1971 C3 Exhaust Tips
The gibson tips are a true 2.5" but I am really looking to do a 3". PLUS they are pretty expensive. You can get the 73, 2 3/8" tips on ebay for about $50 a pair. The gibons are about $150 a pair.
There is definetly a restriction, especially on bigger, more powerful motors.
On my dad's 59' vette, we had a 70 LS6 454 with about 450-475 crank HP running through 2.5" all the way to the rear but they had to go through 2" openings in the rear bumpers. So we went 2.5" to the muffler, then 2.25" out of the muffler up to the bumpers, then 2.0" out of the bumper. The total length of the 2.0" section was maybe 3".
The car sounded like total $hit. It was really poppy and just did not have a good tone. We left it like that a few months then ended up redoing it, going 2.5" to 40 series flowmasters, then 2.5" out of the mufflers, going over the axle and just turning them down right under the bottom of the trunk and slash cutting the pipes. You can not see the outlets at all without crawling under the car and it sounds 100X better. It now has just a ZZ4 so its not near as dramatic.
My 71 is 2.5" muffler shop special crinkle pipe until right before the rear end, then it goes down to 2.25" under the axle and into 40 series flowmasters. Out of the flows its 2" into the stock 2" tips. It sounds ok on my car because my motor is a basically stock, low compression smog motor with a L79 cam. On a real motor it would be poppy as hell.
3" mandrel bent pipes into Super 40s (3" inlet -3" outlet)
Had exhaust shop ovalize 3" one end of pipe, cut-off 2" inlet into square tip , cut oval hole and weld up
went together great!
Tips look original, But from a slight distance you can see 3" pipes going under rear diff - tells you its not stock ( I also wrapped the pipes going under the rear diff and rear spring region to be sure the spring doesnt over temp - you dont want the spring to get to 200F, even locally)
3" mandrel bent pipes into Super 40s (3" inlet -3" outlet)
Had exhaust shop ovalize 3" one end of pipe, cut-off 2" inlet into square tip , cut oval hole and weld up
went together great!
Tips look original, But from a slight distance you can see 3" pipes going under rear diff - tells you its not stock ( I also wrapped the pipes going under the rear diff and rear spring region to be sure the spring doesnt over temp - you dont want the spring to get to 200F, even locally)
DUDE....can you get pics of your exhaust??? I am having a hard time proving to people 3" will fit in the cross member and under the rear end assy. Any pics of your 3" system would be GREATLY appreciated...
Especially of the tips!

Side view of super40s w/ 3" exit transitioning to the tips

Looking into rear of exh tip showing ovalized 3" pipe welded into tip

backside view of ovalized pipe welded into tip
Man you don't have much clearance under the rear end huh? My car is stock height so I think I will be ok but...damn, those 3" pipes eat up some real estate. I like the tips to. Thats the way to go....
The gibson tips are a true 2.5" but I am really looking to do a 3". PLUS they are pretty expensive. You can get the 73, 2 3/8" tips on ebay for about $50 a pair. The gibons are about $150 a pair.
There is definetly a restriction, especially on bigger, more powerful motors.
On my dad's 59' vette, we had a 70 LS6 454 with about 450-475 crank HP running through 2.5" all the way to the rear but they had to go through 2" openings in the rear bumpers. So we went 2.5" to the muffler, then 2.25" out of the muffler up to the bumpers, then 2.0" out of the bumper. The total length of the 2.0" section was maybe 3".
The car sounded like total $hit. It was really poppy and just did not have a good tone. We left it like that a few months then ended up redoing it, going 2.5" to 40 series flowmasters, then 2.5" out of the mufflers, going over the axle and just turning them down right under the bottom of the trunk and slash cutting the pipes. You can not see the outlets at all without crawling under the car and it sounds 100X better. It now has just a ZZ4 so its not near as dramatic.
My 71 is 2.5" muffler shop special crinkle pipe until right before the rear end, then it goes down to 2.25" under the axle and into 40 series flowmasters. Out of the flows its 2" into the stock 2" tips. It sounds ok on my car because my motor is a basically stock, low compression smog motor with a L79 cam. On a real motor it would be poppy as hell.
http://burnsstainless.com/OvalTubing/ovaltubing.html
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