1965 Side Pipes

[Kerouac B.]

Hi:

This may be a stupid question (get used to them, folks; I'm a new owner), but... If a 65 Coupe came out of the factory with side pipes, it would still have exhaust holes in the transmission cross member for a conventional exhaust system, right? Somebody saw those holes and told me it meant the side pipes were not factory installed. I am dubious. Opinions?

Matt

[Don H.]

Re: 1965 Side Pipes

Yes Matt
all the mid year chassis were the same insofar as the center cross member with the two exhaust pipe holes. We can tell in other ways if the pipes were added, but the holes in the cross member are not how.

[Mike T.]

Re: 1965 Side Pipes

Hi Matt, congrats on being a new owner and don't hesitate to ask questions. The quick answer to your question is that all the 65 frames came with those exhaust holes in the center crossmember.

[Bill W.]

Re: 1965 Side Pipes

Matt are you sure they were not talking about the small holes used for ground straps. All frames had them but look for thread marks , side exhaust cars did not have thread marks or ground straps at the exhaust hole area .

[Kerouac B.]

Re: 1965 Side Pipes

Matt are you sure they were not talking about the small holes used for ground straps. All frames had them but look for thread marks , side exhaust cars did not have thread marks or ground straps at the exhaust hole area .

No, Bill, they were talking about the larger holes in the cross-member in the chassis. I realize now (thank you, Don Hooper) that all chassis's had those holes. But please explain this "thread marks and ground straps" thing further. My car doesn't have exhaust bezels in the rear, so I'm thinking it might be factory, but tell me more about your way to check. Thanks.
Matt

[Mike E.]

Re: 1965 Side Pipes

Matt,
One quick way to narrow it down even without crawling under the car is look at the trim tag under the glove box. If the Body number is prefixed with an "A" then the car did NOT come from the factory with N14 Side Exhaust.

AO Smith the company that built about half the mid-year bodies lacked the tooling necessary to prepare the body for the N14 option so no AO Smith built Corvette bodies had side pipes. If your body was built by the St. Louis plant then you will need to get under the car to look for the telltale signs.

Mike

[Rob M.]

Re: 1965 Side Pipes

Matt,

Congrats and have fun!

Bill is talking about the ground straps that were used when the car had a radio. If it had under car exhaust, those ground straps would have been attached to the frame and the exhaust with a bolt. The bolt would then leave a "thread" in the frame. If the car had side exhaust those holes in the frame would not show any sign of being "threaded" from the ground strap.

The AIM would be a great purchase to check out (if you don't have one yet) and checking the archives here on the TDB will be a great source of information.

If you are wondering if your 65 came with side exhaust originally there is all kinds of information in the archives to read. Have fun with the process of finding out!

All the best

[Kerouac B.]

Re: 1965 Side Pipes

Yes Matt
all the mid year chassis were the same insofar as the center cross member with the two exhaust pipe holes. We can tell in other ways if the pipes were added, but the holes in the cross member are not how.

Don: You are my Godfather in the hobby. Thanks for yet another helpful insight. Appreciate you, sir.

[Kerouac B.]

Re: 1965 Side Pipes

Matt,
One quick way to narrow it down even without crawling under the car is look at the trim tag under the glove box. If the Body number is prefixed with an "A" then the car did NOT come from the factory with N14 Side Exhaust.

AO Smith the company that built about half the mid-year bodies lacked the tooling necessary to prepare the body for the N14 option so no AO Smith built Corvette bodies had side pipes. If your body was built by the St. Louis plant then you will need to get under the car to look for the telltale signs.

Mike

Got it, Mike. It's a St. Louis based on the tag. The mystery deepens...

[Kerouac B.]

Re: 1965 Side Pipes

Matt,

Congrats and have fun!

Bill is talking about the ground straps that were used when the car had a radio. If it had under car exhaust, those ground straps would have been attached to the frame and the exhaust with a bolt. The bolt would then leave a "thread" in the frame. If the car had side exhaust those holes in the frame would not show any sign of being "threaded" from the ground strap.

The AIM would be a great purchase to check out (if you don't have one yet) and checking the archives here on the TDB will be a great source of information.

If you are wondering if your 65 came with side exhaust originally there is all kinds of information in the archives to read. Have fun with the process of finding out!

All the best

Thanks, Rob: Yes, all this learning is fantastic. I find myself reading all the forum posts for C2s and I have bought shop manuals, wiring diagrams, etc. Hell, I waited 50 years to buy this car -- I have a little catching up to do! Thanks for the help.
Matt

[Kerouac B.]

Re: 1965 Side Pipes

Hi Matt, congrats on being a new owner and don't hesitate to ask questions. The quick answer to your question is that all the 65 frames came with those exhaust holes in the center crossmember.

It's a slow process, Michael, but I'm figuring it out. The big lesson I'm learning -- ASK!!!!!!!

[Wayne M.]

Re: 1965 Side Pipes

Matt -- As St. Louis didn't install side exhaust at the start of 1965 production, another quickie is to check if your car's VIN is prior to .....5S109000. then If so, it's doubtful the factory installed. them. Tech Manual & Judging Guide says to examine closely between 9,000 and 10,000, then after that (if examination passes all the other tests) you can be certain that the S-body car originally had N14's.

[Leif A.]

Re: 1965 Side Pipes

Thanks, Rob: Yes, all this learning is fantastic. I find myself reading all the forum posts for C2s and I have bought shop manuals, wiring diagrams, etc. Hell, I waited 50 years to buy this car -- I have a little catching up to do! Thanks for the help.
Matt

Welcome to the hobby that will soon become an obsession. Welcome, especially, to the C2 era. Sounds like you, like many of us, have waited long enough. My two pieces of advice are #1 ask away with your questions. My dad always told me that the only dumb question was the one not asked and #2 drive the wheels off that '65 and enjoy the sweet music of those side exhaust (whether they came from the factory or not).

[Kerouac B.]

Re: 1965 Side Pipes

Welcome to the hobby that will soon become an obsession. Welcome, especially, to the C2 era. Sounds like you, like many of us, have waited long enough. My two pieces of advice are #1 ask away with your questions. My dad always told me that the only dumb question was the one not asked and #2 drive the wheels off that '65 and enjoy the sweet music of those side exhaust (whether they came from the factory or not).

You got it, Leif. Took it out today and serenaded my bneighbors with the "throaty rumble."