Who manufactured C1 exhaust systems in 90's?

[Paul B.]

Hi,

My '62 has a mint reproduction exhaust system that was installed in about '93.
Was there more than one company manufacturing reproduction C1 systems in the early to mid nineties?
I would like to replace my oval mufflers with the round off road versions, and I would like to buy the mufflers from the same manufacturer if possible to insure an easy fit. I have no way of knowing for sure where the system was purchased back then, but it may have been from Paragon.

Thanks,
Paul

[William C.]

Re: Who manufactured C1 exhaust systems in 90's?

Allens abd Zierden were two that I'm aware of. I believe Allen is the supplier for Paragon.

[Brad K.]

Re: Who manufactured C1 exhaust systems in 90's?

Try ****Co of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Here's their website:

http://www.****co.com/mufflers/mufflers.htm

They have served me very well through the years!

[Dick W.]

Re: Who manufactured C1 exhaust systems in 90's?

There is a possibility that the previous owner found a Walker system at an autoparts store. Some of the older parts were still available in that era. Especially if he found a store that had not kept their inventory current.

[Mike E.]

Re: Who manufactured C1 exhaust systems in 90's?

I wouldn't use ****co round mufflers--they're sound is not very true to original--Central's mufflers have a much more accurate sound.

[John H.]

Re: Who manufactured C1 exhaust systems in 90's?

Brad -

****Co bought Zierden's assets when Zierden went out of business about ten years ago; I bought a Zierden system when I restored my '57 back in 1995, and it was outstanding.

[Joe L.]

Re: Who manufactured C1 exhaust systems in 90's?

John-----

Just a small point, but I don't think that Zierden went out of business. They just sold their exhaust system business, including tooling and personnel, to ****CO. The exhaust system business was always sort of a "side line" for them. Their main business lies in much more sophisticated sorts of things, mainly non-automotive. I think the sale might have happened when their "main guy" for exhaust, a fellow named Tom something-or-other, had health problems, perhaps resulting in his demise. Tom was one of the sharpest guys I ever talked to regarding exhaust systems. I learned a lot from him.

While they are still in business, one of their very nearby neighbors is highly endangered. That's the ex-GM, now DELPHI huge catalytic converter plant. I believe that DELPHI has "axed" it, and I don't know if they've been able to sell it to anyone else.

[John H.]

Re: Who manufactured C1 exhaust systems in 90's?

Joe -

Thanks for the background on Zierden - I had just assumed they went out of business, since you couldn't get exhaust systems from them any more; they had a great product. When GM built that catalytic converter plant for the original 2-way and 3-way bead-bed converters, there were only a few suppliers that made them - now there are about 20, all making the far more efficient monolith converters at much lower cost.

[Paul B.]

Re: Who manufactured C1 exhaust systems in 90's?

Thanks for the input guys. My hope is to be able to unclamp the ovals, and replace with the round off road's. I figured if I could tell who made the system now on the car, I would buy the rounds from the same manufacturer for a no hassle fit.
Here is a pick of the system now on the car, it was installed during the frame-off in the early nineties. Don't know if this pic will be of any help with the identification...?

Paul