1970-1972 exhaust tips

[D S.]

Through the years Corvette owners have replaced their exhaust tips for various reasons most often due to rust, pitting, damage, trend, etc. Some, like a pair I have, were cut off by a torch reducing the pipe an inch or so and removing the V and slot from the ends of the pipes. Others have rusted out places sometimes all the way through on the exhaust tip body. Given that these are not reproduced in anything but stainless steel do any of you know or recommend someone who repairs/restores these?

Thanks,
Scott Sims
Texas Chapter

[Chuck S.]

Re: 1970-1972 exhaust tips

Scott, contact Dave Strickland.

I sold him a pair of original 70 tips years ago which I openly disclosed as fairly solid but needing repair and refinishing. He evidently planned to do the work himself, or he had a source.

[D S.]

Re: 1970-1972 exhaust tips

Thanks, Chuck. Maybe Dave will read this and offer comments.

[Dave S.]

Re: 1970-1972 exhaust tips

Scott, contact Dave Strickland.

I sold him a pair of original 70 tips years ago which I openly disclosed as fairly solid but needing repair and refinishing. He evidently planned to do the work himself, or he had a source.

Chuck/Scott,
Good memory, that was several years ago. They were rough but salvageable. I sent them to Rick Applegate of Areba services which I understand may now be out of business. He welded the small holes on the back and flash chromed them for a cost of about $150 as I recall. The repairs were done as you would expect a welder to do but were not ground or cosmetically prepared as I wanted them to be. The chroming was beyond flash chrome quality even though I was assured that they could do so called "flash" chrome.
It was an example of everyone trying to do the right thing but the finished product was not as I wanted. At a quick glance they looked over-restored. Just another indication of how hard it is to restore these parts to look as they were when they were made.
I would expect a good welder could add 1 inch to your round inlets and make a groove and slot as originals had. Unless your are a welder there will be a cost for that and then the cost of chroming. Given the scarcity of original tips it may be worth a $200 or $250 investment.
If they are the first design 1970 tips lacking the weld seam on the bottom that would make even more tempting.

[Chuck S.]

Re: 1970-1972 exhaust tips

Hi Dave...Thanks for the quick response.

I was just about to tell Scott that I thought you had dropped off the side of the earth. I searched to find the last time you had posted...and found out it was just now.

[D S.]

Re: 1970-1972 exhaust tips

Thanks, Chuck and Dave. My March build 1970 would require the smooth bottom 1st design tips although the JG says "that it is possible to see a car with one of each design" on Corvettes up to 1971 S/N 16,000. I would prefer they be the same but beggars be choosers. I am curious about service replacements. They seem to be the scourge of 1970-1973 tips yet they employ most of the same characteristics of the originals. I have seen a set of service replacements without the weld on the back plate (spot welded) and no part number and no 'W' stamp and then I've seen those with the part numbers and 'W's stamped on them. I assume the first service replacements are GM issues and the latter are outside vendor issues.

[Bill L.]

Re: 1970-1972 exhaust tips

I would love to know who might restore these tips too. I have my original set and the tip are in very good shape except "bubba" welded them to the exhaust system.

I mean really welded. I think the only hope might be to fabricate a new inlet and grind off/ cut off the original inlet.

Just another thought is to find the more common sets with the W, welded and welded seam. My though would be to fill the W and grind off the weld bead before re-chroming.

[D S.]

Re: 1970-1972 exhaust tips

Bill, that's not the first time I have heard or read about filling in the W and the part numbers and bead welding the back plate. I assume it can be done as long as the finished metal is so good that when they get flash chromed it is not noticeable. Not the glitzy triple chroming because that hides the true nature of the orginality of the parts. Ever see chrome valve covers with the dripper "dimples" after the have been triple chromed? Looks like waves and soft dents.
Here are the measurements I tool of an intact tip pipe:
-The pipe length is exactly 2-3/4" from the collar where the pipe passes through the rectangular back plate to the V and slot.

-The V cutout is 5/8" inches deep, 3/4" wide at the opening of the V and 1/2" wide at the narrowest part of the V in the pipe.

-The slot is exactly 1" long and 1/8" wide.

[Bill L.]

Re: 1970-1972 exhaust tips

That is good information.

How far inside the tip does the pipe go? What gauge is the pipe. How are the slots oriented to the tip? What is the OD and ID if the pipe? Should I use just good old fashioned tail pipe material?

I may be able to measure some of what is left on my originals too.

Any recommendations on a shop willing to do this kind of work? I am really concerned with who will do the welding to best duplicated the factory welding. I am pretty sure the factory did these by hand back then.


Thanks,


Bill

[Warren F.]

Re: 1970-1972 exhaust tips

Bill,

I have an original set of '71, '72 exhaust tips from a car. The wide V slot is in 12 0'clock position when tip is placed on muffler extension in correct position in rear valence square outlet. The bottom slit is in 6 0'clock position.

The thickness of the pipe is .550 inch. The inlet pipe is tack welded in 6 spots. With tip placed correctly in position on muffler extension pipe, the spot welds for the pipe extension of the tip are in these positions. 1o'clock, 2o'clock, 6o'clock, 7o'clock, 9o'clock & 11o'clock.

The outside measurement of the tip extension pipe is a bit hard to measure, as it does not appear to be perfectly round. It appears to be slightly ovoid in shape. My measurements for both left and right tips is not exactly the same. The external dimensions if using dial calipers measuring vertically measure 2.135 inches, horizontally measured are 2.085 inches.

[D S.]

Re: 1970-1972 exhaust tips

Bill, the total length of the pipe is 3-1/4" so 1/2" is from the collar into the tip box and is flush with the inside of the rectangular plate in almost all of these I have seen. The V is on top of the pipe and the slot is directly opposite on the bottom. The gauge of metal I can't provide as I don't have calipers however you are probably on the right track using old fashioned pipe material.

[Warren F.]

Re: 1970-1972 exhaust tips

Thanks, Chuck and Dave. My March build 1970 would require the smooth bottom 1st design tips although the JG says "that it is possible to see a car with one of each design" on Corvettes up to 1971 S/N 16,000. I would prefer they be the same but beggars be choosers. I am curious about service replacements. They seem to be the scourge of 1970-1973 tips yet they employ most of the same characteristics of the originals. I have seen a set of service replacements without the weld on the back plate (spot welded) and no part number and no 'W' stamp and then I've seen those with the part numbers and 'W's stamped on them. I assume the first service replacements are GM issues and the latter are outside vendor issues.

I just found a set of correct originals for my one '71 coupe missing the originals (which were thrown away with the original carbon steel piping), but currently have the 1st design GM service replacement tips on the car. These use the original V notch and narrow slit and have no stamped part number on the bottom or the W. Except for the spot welds around the perimeter back plate versus the continuous weld bead they are the same as production tips.

[D S.]

Re: 1970-1972 exhaust tips

I've also got a set of those GM service replacments that I thought were the real deal until I learned more about tips. I even had them flash chromed. Now I'm on the hunt for some good original ones that haven't been cut off or rusted out. Unfortunately the ones I need are the ones without the welded seams on the undersides. My 1970 is a March built Corvette. I may use the GM service replacements until I find the ones I need. Currently I am using the stainless steel ones.
In an archived discussion I read somewhere on the NCRS TDB recently that someone was going to reproduce the 1st design originals. I'd be interested in what they look like and of course the price. Can anyone recall who might be reproducing them?

[Pat M.]

Re: 1970-1972 exhaust tips

I've also got a set of those GM service replacments that I thought were the real deal until I learned more about tips. I even had them flash chromed. Now I'm on the hunt for some good original ones that haven't been cut off or rusted out. Unfortunately the ones I need are the ones without the welded seams on the undersides. My 1970 is a March built Corvette. I may use the GM service replacements until I find the ones I need. Currently I am using the stainless steel ones.
In an archived discussion I read somewhere on the NCRS TDB recently that someone was going to reproduce the 1st design originals. I'd be interested in what they look like and of course the price. Can anyone recall who might be reproducing them?

Scott - Richard Fortier, who advertises in the Driveline, told me he was going to reproduce them, but he didn't say when they'd be available. Based on the outstanding results I got from his grille restoration, I'd suspect his tips would be top-notch and correct.

[D S.]

Re: 1970-1972 exhaust tips

All, I just spoke with Richard Fortier by telephone and sent him an email with Warren Friedrich's and my measurements along with photos of a 2nd design NOS tip. Richard says he is proceeding with the 1st design tip production which sounds like he is going to make them as close to original as possible including the sloppy welds on the rears. That's why I didn't use the word "reproduction". Richard says he is 50% complete on the prototype and has the spout fabricated. I am anxious to see what they look like.