Frankie the Fink

Does anybody have a picture of the underside of a '61 with the F/I exhaust crossover pipe installed ? I have to decide whether or not to fabricate one into my exhaust system or buy one. Looks like all the repro vendors sell entire exhaust systems and not just the crossover piece.

wmf62

Frank
any 'good' muffler shop should be able to fabricate you one.



i've had both kinds, but this is what i finally ended up doing when i went to a full 2-1/2" exhaust



Bill

dropTopTx

Hey Bill - what kind of mufflers are you running with that 2.5 system? What kind of performance benefit did you see with the switch? Did you already have the 2.5 manifolds and just put on the full pipes?

Im looking to do the full switch from 2 to 2.5 within the next few months.

Plasticman

Todd,

Although Bill has a 2.5" system, I don't think it is the best way to go. He has a clearance issue going above the rear axle for one. And the clearance through the X-frame holes is tight (although his muffler guy did a great job - except over the axle). If you do go with the 2.5", pay a lot of attention to clearing the shocks and then the axle housing brake line tab and hose on the passenger side (in full jounce condition). Bill "has" to run air shocks to make sure it clears on jounce!

I have a 2.25" system, and it clears everything (with no air shocks and original grooved rear springs), and has no problems whatsoever. And frankly, I think the 2.25" system sounds better (but then I am biased). 2.5" does not muffle as well as a 2.25" due to the larger pipes and we are both running turbo style mufflers. So depends on the noise/sound you want. We both have 350's, but I have headers, while he has the cast iron ram horns. Both are very strong runners, and neither exhaust system is a weak link.

Also, make sure the exits are below the quarter panel outer lower edge by at least an inch (otherwise, exhaust gets swept back to the cockpit while driving).

Frank,

Sorry for stepping on your thread. Good luck with your search.

Plasticman

Frankie the Fink

No problem John, Bill's pic provided what I needed and the other information is all good stuff as well.

sixt1vette

I contemplated long and hard about what system to go with on my '61. If you search some past posts you'll see a lot of responses from other members to me on this topic and also lots of pics that they all submitted. Also in those threads was a real good article on the hows and whys of crossovers that was also submitted by one of the members.

My car had a poorly installed (by Mieneke) Flowmaster muffler system that made my vette sound like a truck; not cool, just rough.
After reading all the comments and opinions and then listening to a few of the live video files provided by members, I ended up picking the original round off-road mufflers for my set-up.

My car runs 2.25" pipes back to the mufflers as noted by Plasticman. From there back I have the original-style off-road mufflers and original tail pipes. After reading the article that I mentioned on the crossoveer and after listening to our forum members' opinions, I had a crossover installed just before the mufflers. Doing so eliminates any challenges I may have had with crossover installed in its "factory" location if I have to pull the engine someday.

I'm obviously not going for an NCRS-quality car and I don't have a real high performance engine set-up, but I really like the sound of what I ended up with. I doubt that you'll go wrong with any of the systems suggested by the members herein. Good luck!

Frankie the Fink

I've decided I really don't like the car's sound since blocking off the heat riser intake manifold ports....just sounds strange to me. I'm told the crossover will re-establish the 'pulsing' and recreate the characteristic "Corvette sound".

My engine only has about 1500 miles on the rebuild but I am still considering the crossover just ahead of the mufflers. I would hate to get 'boogered up' on an engine R&R with the front crossover...but does it really get in the way since you drop the exhaust at the manifold anyway when removing the engine ?

wmf62

Frank
the crossover, in either location, 'mellowed' the sound nicely...

the stock location crossover slips over nipples on the exhaust pipes and is easily removed if necessary...
Bill

PAmotorman

[QUOTE=wmf62;1565409636]Frank
the crossover, in either location, 'mellowed' the sound nicely...


that is why it was there from the factory not for a performance increase

wmf62

and what makes you think that?
Bill

MICK3

Here's a good article on crossover pipes:
http://www.mustangforums.com/m_1028601/printable.htm

PAmotorman

[QUOTE=wmf62;1565412608]i owned and raced them back them and that was put there because there was no exhaust crossover in the FI intake like the carbed engines to take the "sharp sound" out of the exhaust. my corvette ownership started in 1959 and runs thru 2008

61 Silver

I purchase a new system from Allen's Exhaust for my 1961 315HP. I went with the off-road version with the round mufflers. This is correct for the 62 model year not the 1961, but I am after a deeper sound.



Ray

1snake

[QUOTE=PAmotorman;1565414055]
Incorrect!!! All solid lifter cars, including the 270HP dual four cars, had the crossover pipe. I owned them back then as well (and still do).

Jim

61 Silver

[QUOTE=1snake;1565414864]Hi! Jim

You are correct about the crossover pipe. I was not referring to the crossover pipe, I was referring to the round off-road exhaust for the 1961 model year.

Ray

david srour

This is how I did it on my 62 restorod. A bit of a compromise w/ smaller diameter of crossover. It does sound really good imo. I'm also using high performance cats and hooker mufflers.

wmf62

i guess we'll have to agree to disagree as to sound attenuation being the sole purpose of the crossover...
Bill

Plasticman

David,

Nicely done. Where did you get the clamps and the mating flanges?

I had the same type clamps on my boat turbos and have not seen them elsewhere, and agree they should work great (and allow the H pipe to drop out of the way easily "if" the trans has to come out).

My crossover is built into short 6" stubs between the headers and the exhaust pipes (stubs have header flanges on each end), so I have to remove 12 bolts (3 on each flange x 4 flanges) out of the flanges to drop the crossover. And some of those are very close to the frame, which makes it "fun". Your system looks ideal for my purpose as well.

Note that I have used a smaller diameter crossover on a previous vehicle, and never saw any diff. It mellowed the sound and increased the mid range just like a full size tube. It was probably a 1-1/2" di. crossover on a 2" system. Does not sound like much diff., but the area of the 2" pipes is 3.14 sq. inches vs. the 1.5" being 1.76 sq. inches (only 56% area of the 2" pipe).

Plasticman

david srour

thanks Plasticman. They are V band clamps. I got them from Verocious Motorsports. Pricey little buggers. They have the flanges too.
http://www.verociousmotorsports.com/.../V-Band-Clamps

K2

[QUOTE=61 Silver;1565414947]The round off road mufflers were used on all 57 engines and on all 58,59,60,61, and 62 engines with special high performance cams.