gaskets. I now have another question. The previous owner of my 1965 coupe, 327/350hp, had a new exhaust system installed. It looks like 14 gauge aluminized steel. I believe the aluminized steel is 65% stainless steel, 25% aluminum, and 10% carbon. For flight judging I know there is a deduction for using stainless steel replacement components when not originally used. Would there be a deduction for use of aluminized steel for the exhaust pipes and mufflers? Should I replace the system with carbon steel?

[Joe L.]

Re: 1965 Exhaust Pipes

Michael------

I think that someone informed you incorrectly regarding the composition of aluminized steel exhaust pipes. Aluminized steel pipes are carbon steel pipes with a specially-applied aluminum coating. The aluminum coating helps prevent rust.

There is a deduction for the use of aluminized pipes. However, I don't think that it's as great as that for the use of stainless steel.

[Gary B.]

Replace with carbon? I wouldn't.

Michael,

You could replace your aluminized system with a carbon sytem, but such a system will immediately begin to rust. If you have your car judged with a rusty carbon system, you are likely to lose condition points. If you have an aluminized system in good shape, you will lose originality points. It's the classic question, if you are going to lose points one way or the other, wouldn't you rather not have a rusty exhaust system?

Gary

[Duke W.]

Re: 1965 Exhaust Pipes

The pipes are common low carbon steel - about 0.10% carbon - same as uncoated pipes. "Aluminized" pipes just add the aluminum coating to the plain carbon steel pipes to resist corrosion - one extra manufacturing process.

Duke

[Barbara S.]

Re: 1965 Exhaust Pipes

Per the '65 JG,the entire underside of the exhaust system is blacked out anyway, so why don't you put on your aluminumized system and just black it out?

Tony

[Michael S.]

Re: 1965 Exhaust Pipes

Sorry about my ignorance on the blacking out of the exhaust pipes. I assume this is some sort of blackout material, can it be applied starting at the exhaust manifold connection from the exhaust pipe and run all the way to the muffler? I wish I had a picture to see what this black out process looked like.

[Barbara S.]

Re: 1965 Exhaust Pipes

The JG states that the entire underneath side of the exhaust system is blacked out with a mitted finish. I'm not sure how close to the exhaust manifolds the black out goes. Either way, I think you'll be alot happier with the aluminumized system over the traditional steel rusty-before-you-drive-out-of-the-muffler-shop look.

Tony

[Jack H.]

Search the archives...

John Hinckley has given us several posts regarding the black-out method stating it was done on the chassis line via SPRAY painting (rather sloppy and inconsistent) hence there'd have been no body or engine present when blackout was applied....

[Michael S.]

Re: Search the archives...

Thanks for the info. Do you see a number of the cars going to flight judging with the blackout method on the exhaust? In your opinion, should I take my car to the judging with the aluminized exhaust and just take what ever deduction the judges assign? Maybe this is what most people are doing.

[Joe R.]

Re: Search the archives...

In my modest experience as a judge, most of the cars I have seen that had new exhaust systems had aluminized exhaust. I think this is how the majority of owners end up when they consider the tradeoffs.

If your car presently has an aluminized exhaust system, I suggest that you leave it that way for the first time or two that you have the car judged. You will probably find that the point loss is not too severe.

Regarding the conflicting posts about blackout, I believe that black paint was in fact sprayed on the underside of the exhaust system, with varying degrees of coverage, for the different C2 years. Duplicating this on your car will help to disguise the aluminized components, but it won't fool an experienced judge.

[John H.]

Re: Search the archives...

Joe -

The "mitting myth" has taken on a life of its own, along with the "underside myth". The exhaust system was installed with the frame right-side-up, and the chassis blackout paint (little as it was from '65-up) was sprayed from the sides, only on the mufflers, in the last station on the Chassis Line, just prior to Body Drop. In order to get paint on the bottom, the sprayers would have had to bend over and spray UP, into each other's faces. There was never any "mitting".

[Patrick H.]

Re: Search the archives...

This is a 72, not a 65, but you get the idea. It's what I did with my aluminized exhaust to get the right look.

Patrick

[Joe R.]

Re: Search the archives...

Thanks for the clarification, John. I know that by 67 the blackout only appeared on the mufflers. It was my impression that in the early C2 years there was quite a bit more coverage, but I have never been clear on the extent.