1957-65 Choke Tubes

[Joe L.]

A while back there was a question about choke tubes installed in exhaust manifolds. Here's some information on them. There were 3 choke tubes used over the 1957-65 period. The first was GM #3747292. It was used for 1957 only. The second was GM #3749494. It was used for 1958-1962. The last was GM #3814026. It was used for 1963-1965 as well as SERVICE for 1958-62 (but NOT 1957).

Below are photos of NOS examples of each.


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[Stuart F.]

Re: 1957-65 Choke Tubes

Joe;

Thanks for showing. I described having experience with the "pinched" one and, on this board, was all but told I was dreaming. I used that same principle to make external heat tubes for early Vette engines having dual quads and headers. I would coil aluminum tubing around the header tube, then couple them together with a brass coupling to a straight tube to the choke. My adjustment to arrive at the right heat was with a vice grip pliers - pinching the tube first in one direction, leaving a slot about 3/32", then the next pinch up the tube at 90 degrees (just like in your second photo). I'd add additional pinches until the choke would fully open, then apply an insulator sheath. It worked great, and now I know it wasn't a dream.

I had changed out a number of the pinched steel tubes, mostly in 57's that had burned through.

Thanks again. I just got back in the country after a 6 week trip and still have a bad case of jet lag.

Stu Fox

[David L.]

Re: 1957-65 Choke Tubes

Somewhere in a box in my garage attic I also have one of these NOS tubes, either the 58-62 version or the 63-65 version. I bought it at a swap meet many years ago for $1.