65 Side Exhaust

[Dave S.]

I'm not a mid year guy but I'm doing some research and need some assistance. I was always under the impression that A.O. Smith bodies were never built with side exhaust. I reviewing some posts in the archives they seem to indicate that it may be inconclusive on that thought.
Is it possible to have a 1965 A.O. Smith bodied car with side exhaust. ??? Car I'm researching is a L08 (July 8) body build with a Big Block.

[Dick W.]

Re: 65 Side Exhaust

I think that the consensus is that it is possible that there were a few built, but no one has seen anyone with documentation.

I had one in the shop a couple of years with side pipes, '65, 396, A O Smith. It had perfect rocker channels, no signs of welded tabs, no signs of muffler brackets or bolts. Present owner bought it in CA in the early '80's and the only work since then has been two repaints, first was nice, they just forgot that you have to use adequate hardeners in body filler. Fun digging all that out

[Wayne W.]

Re: 65 Side Exhaust

Send us some pictures of the fender cuts from the bottom.

[Michael J.]

Re: 65 Side Exhaust

When my '66 was judged several times, AO Smith body, side exhausts, the judges just laughed and said they wouldn't even stoop down to look since it was a waste of times, full deduct, not original, case closed.

[David S.]

Re: 65 Side Exhaust

I've only heard of side pipes being used on St. Louis cars from 65 - 67. As Dick stated, no documentation has been found indicating factory side pipes from AO Smith. Don't forget in 65 side pipes were a late production option only.

Dave

[Dave S.]

Re: 65 Side Exhaust

I've only heard of side pipes being used on St. Louis cars from 65 - 67. As Dick stated, no documentation has been found indicating factory side pipes from AO Smith. Don't forget in 65 side pipes were a late production option only.

Dave

I will get some photos of the lower fenders. As mentioned this is a July 8, 1965 Iona body build and a July 19, 1965 St. Louis assembly car (11 day time lapse).

[Jim D.]

Re: 65 Side Exhaust

From an article written by John Hinckley - The birdcage assembly tooling at Ionia didn’t include provisions to die-pierce the
notches in the sills and sill reinforcements required for later assembly clearance for units with RPO N-14 side exhausts, so
no orders for units specifying sidepipes were ever allocated to A.O. Smith. All bodies for sidepipe-equipped Corvettes were built at St. Louis.

It seems pretty clear to me.

[Loren L.]

Re: 65 Side Exhaust

From an article written by John Hinckley - The birdcage assembly tooling at Ionia didn’t include provisions to die-pierce the
notches in the sills and sill reinforcements required for later assembly clearance for units with RPO N-14 side exhausts, so
no orders for units specifying sidepipes were ever allocated to A.O. Smith. All bodies for sidepipe-equipped Corvettes were built at St. Louis.

It seems pretty clear to me.

I would agree THAT is clear, but there were delays and lack of parts at St Louis, also; I am aware of a coupe in the 16XXX range that was ordered with sidepipes and 4-5 weeks after it was due (for St Louis pickup), the buyer was told the delay was for LACK of sidepipes on hand; buyer said Build the car & send the sides along later and that's what happened. The dealer installed them and I'm sure judges would go beserk deducting points, but what would happen if the buyer had the order showing the sidepipes?

[Roy S.]

Re: 65 Side Exhaust

When my '66 was judged several times, AO Smith body, side exhausts, the judges just laughed and said they wouldn't even stoop down to look since it was a waste of times, full deduct, not original, case closed.

That kind of arrogance is unwarranted on the judging field, the next time something like that happens you should contact the meet officials, or send me the details with the names as a judge evaluation. While there is no evidence in existence we have seen of factory side exhaust A O Smith bodies, that does not mean that someday we won’t find some, your car could have been it.

[Jim D.]

Re: 65 Side Exhaust

I would agree THAT is clear, but there were delays and lack of parts at St Louis, also; I am aware of a coupe in the 16XXX range that was ordered with sidepipes and 4-5 weeks after it was due (for St Louis pickup), the buyer was told the delay was for LACK of sidepipes on hand; buyer said Build the car & send the sides along later and that's what happened. The dealer installed them and I'm sure judges would go beserk deducting points, but what would happen if the buyer had the order showing the sidepipes?

ANYTHING can happen to them at the dealer. That's addressed in the NCRS Judging Standard. The OP asked "Is it possible to have a 1965 A.O. Smith bodied car with side exhaust?" The answer is yes, but it never left the factory that way and that's how they are judged.

[Gene M.]

Re: 65 Side Exhaust

Is there a record of the earlyist known '65 with side pipes on record with NCRS or where ever? Was it before or after big blocks?

[Gary S.]

Re: 65 Side Exhaust

I have judged the 65 exterior section for several years for Mike Murray, and I can tell you that if you have a Smith body with pipes, the proof is on you..factory proof. It would certainly be possible for a Smith body to receive a "conversion" on the assembly line for some reason, but without factory documention, that situation would not be "typical" and you would receive full deduction. A couple years ago a 65 Smith body showed up for judging with pipes. We gave a full deduct, and then the owner produced a window sticker. In this case the window sticker was not the original plus the car was a few thousand before the acceptable beginning VIN of 9,000ish for pipes.

[Wayne M.]

Re: 65 Side Exhaust

Is there a record of the earlyist known '65 with side pipes on record with NCRS or where ever? Was it before or after big blocks?

Gene -- all the '65 TIM&JG says is that "research" indicates N14 started around VIN 10,000; cars before VIN 9000 claiming side exhaust should be "examined with great scrutiny".

This puts N14 introduction around 3000 (or more) VINs before L78 began.

[Bill W.]

Re: 65 Side Exhaust

St Louis Built#17346 came with factory side exhaust . I would be very interested to here the earlyest big and small block with factory side pipes .

[George J.]

Re: 65 Side Exhaust

Bill,
14713 is a f.i. that was built with sidepipes. April 9th birthday.

George