70-71 1st Design Exaust Tip Welds, Help!!

[Mike E.]

Re: 70-71 1st Design Exaust Tip Welds, Help!!

Stan--
Very interesting!! Generally we don't expect a part number sticker to be on a production-line part, but rather on an over-the-counter replacement. My VERY late 71 LT-1 (#21653) that has the original exhaust with very few miles doesn't have a part number sticker, as I recall. That obviously doesn't mean that the picture you have is not factory-installed, it just means it's not what we normally would expect. Thoughts on that?
Regards,
Mike

[Jim T.]

Re: 70-71 1st Design Exaust Tip Welds, Help!!

D S Sims I saw the tips that Richard made on the Corvett Forum today. They are not finished, but look nice.
Terry M. thanks for the information on my GM parts having the W stamping which I now know identifies my tips as being manufactured by Walker.
I checked the part numbers with GM Parts Direct. Part #3974660 is still available. This is the part number that I discovered I actually have two of. It is $141.01 with a sell price of $83.60.
The part #3974659 is not available. When Richard get his tip products available he will be a good source to buy the drivers side so I will have a set to install someday.
I was surprised that GM still had the #3974660 tip available.

[Stan F.]

Re: 70-71 1st Design Exaust Tip Welds, Help!!

Mike,

I was told by the gentleman that I bought this exhaust system from that he picked it up in the mid-1970s from the owner of a 1970 LT-1 who removed them when he took delivery of his car. He's a long time Corvette guy and knows his cars and parts as well as anyone so I have no reason to doubt him. In addition, the pipes/mufflers/tips are configured and finished just as you would expect a production line exhaust system to be.

Not only do the tips carry the part number tags, but the rear pipe/muffler assemblies do as well.



I traded emails with Joe Lucia a few years ago about this... I seem to remember that he was of the opinion that the muffler and pipe welded together was a production line part only and never available as a service part. If you're following this Joe, am I remembering correctly?

The front pipes have the part numbers stamped into them and don't show any signs of paper tags.

I also seem to remember that Bob Cook had an original exhaust system years ago that also had the part number tags... Maybe he can comment on them?

Regards,

Stan

[Steven G.]

Re: 70-71 1st Design Exaust Tip Welds, Help!!

Do mufflers have gm part no's ??

[Bill L.]

Re: 70-71 1st Design Exaust Tip Welds, Help!!

Great pictures of the original clamps too.

Bill

[Terry M.]

Re: 70-71 1st Design Exaust Tip Welds, Help!!

Stan--
Very interesting!! Generally we don't expect a part number sticker to be on a production-line part, but rather on an over-the-counter replacement. My VERY late 71 LT-1 (#21653) that has the original exhaust with very few miles doesn't have a part number sticker, as I recall. That obviously doesn't mean that the picture you have is not factory-installed, it just means it's not what we normally would expect. Thoughts on that?
Regards,
Mike

What you mean "we?" You may not expect to see those tags, but those of us who judge Bowtie C3s get to see them from time to time. Or maybe I remember them because I am so old.

Hang in there Mike .... You'll learn about C3s yet.

EDIT ADD: Look carefully at the part number tags. They are different than the tags put on parts by the SPO, or whatever they were called in the early '70s.