69 Side exhaust question
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: Talladega Alabama
69 Side exhaust question
I recently purchased a 69 T-top, 4 speed MT, PS, PB, 350ci/350hp, side exhaust car with 72K original miles (engine/trans matching #'s). How can I tell if the side exhausts were factory installed?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
Likes: 27
From: New Hill NC
The first and quickest thing to look at is the rear quarter panels. They will have no cutouts for rear exhaust, The seam should be straight and no repairs. A couple of other things to look for is insulation between the pipes and the body on top of the frame. There are also trimmed out areas at either end of the pipes at the fender wells. That will give you somewhere to start.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,368
Likes: 787
From: Redondo Beach, California
Also, look at the transmission rear mount - where the transmission mounts to the crossmember. On cars equipped with standard exhaust there's a U shaped bracket to hang the exhaust pipes to. On a sidepipe car, this bracket is missing. Instead there's just a thin piece of shim material. If someone has removed the standard exhaust U bracket, make sure they replaced it with the shim to maintain proper elevation of the transmission tail piece. This shim can be bought from Paragon. Look in their catalog to see what it looks like. I bought one for my car.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,695
Likes: 65
From: Kissimmee fl
Finalist 2021 C3 of the Year - Modified
2017 C3 of Year Finalist
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '07
Welcome to the madness. Being a new corvette owner now is a good time to suggest you get the AIM (assembly manual) This will give you the exact cutouts needed for the side pipes. Will give you tons of info for all of your upcoming projects. 
