Ever since I had my first 68 Corvette with side exhaust all those years ago, I have wanted it again. Here in Phoenix I am required by the smog police to have a cat. At first I didn't think that there was enough room to cut a cat into the side pipes. The only place is in the straight piece of pipe just after the first 90 degree bend off the manifold pointing to the side of the car. There is about 12" there. My mechanic friend told me that he knows of very small cats, about 12" or so. So we used those cats and shortie block hugger headers. The block huggers do just as they say, they angle in to the oil pan. In doing so they added almost 1 1/2" of space to cut in the cat. There is pleanty of clearence between the top of the cat and the frame.
Not being able to afford the "reproduction" shields for $2000 ++ :eek: I used the Ecklers fiberglass ones and painted them semi gloss black. The only problem that I had found was they tended to "sag" just a bit. Leaving the bottom of the shield just a fraction of an inch away from the pipe. With the cats causing the pipes to run hotter, the shields were heating up and not looking like they were going to last too long at all under that heat. I machined up 2 brackets of alluminum 1/8 x 1 stock. They mounted in the rear at the side pipe mount to the frame, and in the front where the first bolt holds the shield to the body. By bending these into the proper arc, they fit under the shield to hold the bottom of the shield clear of the pipe. This made an air space of about 3/4" which seems to be enough air flow to keep the shields cool. So far so good.
JoeB
PS AND THE SOUND IS GREAT :D

 

I was thinking why is this guy trying to put cats on side exhaust for a 68, silly me I didn't realise you had them on a 76. Wood you should also check, maybe you could go to a collector plat or classic, being over 20+ years, then maybe the emission stuff goes out the window, just a thought. But if the cats are working ok sounds like you may have the problem solved, and others with later years C3 will be calling you for more particulars on your instalation.

Remember LOUD pipes save LIVES :yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod: there also cool as HELL!!!!!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

Did you both fill in the rear panels where the exhaust tips were?

 

Yes I replaced the rear valance panel, it needed some work back there when I purchased it so I got the filled valance that covers the exhasut holes and then I glassed it in flush, so its staying that way for me at least. I have just seen on the C3VR forum that someone has found "inserts" that you can bolt in placr of the exhasut tip, they are I believe fiberglass, so can be painted to match, and then if you get sick of the side exhaust you can just remove the inserts and reinstall the stock exhaust and away you go.

Dave
Mr69vett