65 Side exhaust cover screws

[William H.]

Hello All, I am installing side exhaust on my 65 coupe. I am looking at the Aim and I am confused. IT seems that the rocker molding retainer on a non side exhaust car is held on by Sheet metal screws and the coresponding J nuts. The side exhaust page shows that there is a U nut at the frt that is the same as the sides. In my mtg kit from Paragon these screws and nuts are 10/24 machine screws and the coresponding j nuts. These j nuts are item 11 in the aim part number 3880494 and the screw is 159929. So iguess I need to know what some part numbers represent
the ones above plus the ones from the rocker molding page 3848300 screw and 3846854 u nut. It looks to me like some of the screws are sheet metal screws( the two that hold the retainer on) and some are 10/24 machine screws ( the other 4) Can anyone shed some light on this? Hopefully somone who has taken apart an original side exhaust set up.
Thanks in advance
Bill

[Mike M.]

Re: 65 Side exhaust cover screws

If I understand your comments, they are correct.
The rocker panel retainer for the two exhaust systems use the totally different hardware you have detailed.
The front and rear "H" clips and black phos trim screws were the same.
HaND

[John H.]

Re: 65 Side exhaust cover screws

The standard exhaust rocker molding retainer strip was attached with sheet metal screws and corresponding U-nuts (3848300 and 3846854); on an N-14 car, the same rocker molding retainer strip was used, but it was attached with the sidepipe cover attaching machine-thread screws and U-nuts (159929 and 3880494). Photo below of the 3880494 machine-thread U-nut (Michael Hanson photo).

[Wayne M.]

Re: 65 Side exhaust cover screws

The standard exhaust rocker molding retainer strip was attached with sheet metal screws and corresponding U-nuts (3848300 and 3846854); on an N-14 car, the same rocker molding retainer strip was used, but it was attached with the sidepipe cover attaching machine-thread screws and U-nuts (159929 and 3880494). Photo below of the 3880494 machine-thread U-nut (Michael Hanson photo).

Examining John H's excellent pic, you can see why the factory required cuts on each side of the fiberglass door sill in 6 locations (to allow the J-nut assy. w/(square) clinch nut to be inserted high enough to align with the existing retainer holes for non-N14 cars); and why the steel birdcage [a.k.a. door sill reinforcement at this location] had to have 6 cuts to provide clearance for the thick J-nut (otherwise the gap between the birdcage and the door sill was too small to allow insertion of this nut).

Ref. UPC N14 Sheet 2 (at least in the '65 AIM).

[William H.]

Re: 65 Side exhaust cover screws

Thanks John, Are the Screws Hex head or Phillips or slotted? DO you know if the U nuts are availible anywhere? Chevrolet doesnt have them anymore at least not under that part number.
Thanks for the great picture.
Bill

[William H.]

Re: 65 Side exhaust cover screws

Hello Wayne,
Thanks for the excellent response I did look at the aim some more last night and saw the drawings you referenced. I had overlooked them previously because I thought they had to do with clearance for the covers or pipes. After I read what they said I realized that the machine thread u nuts must be used at all 6 positions. Before that time I thought that there was a combination of machine and sheet metal screws. Now I just need to find some of the machine thread u nuts.
Thanks again,
Bill

[Mike M.]

Re: 65 Side exhaust cover screws

I believe the heads were cross recess and the available clips have hex nuts rather than square.
HaND

[William H.]

Re: 65 Side exhaust cover screws

Hello Wayne,
Can you tell me if these fasteners are 10/24 or 1/4 20?
THanks
Bill

[Wayne M.]

Re: 65 Side exhaust cover screws

Hello Wayne,
Can you tell me if these fasteners are 10/24 or 1/4 20?
THanks
Bill

Bill --- at first I was going to answer 1/4"-20, as I have a square J-nut assembly with clinch nut (similar to what John H. shows, with stylized M) in which a screw with that dia. and thrd. count fits.

But then, after checking my '65 AIM, section N14, and my Rev July '65 P&A30 parts book (section 8.899-8.900), it shows screw # 159929 as 10-24 x 5/8". And the U-nut #3880494 as also 10-24 (couldn't be otherwise, eh ?).

I have a good friend who lives close by who has an original N14 1966. A few months ago the body was off. I should ask if he's advanced on his restoration as I wanted to check the items we've discussed, as well as the fiberglass and birdcage cut-outs.

At the same time, I could report on the shape of the nuts, for you and Mike Murray.

[William H.]

Re: 65 Side exhaust cover screws

Hello Wayne,
That would be great! I am wandering if there is not a combination of 10/24 and 1/4-20. Also where did you obtain the parts book that tells you the dimensions of a given screw from the GM parts book? I would really like to find one for my own use. As I am rebuilding a fairly original low milage car that was really taken apart when I got it. The original owner was A friend of mine who passed away so I canot really ask him how things came aprart. Although I some times try! Anyway thanks again. Also I wandered if you had any input on my post about engine wiring harness routing?
Thanks alot
Bill

[Wayne M.]

Re: 65 Side exhaust cover screws

... where did you obtain the parts book that tells you the dimensions of a given screw from the GM parts book? I would really like to find one for my own use. .... Also I wondered if you had any input on my post about engine wiring harness routing?
Bill

Bill -- my sources are the Chevrolet Parts and Accessories series (P&A30) for passenger and Corvette and some light trucks. I've gotten these things off eBay over the last 5 years [prices are outside my budget now]. The open page (sorry upside down) is from the CHASSIS book from July 1965, where the section 8.899-8.900 covers "standard" parts. You don't find this in the Corvette P&A30B book. Also, you won't find many of the part #'s in the AIM in this section; it is not comprehensive -- kind of a hit-and-miss proposition.

My library goes from Sep '62 (body only) through Jan 1970 (Corvette only), with many years combined body and chassis volumes; the BODY section has the added feature of providing a parts history of the previous few years, so you can see when any part # was replaced (by what #) or eliminated.

I'm sure Joe Lucia has these volumes and many more .

I'm working on a response to your engine wiring harness routing (comparing mine with AIM and TIM&JG ).

[Gary S.]

Re: 65 Side exhaust cover screws

Pictures are worth a zillion words. For what it is worth, here are pictures of the sidepipe cover clips on my original 67 coupe, vin 1866, St. Louis body, no hit car, that had the original sidepipes and covers on it when I disassembled it in 1994. I have owned this car 3 times since 1977. Note the one sheet metal screw clip nut...that is the only one on either side. Maybe it was used when they could not get the threaded clip nut on...there is lots of goop in that area sometimes. Or, since it was repainted once maybe the original was broken. Also is a picture of another original car that shows the length of the threaded screw. My threaded nuts are the same ones Hinckley has in his pictures. Gary