how can you tell if a car came factory with sidepipes? besides the obvious

[Brandon T.]

Obviously you would look for plugging and patching the rear exhaust holes up but as far as hangers etc...so I can be able to tell from pictures on the net while I look for a 65-67

[Donald T.]

Re: how can you tell if a car came factory with sidepipes? besides the obvious

Brandon,

First check the VIN if it is a 65. Side exhaust was not available on early 65 cars. Second, check the trim tag to see if it is an AOS body or STL. AOS cars were not available with side exhaust. Next check the birdcage for rocker brackets or evidence they were removed. Side exhaust cars did not have rocker brackets welded to the birdcage. Check for cuts in the birdcage for clearance of the mounting hardware for side exhaust. Check the cut out of the fiberglass to allow clearance for the sidepipes. Check for under car hangers and center bracket. If it has a radio, check for evidence that screws have been used in the cross member to secure radio ground straps for the under car exhaust.

[Wayne M.]

Re: how can you tell if a car came factory with sidepipes? besides the obvious

Obviously you would look for plugging and patching the rear exhaust holes up but as far as hangers etc...so I can be able to tell from pictures on the net while I look for a 65-67

Brandon -- do you have an AIM for the years you specify ? Much detail is shown; also for the 1965 MY, N14 wasn't available for the first 9000 VIN's (or so).

Recommend also the TIM&JG for any of these years, as the NCRS has a 'bulldog' approach to verification of this oft-imitated option.

[Brandon T.]

Re: how can you tell if a car came factory with sidepipes? besides the obvious

what does AOS and STL stand for?

[Brandon T.]

Re: how can you tell if a car came factory with sidepipes? besides the obvious

Thanks, and no I don't have a AIM but I'm about to order one I'll also order one fora 68-69

[Donald T.]

Re: how can you tell if a car came factory with sidepipes? besides the obvious

what does AOS and STL stand for?

Sorry about that. AOS is A.O. Smith and STL is St. Louis. Bodies were built in both locations. The trim tag will indicate at which location the body was built. AOS did not build side exhaust cars.

[Thomas F.]

Re: how can you tell if a car came factory with sidepipes? besides the obvious

Thanks, and no I don't have a AIM but I'm about to order one I'll also order one fora 68-69

What's AIM stand for?

I have a 69 and have been thinking about side pipes. I know I would have to deal with the rearend, but would I have to cut any fiberglass on the sides of the car for the pipes to fit properly?

[John H.]

Re: how can you tell if a car came factory with sidepipes? besides the obvious

What's AIM stand for?

Assembly Instruction Manual.

[Mike G.]

How about a list of abbreviations, to make this more

"new-member friendly"? Let's help them break the code and feel more like a part of the community.

Might we do it as a "wiki" where anybody could make an entry?

A very worthy idea, in my completely unbiased opinion!

[Steven B.]

Re: how can you tell if a car came factory with sidepipes? besides the obvious

Brandon,

First check the VIN if it is a 65. Side exhaust was not available on early 65 cars. Second, check the trim tag to see if it is an AOS body or STL. AOS cars were not available with side exhaust. Next check the birdcage for rocker brackets or evidence they were removed. Side exhaust cars did not have rocker brackets welded to the birdcage. Check for cuts in the birdcage for clearance of the mounting hardware for side exhaust. Check the cut out of the fiberglass to allow clearance for the sidepipes. Check for under car hangers and center bracket. If it has a radio, check for evidence that screws have been used in the cross member to secure radio ground straps for the under car exhaust.

Good idea checking for hangers and bracket. I looked at an "advertised original side pipe car" a few months ago. The underside had not been painted or detailed and there were distinct marks where hangers had been located.

[Patrick H.]

Re: How about a list of abbreviations, to make this more

"new-member friendly"? Let's help them break the code and feel more like a part of the community.

Might we do it as a "wiki" where anybody could make an entry?

A very worthy idea, in my completely unbiased opinion!

Though not easy to find (and not linked on this page) there already is one:

https://www.ncrs.org/lingo.html

[Patrick T.]

Re: how can you tell if a car came factory with side pipes? besides the obvious

Here is a picture of the notches in the birdcage for side pipe only cars.

[Ronald L.]

Re: how can you tell if a car came factory with sidepipes? besides the obvious

This thread got long, but at the end I still am questioning the definitive answer, how can you tell...

Given that we have already eliminated the back panel, it has the red primer over spray consistent with other parts of the back end of the car...


My question(s) are below.

First - pulling things apart, there is zero evidence anything was welded or riveted -- that being the standard car rocker panel brackets. Nothing, smooth.
Second - the body notches are there as the picture above this thread.

My first concern is at the rear, the AIM for 66 shows a curved cutout and the article in the Corvette Restoration Guide "seems" to just repeat this arc cut out.

Does anyone see variation on how these were notched out at the rear?

Second has to do with a recent post for the metal splash shields, any one have a correct version picture for 66?

I had a 66 that was not a side pipe car and that one had foam rubber strip stapled to the metal - side pipe cars do not?

With no 66JG, who has the definitive list of what is correct and not?

[Twan B.]

Re: how can you tell if a car came factory with sidepipes? besides the obvious

Thanks guys, now I know that my '65 "#4084" car did'nt have side exhausts.
The previous "enthusiast" of my car made a big mess of it trying to instal side pipes and has left me with a lot of work rebuilding it all up the way it was.

Twan
#44079
Dutch Chapter

[Donald T.]

Re: how can you tell if a car came factory with sidepipes? besides the obvious

Thanks guys, now I know that my '65 "#4084" car did'nt have side exhausts.
The previous "enthusiast" of my car made a big mess of it trying to instal side pipes and has left me with a lot of work rebuilding it all up the way it was.

Twan
#44079
Dutch Chapter

I had the same issue with my car. Unfortunately, the rocker brackets had been cut off. With the body off, I had to remove the remnants of the old brackets and weld on new ones. Then all of the fiberglass work to replace what had been removed. A major pain in the neck, but it is now back to the original configuration.