htown81vette

Just wanting to know what everyone thinks about 'em. I'm kinda torn whether to go sidepipes or not. Looks being the obvious pro, but there are some cons too. Do the pros>cons? Vote in the poll...

jesse10886

I say they sound an look amazing but I do not want anyone to get burned by my car especially my wife. Little kids don't have the thought to stay back an most young parents these days are morons. My buddy had side pipes on his 74 till a little kid walked up to peak in the windows an be way too nosy. Poor 7 year old boy he got a nasty burn on his shins in the Walmart parking lot. A week later my buddy put the pipes on Craigslist am went 2.5 duals. A part of me wants them but I'm not gonna put them on for a long time

joewill

hated them.. too loud!

before:





after:

htown81vette

Thats my main concern, I have an 8 year old boy as well. Ground clearance is my other concern. I can live with the sound and actually kinda like it. But a nice set of tips out back might be just as good and alot more practical.

Easy Mike

What we think doesn't really matter. It's your car and will be your pipes. What you think is the only thing that counts.

keithinspace

I have sidepipes and while I admit I don't have any mileage on the car yet (YET), the sidepipes just make the thing over-the-top cool.

If I had the factory sidepipes with the smaller manifold, collector, and pipe, I probably wouldn't be quite as excited about them. But I have the larger Hooker sidemount headers with equal runners going to the 4" collector and sidepipe.

The rather obvious downside is the burn risk. I think it will become habit to remind people about the sidepipe when exiting. I'm trying to think of some way to have a heat blanket of some type drop down when you open the door, but I haven't figured that out yet. But honestly, it isn't that difficult to climb out over the sidepipes.

Like I said, the car is 2 weeks old to me and I have perhaps 10 miles on it in that time. So I can't say that I've lived with them in the real world. But they make the car what it is. I'm glad it has them and so is my wife. She may not think so when she melts her hose on the darn things, but we'll jump off that bridge when we get to it. It's an old car, and old cars are supposed to have a few quirks.

redman76

I voted a qualified YES!!! Love the original style and Hookers, but some of the others I don't care as much for.

avalonjohn

I have them original to my 69 that is yet to be restored. I bought the car to be a driver. Needs paint and interoir work. Personally, I like the look and sound but really only started it a few times when I got it, then it was stored.

Here is my question. All this talk about being scalded on the pipes.....I take it these "insulators" that I am going to take out a loan to replace are useless??

Roco71

I would love to have them only two reasons why I went with the regular pipes.

1) Heat
2) Cost

I love the way they look and sound!

Jughead

I love em but don't like the restrictive pipes costing HP.

Alan 71

Hi aj,
Getting burned is an issue for the Hooker style pipes; not for the GM 69 style pipes and covers.
Unless... you're running the pipes and mufflers without the covers.
Regards,
Alan

stingr4y

I have 4 kids and so far no burns. I lectured them early and often.

When people approach in a parking lot, I yell "hot pipes" and point.

It seems to work fine, I am a little paranoid about it though.

Totally worth it.

avalonjohn

Thanks Alan................wheeewwww!

I got a bit worried there for a minute. No MODS for me so no worries!

Thanks again, John

jcloving

I like them on chrome bumper cars. On my '76 I think they would look strange. My opinon.

Plus, I have ground clearance issues now with my stock setup where I work.

I have heard them before and they are very, very loud. Not for me.

Paul L

Consider emissions visual/testing issues. Post-1974 you are an immediate target for the Smog Police (no cat cons). In Ontario you may be exempt from the sniffer but a visual says $365.00 fine and return to stock within 30 days. If not, plates pulled. Your car is an orphan.

SuprJames

That's what covers are for. After a 2.5 hour trip I can grab my sidepipe covers and they are just warm. More ground clearance then my '82 Vette's headers. NO JOKE! Only time I ever worry about them is on tall speed bumps. Just go slow and all is good

TheSkunkWorks

I love my [black] Hooker sidemounts! IMHO nothing quite compares to the sound of an angry BB barking thru them.



Hey Josh, any updates on the body work coming soon?

vettebuyer6369

I like the originals on some '69s (the only year the came from GM)although I decided against them. I like them better on the roadsters than the coupes.

I don't like them at all on the years that didn't come with them, especially the later year models. Just looks off.

Clubby99

I like the Hooker 4-inch style. Very aggressive looking. Not a fan of the original 69 style.

Don't like Partiot side pipes. Stainless is a must over chrome.

Looks best on Chrome bumper cars. Too "old-school" looking for new C-3's.

My opinion...

U17