true sidepipe car?





1. No evidence of exhaust holes being "filled in" in the rear valence or rear quarter panel. (the panels are totally different and there is a seam between the rear valence and 1/4 panel that is not present on undercar exhaust cars).
2. Front side fenders trimmed for side exhaust clearance (this is where the headpipe portion passes from the engine compartment to join the beginning of the sidepipe tube; the fenders are trimmed directly above the headpipe for clearance).
3. Absence of the center exhaust pipe hanger and threads in holes in the frame for grounding strap attachment (obviously sidepipe cars should not have the undercar exhaust hanger, but look for threads in the holes where the hanger and straps would attach; the presence of threads would probably considered as conclusive evidence that the car was originally equipped with undercar exhaust).
4. Insulation between the frame and the body at the outer rail.
5. Rear quarter panels trimmed for side exhaust outlet (again the panel is trimmed for clearance at the very end of the sidepipe).
6. Absence of rocker panel trim tabs (these were the tabs that the rocker moldings on undercar exhaust cars attached to; obviously the sidepipe tubes and covers occupied this area so no rocker moldings were used)
7. Front of rear wheel wells cut to expose rear end of main frame rail (not sure of the exact configuration of this one).
8. Absence of weatherstripping or staple holes used to hold the weatherstripping on the front fender skirt shields. (undercar exhaust cars used the weatherstripping, sidepipe cars did not).





I had no paperwork when I bought mine, but the more I got into it, I was convinced it was also a true side pipe car and then I found this under the rear deck, above the gas tank.

While most everything else is easy enough to clone, the ONLY way to exactly duplicate the rear fender corner where under car exhaust would have been, to look original, is to replace the lower rear fenders (from just above the wheel well opening along the bonding strip) with the correct side pipe lower fender.
Yours is not butchered or repaired and looks like this.

My valance was repaired at some point as it looks like there may have been lights there or something, but the flange to the right is original.
Sorry you had problems with the engine, but it looks like you have it about ready to go back together.
Last edited by c69vete; Jan 4, 2014 at 05:46 PM.
Nice picture!
It's interesting the way the 'bond' oozed out of the joint between the quarter panel and the flange..... very similar to other places on the body like bonding strips for instance.
Regards,
Alan












