Factory installed side exhausts on a 1972?

[Mark D.]

Re: Factory installed side exhausts on a 1972?

But...would there be absolutely 'No Issues' along with the Real Deal status?

[Mike G.]

Re: Factory installed side exhausts on a 1972?

sure the dealer could have done it to sell the car. the factory did not. it took a body shop to do that custom work. the factory does not do that. the paint on that car below the bumpers was originaly unbuffed lacquer front and rear. that paint is shiny like the rest of the car. not only was it not done at the factory the finish is not correct. the factory could not install 69 rear quarters to make this work because the 69 and 72 quarters are not the same. the factory had no 69 side pipes in 72. i had 69 side pipes on my 72 corvette years ago but it was not done at the factory. i want to put them on the 72 i have now. the car does look like a nice car. it would be even nicer if the owner truely represented it. someone will buy in to that story and think they have a real rare piece there. what code would the factory put on the build sheet and window sticker when it was not an option?

[Chuck S.]

Re: Factory installed side exhausts on a 1972?

But...would there be absolutely 'No Issues' along with the Real Deal status?

Mark, I think your question is to Dickie, but the thread is slipping down the stack...other than the side pipes, the car appears very original from what I can see.

If by 'No Issues' you mean, "Can it achieve BowTie?", no one can really say without having it judged; thats why they do judging. But...from what we can see, if you can remove/replace the side pipes with underbody exhaust, replace the exhaust panel, and repair any alterations without compromising more than 20% of the paint or chassis originality...it's quite possible. Someone like Patrick Hulst or Dickie would be able to comment with credibility.

[Mike G.]

Re: Factory installed side exhausts on a 1972?

[quote= Where did the dealer find a couple of pieces of similarly contoured fiberglass like that for donor pieces? I suppose they could make their own donor pieces with mat and resin, let them cure, then trim to fit and bond them in place...but why not just laminate them in place with something to back up the lamination?...much less Bondo that way.[/quote] you can get the pieces from a replacement rear valance pannel from the parts department. you still see nos 69 no hole rear valence pannels for side pipe cars on ebay from time to time. i just missed one last month by 5 bucks.

[Chuck S.]

Re: Factory installed side exhausts on a 1972?

you can get the pieces from a replacement rear valance pannel from the parts department. you still see nos 69 no hole rear valence pannels for side pipe cars on ebay from time to time. i just missed one last month by 5 bucks.

OK...So, explain why in 1972, when they were easily available, and not even "NOS" expensive, someone decided to do this conversion with patches on the exhaust panel rather than simply ordering a replacement exhaust panel? In fact, if a dealer were ordering the side pipe BOM, why wasn't the exhaust panel just included on that order?

I have a couple of theories.

[Mike G.]

Re: Factory installed side exhausts on a 1972?

OK...So, explain why in 1972, when they were easily available, and not even "NOS" expensive, someone decided to do this conversion with patches on the exhaust panel rather than simply ordering a replacement exhaust panel? In fact, if a dealer were ordering the side pipe BOM, why wasn't the exhaust panel just included on that order?

I have a couple of theories.

because the 69 rear valance wont fit a 72 without modifications. the 69 did not have the flaired fenders like the 70,71,72 cars. this was by far the easy way to fix it.

[Chuck S.]

Re: Factory installed side exhausts on a 1972?

because the 69 rear valance wont fit a 72 without modifications. the 69 did not have the flaired fenders like the 70,71,72 cars. this was by far the easy way to fix it.

It was the easiest way to fix it, and not just because of the exhaust panel.

You will note these "patches" actually extend over onto the rear fenders in order to cover that portion of the exhaust tip opening that is built into each rear fender. They essentially had to take a "sawsall" to the adjacent rear fender area to cut out all the exhaust tip bezel mounting flange that surrounds the opening. They have bonded and molded the exhaust panel into the rear fenders on each side. It'll take a fiberglass artist to reverse this for underbody exhaust without the repair being obvious underneath.

As Wayne pointed out, a Chevy body shop in the 60s-70s would have been likely to have scrap fiber glass panels laying around to provide donor pieces...their frugality would cause them to seek donor patches from the scrap pile rather than purchase a new exhaust panel to cut up.

Bonding a donor patch to the back of the panel with a simple lap joint is the crudest of repairs...they were counting on Bondo to cover up a multitude of sins.

[Harmon C.]

Re: Factory installed side exhausts on a 1972?

Allen
I would look at the car as very original by the pictures. The smog system being their is a plus. The side pipes could be removed if you wanted to eaiser than finding all the original parts that I see in the pictures if they are dated correct. I would forget about the sidepipes and look at all the parts and decide what I would pay for this 454-72.
Lyle