1972 Exhaust question
Any help/input would be greatly appreciated.We are going to look at this car this week. Owner claims it is a 72 (VIN that he supplied checks out that it is in fact a 72) I thought all 1972 had exhaust cut outs ? Since I am gong to be restoring the car it is not a big deal, we will be returning the car to original color. I was just wondering if I am missing something. Thanks
Last edited by MBC75; Aug 19, 2014 at 06:41 AM. Reason: picture did not upload correctly
Any help/input would be greatly appreciated.We are going to look at this car this week. Owner claims it is a 72 (VIN that he supplied checks out that it is in fact a 72) I thought all 1972 had exhaust cut outs ? Since I am gong to be restoring the car it is not a big deal, we will be returning the car to original color. I was just wondering if I am missing something. Thanks
Later someone removed the sidepipes and left the filler panel. Exhaust might be from a later (74+ ?) model or custom
M
I'm afraid there's more to it than has been shared so far in your thread. Fact is, for this car to be showing like your photo, more work than just adding or filling the rear exhaust valance is involved. The car's original design had the exhaust cutout SHARED/SPLIT between the valance and the quarter panel. Hopefully someone else will see this post and post a photo of exactly what I'm talking about.
If I were you, I'd check the back side of the valance AND the quarter panels in this area, looking to see if they were filled to close the exhaust cutout. If they were, you will need to remove the filling if you want to restore the car's original design. If the quarter panels are not filled in but are one solid piece, odds are the car has been rear-ended sometime in its life, necessitating new/replacement quarters. If this is the case, you need to look very closely for other damage/repair, such as in the frame itself.
Hope this helps.
If you are going to "restore" the car to appear original, keep the running log of things that will need to be replaced, changed, added, or removed and use that to help bring the price down.
As redrdstr72 described the opening for the rear exit exhaust bezel is partly in the valance panel and partly in the quarter panel.
A fiberglass flange must be bonded to the quarter panel to support that side of the bezel if the original has been removed.
The under car exhaust systems from Gardner's and Corvette Central are worth checking out when it's time for a new system.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan
As redrdstr72 described the opening for the rear exit exhaust bezel is partly in the valance panel and partly in the quarter panel.
A fiberglass flange must be bonded to the quarter panel to support that side of the bezel if the original has been removed.
The under car exhaust systems from Gardner's and Corvette Central are worth checking out when it's time for a new system.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan

As redrdstr72 described the opening for the rear exit exhaust bezel is partly in the valance panel and partly in the quarter panel.
A fiberglass flange must be bonded to the quarter panel to support that side of the bezel if the original has been removed.
The under car exhaust systems from Gardner's and Corvette Central are worth checking out when it's time for a new system.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan

I will have my paint/body guy make that happen. Mechanically I can do just about anything, but paint and bodywork I leave to the experts. He did my 75 and I am very pleased with the results.I will have the exhaust moved back to the correct location, it certainly looks better, I think. Is there any disadvantage to having the exhaust back to the stock location ?
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Originally the short piece of pipe coming out of the muffler has a sort-of diamond shaped tab welded to the top of it.
A corresponding cut-out in the top of the exhaust tip slid around the tab and positioned each tip consistently.
So few original mufflers are around that it's difficult now to even see what one of the tabs looked like or where it was placed.
Regards,
Alan
There really isn't any disadvantage to the under car exhaust. Coming up with nice rocker trim panels can take some $$ and effort.
The 69 side-exhaust system certainly had/has a "cool factor", and sounds terrific, but isn't right for every car and every owner.
Regards,
Alan
Sometimes I miss them and sometimes I don't!

They done the hard part for me ....yes!..

I have factory sides on that puppy in record time
There really isn't any disadvantage to the under car exhaust. Coming up with nice rocker trim panels can take some $$ and effort.
The 69 side-exhaust system certainly had/has a "cool factor", and sounds terrific, but isn't right for every car and every owner.
Regards,
Alan
Sometimes I miss them and sometimes I don't!


The original style side exhaust are surprisingly loud. Part of the reason is the outlet is so close to the driver's and passenger's ears.
Very few production cars have had an exhaust system that exits in front of the rear wheels.
Regards,
Alan
Originally the short piece of pipe coming out of the muffler has a sort-of diamond shaped tab welded to the top of it.
A corresponding cut-out in the top of the exhaust tip slid around the tab and positioned each tip consistently.
So few original mufflers are around that it's difficult now to even see what one of the tabs looked like or where it was placed.
Regards,
Alan

Regards,
Stan Falenski




















