klkordzi

Any thoughts or opinions on exiting the exhaust in front of the rear wheels on an 85?

Kevova

There was kit it didn't look too bad. It had a molded rocker molding, but I not sure the kit is still available. Myself I would like to see the old Hooker style side pipes on one.

c4cruiser

That side pipe kit was made by a company called Power Effects. I think they have been gone for some time now.

The kit bolted to the exhaust manifolds and included cats. The pipes were an S-shape that went back to about the middle of the door and then looped forward to the back side of the front wheelwell. Then back again to the rear wheel wells. The mufflers were in that part.

I remember a fellow club member had a set of Power Effects on his '89 and the system seemed pretty quiet when cruising.

I had installed a set of 1969 factory side pipes on my first Corvette, a '70 LS5 390HP 454 with a 4-speed. I still remember how great they sounded, but long trips were pretty hard on my ears. WOT in lower gears was really loud but everyone noticed....

HAD2HAV2

This is the kit. In stalled on my 88 back in 1999. Cat are still there so it is exhaust legal.

CaptainMerricka

ohh man thats pretty fly.
Yeah lowering not allowed with those. But on a vert I have a huge X brace anyways so lowering is already tough.

ex-x-fire

I knew a guy who that system, avoided speed bumps like the plauge.

C4Tommy

Hi,
some more pics

FOURSPEEDVETTE

I don't think the C4 body style looks right with side exhaust. At least for street use anyway.

armybyrd

In my opinion if you want side pipes get a C3. They look terrible on C4s.

ghoastrider1

I like them.

HAD2HAV2

Thanks ghoastrider1. Starting the tear-down at the end of this year for a new paint job. I'm going to get the side pipe covers wrapped this time as they take a beating from road crap. Speed bumps can be a problem especially if the bumps are the short-tall concrete type. I just go slow. I know how to repair molded fiberglass so fixing them is not an issue. This exhaust is not made anymore but so far I have had no problems. Has a nice exhaust tone too. When the A4 goes into overdrive the noise goes way down.

klkordzi

Thanks everyone for the replies. I'm not looking to do side pipes though, just thinking about exiting in front of the rear tires. My intention is to eliminate the cat and add an x pipe with small bullet type mufflers.

383vett

If you look under your car, you will see that there is no room for that.

HAD2HAV2

The problem with the exhaust ending in front of the rear wheel is the pipe can be damaged by speed bumps. You need to go to an exhaust shop specialist to find your options.

GREGGPENN

I disagree though it's a challenge. If he's starting with stock manifolds (or headers), there's room for bullet cats up front. If it's an auto (unlike mine), you could install the Magnaflox X-Muffler in the belly. Two birds with one stone.

Two 90-deg bends to head piping toward the rockers. The problem comes with obstacles/clearance.

Side Effects use rectangular tubing -- for clearance. I suppose you could insert the same -- between the belly and the side. Depending on the metal/strength of the tubing, it could be stronger than round stainless or alum pipe.

Then there's the issue of heat "against" the rocker panel. It WOULD bubble/burn the paint off the rocker. Wrapping the pipe would look stupid so that's not a solution. Actually, I'd consider THIS the biggest issue...just a hair behind the "ideal" to flatten pipe between middle/side of the car.

Heat exiting right in front of the rear tires seems likely to accelerate tire wear as well. Sure, race cars have it...but how long does a set of tires last on those cars! Tires are KNOWN to wear much faster in the summer (due to heat). Therefore side pipes may accelerate rear tire wear. OTOH, they may improve "average" grip conditions.

Now that I said all this, I still have to agree with 383vett. Side exhaust WITHOUT having the benefit of ideas/issues "engineered" by the Side Effects system would likely disappoint....largely due to the heat ==> side panel paint issue. FWIW, My side covers have been painted a second time due to paint bubbling. I was a bit late realizing the lack of heat insulation ON THE BACK SIDE of the Side Effects covers was a HUGE oversight by the manufacturer. This time, I lined the inside with heat "mat". Maybe you'd be alright IF you terminated basic, uncovered side pipes FAR ENOUGH OUT from the rockers? You'd still NEED some kind of shield above/between the pipe and the rocker. Guaranteed!

BTW...PowerEffects.com is still "up" on the web. The actual manufacturer is Lawrence-Keech...which is a custom exhaust shop from what I gathered. I find it odd that they still pay for that domain name when the system hasn't been made nearly 15 years now. That said, the guy that answers the phone is a very nice/helpful guy. He kept thinking/hoping that he'd find another steel company to tool up for the cast steel "Side Effects" pipes....that are behind the covers. Considering the price it cost for the system versus the price of C4s these days, they'd likely be priced out of the market.

OTOH Side Effects (used to) cost about the same as Stainless Works headers....and people still buy them.

FYI: Side Effects piping were actually made from poured steel in a mill.....half if it being rectangular tubing. The old steel mill converted to "assembly-line" style molds. Lawrence-Keech would have needed to pay for retooling to continue production.

Maybe you could build a "HOT WHEELS" style C4 and have 4-tube headers jut out the side gills! I wonder how many states that would be legal in!! LOL