'72 LT-1 exhaust and springs

[Ross Flora]

I'm glad I joined this club, I'm really using it! Does anybody know where I can get a proper exhaust system for my LT-1? I bought one from Doc Rebuild, but it isn't quite right. The transition from 2" to 2 1/2" is welded not swaged. Also, I bought the rear spring from them as well, but it doesn't have the up turned ends on the springs. Are they suppose to be up turned? If so,where can I get the best repro spring? I've heard of Eaton Spring here in Detroit, will they do it? By the way the front cross member dent puller really works. Thanks to all - Ross

[Gary S.]

Re: '72 LT-1 exhaust and springs

I don't think you will find anyone that has the tooling and makes the proper exhaust system. I have only seen welded exhausts from the various vendors. There have been a few posts on this as well as the springs. You might want to do a search in the archives. Gary Beaupre and others have reported extensively on the rear springs. Again, to the best of my knowledge, no one makes a rear spring that is correct for 63-82's. Some folks have resorted to attempting to restore their springs. Depending on the actual condition of your original spring, you might be surprised at how much a simple "tune up" of the spring will do to improve it. New spring liners and new end rubber donuts will help a lot.

You will also find that the Doc sells some of the best parts out there. Do you homework first and ask the right questions to see who sells what and how accurate it is.

Gary

[Robert C.]

Re: '72 LT-1 exhaust and springs

Use the Driveline. I got an original set of pipes and mufflers for my LT-1 with an add in the "Wanted Parts" area.

[Joe L.]

Re: '72 LT-1 exhaust and springs

Ross-----

I don't think that you'll find ANY supplier or manufacturer who supplies forward pipes with a swaged 2"-to-2-1/2" reduction section. I believe that the GM pieces were the only ones that were manufactured in this manner. Those were discontinued more than 30 years ago and replaced by the welded variety. Even the welded type have been discontinued for a long while now. So, if you want the original type, then you will need to find NOS or good used. For the FORWARD pipes, good used might be in the realm of possibility since the forward pipes are generally long-lived.

The original springs did have "up-turned" ends on the spring leaf ends (except the bottom leaf, of course). Eaton Detroit Spring supplies the most correct rear spring on the market today. However, it's far from being "exactly correct" and quite a bit of work may be necessary to get the spring, as-delivered, close to the originals. The original spring leaf ends had a smooth radius and a rather complex curve. The Eaton spring leaf ends have a "sharp bend". The difference in configuration between the originals and the Eaton "reproduction" spring is rather easily discerned. So, just because it has the "up-turned" ends does not mean that it's just like the originals.