1963 Center Exhaust Hanger Repair

[Richard M.]

A annoying exhaust pipe rattle was coming from a worn center hanger bracket. The pipes were resting on the lower circular openings in the center crossmember. Someone in the past added another pipe clamp on one side to help raise it, but was obviously not effective over time.
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The rubber hangers were stretched and deteriorated from age. I acquired a repair kit which includes new rubber pieces, rivets and backer plates.
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I removed the hanger and drilled out the old rivets.
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After cleaning the bracket, I noticed cracks on each side of the clamp sections. This is a common problem with these one-year-only hangers, and likely the reason the design changed several times throughout the midyear era.
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We wanted to salvage this original piece.....
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so I ground out the cracks using a Dremel to prepare for weld repairs.
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I weld-filled the cavities using my wire-feed Lincoln welder then ground them flat, and dusted on some low gloss black to protect from future corrosion.
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I then installed 2 1/4-20 bolts and nuts to test fit the bracket to the exhaust to check clearance before riveting. I had good clearance so I removed it and setup for the riveting process.

I fabricated a clincher tool on my lathe to use in my hydraulic press.
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I clamped the assembly to compress the rubber before clinching the rivets using the press.
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Back on the car and much better. No more rattling exhaust pipes.
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Rich

[Gene M.]

Re: 1963 Center Exhaust Hanger Repair

Rich your repair looks very good, I can't tell from photos, the U bolts s/b 5/16" course thread, nuts and lock washers they may very well be correct.

[Bob J.]

Re: 1963 Center Exhaust Hanger Repair

Rich, very nice work.
Hard to tell in the pics ......are the brackets supplied in the kit plated or bare metal?
Bob Jorjorian

[Richard M.]

Re: 1963 Center Exhaust Hanger Repair

Rich your repair looks very good, I can't tell from photos, the U bolts s/b 5/16" course thread, nuts and lock washers they may very well be correct.

Yes they are 5/16" course, and may very well be originals. Lock washers and nuts seem 53 years old to me too. I reinstalled the nuts with shiny side up.

Rich, very nice work.
Hard to tell in the pics ......are the brackets supplied in the kit plated or bare metal?
Bob Jorjorian

Bob, Definitely plated upper brackets and the backup plates. It was hard to tell but I think the originals were bare steel as I saw no plating on the plates on the sides against the rubber. After drilling the rivets out the sides/shanks of those were bare as well.

Rich

ps BTW, The AIM shows the rivets installed from the opposite direction of what was on this bracket. This one had the rivet heads in all 4 positions installed from front and clinched at the rear. If anyone has a original next time you crawl underneath please let me know which direction the rivet heads are positioned, front or rear. Functionally it makes no difference. Just seemed odd to me it was opposite of the AIM.

[Bob J.]

Re: 1963 Center Exhaust Hanger Repair

Rich,
thanks on the info.
Below are some old hangers that were handy.
Seems it could go either way. If you need more samples let me know.
Bob Jorjorian

[Richard M.]

Re: 1963 Center Exhaust Hanger Repair

Great photo Bob. Your top and bottom examples are just like this one I had here. Your center matches the AIM.

This confirms rivets were likely installed either way when they were made. For reference, here's the AIM page. Sect 8 Sheet 6.00

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Thanks,
Rich
ps If someone has a 1964 AIM could you check rivet direction for future reference.....thnx.

[Don H.]

Re: 1963 Center Exhaust Hanger Repair

Rich
the 64 AIM Sect 8 Sheet A2 shows exhaust system with redesigned for 64 main hanger system. There are no rubber straps at the main crossmember. There is however a rubber strap loop at back of each muffler holding back of system up to frame rail on each side and the same kind of backing plates and same rivets are used. As you and Bob are showing, the rivets were installed in both directions at random as I have seen both when looking for these hangers. The AIM does not show any particular direction since I think the hangers were provided already assembled, rather than assembled on the assembly line.

[Richard M.]

Re: 1963 Center Exhaust Hanger Repair

Thanks Don. I forgot that the 64's didn't use the rubber there. I see it's totally different up to '67+.

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[Ralph P.]

Re: 1963 Center Exhaust Hanger Repair

Quick question....... Did 64's use the under-floor exhaust shields like later years?

[Richard M.]

Re: 1963 Center Exhaust Hanger Repair

Ralph, Yes they did, however I recall there were different versions throughout the midyear period. '63 & '64 may have been the same configuration.

Rich