1960 Missing Exhaust Tunnels in Trunk

[David T.]

The shop that did my body work and installed the exhaust system in my '60 never mentioned that I should have the exhaust tunnels in my trunk. When I discovered that they were missing they told me that they never install them as they are a pain and they are not needed. I'm thinking I should have them. Are there any advantages to leaving them off? Is it possible to install a set of the available reproductions after body and paint work is done? Are they glassed in place with the body or do they use mounting hardware? Anyone who has installed a set have any tips?

Thanks,

[Philip P.]

Re: 1960 Missing Exhaust Tunnels in Trunk

I looked at mine and its appears that they were bonded to the underpan rather that glassed in. It looks like it may be a major undertaking to install with the body on the frame but it may be possible.

[Philip P.]

Re: 1960 Missing Exhaust Tunnels in Trunk

In looking at the AIM they may be screwed in place not sure when it was done however.

exhaust tunnel.jpg

[David T.]

Re: 1960 Missing Exhaust Tunnels in Trunk

Thanks, Phillip. I honestly never looked down in these quarter wells on another Vette, so I've never seen the tunnels in place. There's not much room down there to work. I'm sure it would have been a lot easier when the body was off. I don't know why the guys who worked on it left them off. They are supposed to be very knowledgeable about C1's. They also bent the fingers out in the bumper retainers so the pipes rattle around a bit. The tips are flush with the bumpers as well. Looks like I'll have to pull the bumpers and maybe some of the pipes to adjust things. Maybe someone who has installed the tunnels with the body on will chime in.

[Philip P.]

Re: 1960 Missing Exhaust Tunnels in Trunk

Dave, I looked at them again and looked at the ones available from Corvette Central, theirs show tabs on each end where they are screwed to the car, I cannot see these on mine. It may be possible to install them in the car it appears there is some type of adhesive that is between the lower body and the tunnel where it goes thru the body. It appears that they are installed when the body is put together, I am not sure on this however. I tried to get a picture but could not get a good shot. Page 240 of Adam's Corvette restoration & Technical guide has a better picture than that of the AIM that may help.
Phil

[Roger W.]

Re: 1960 Missing Exhaust Tunnels in Trunk

Why didn't they tell you that they were not going to install the exhaust tunnels instead of you having to discover this on your own. These are the phrases that really bug me. " You don't need that." and or" I'm going to save you money." Usually when I hear these phrases, I find out later that I did need it and it actually cost me more in the long run.

[David T.]

Re: 1960 Missing Exhaust Tunnels in Trunk

Why didn't they tell you that they were not going to install the exhaust tunnels instead of you having to discover this on your own. These are the phrases that really bug me. " You don't need that." and or" I'm going to save you money." Usually when I hear these phrases, I find out later that I did need it and it actually cost me more in the long run.

Amen Brother!

[Mike M.]

Re: 1960 Missing Exhaust Tunnels in Trunk

on the 56 and 57's , the tunnels are bonded in place. no fasteners. mike

[Tom P.]

Re: 1960 Missing Exhaust Tunnels in Trunk

My only response is, you SHOULD have them!

[Stan G.]

Re: 1960 Missing Exhaust Tunnels in Trunk

I think they were meant to insulate the truck area from the hot exhaust pipes . It would have been better to have the pipes too long out the bumpers , at least you could have cut them off .

[Joe M.]

Re: 1960 Missing Exhaust Tunnels in Trunk

If the installer used the correct clamps for the tail pipe extensions and did not weld them in place, you can loosen the clamps and the insulator that centers the pipe in the bumper, pull the tail pipe extension out enough to extend slightly past the bumper and tighten everything back up. Without the pipe covers, there is no insulation from the heat coming off the tail pipes. The absence of the covers is not going to harm anything in the trunk unless you store something in the trunk and it slides over and down into the cavity and contacts the hot pipe. Did you instruct the installer how far out you wanted the tail pipes to extend past the bumper?

[Philip P.]

Re: 1960 Missing Exhaust Tunnels in Trunk

Mike I think (this gets me in trouble)the 56-57 made of fiberglass, the 58-60 are metal and that is the reason for the fastners, the big question is when were they installed during body build is what it looks like to me.
Phil

[David T.]

Re: 1960 Missing Exhaust Tunnels in Trunk

If the installer used the correct clamps for the tail pipe extensions and did not weld them in place, you can loosen the clamps and the insulator that centers the pipe in the bumper, pull the tail pipe extension out enough to extend slightly past the bumper and tighten everything back up. Without the pipe covers, there is no insulation from the heat coming off the tail pipes. The absence of the covers is not going to harm anything in the trunk unless you store something in the trunk and it slides over and down into the cavity and contacts the hot pipe. Did you instruct the installer how far out you wanted the tail pipes to extend past the bumper?

Thanks, Joe. I'm going to try that to extend the pipes a little. I did not tell the shop how much to extend the tips. The work was done in a shop that does Corvette restoration as part of a body off restoration. I can't fault most of their work and assumed that they would know how much to extend the tips. When questioned, their response was that they should be flush with the bumper openings. After living with them for a while, I think I would be happier if they were extended 1/2 inch or so. My only real complaints are the missing exhaust tunnels and the loose fit of the bumper tailpipe insulators. It looks like they bent the spring fingers back and the pipes actually move around in the bumpers.

[Mike M.]

Re: 1960 Missing Exhaust Tunnels in Trunk

Mike I think (this gets me in trouble)the 56-57 made of fiberglass, the 58-60 are metal and that is the reason for the fastners, the big question is when were they installed during body build is what it looks like to me.
Phil

phil you are correct---the 56-7 tunnels were fiberglass. never having owned a 58-60, i wasn't aware those critters were metal. regards,mike

[David T.]

Re: 1960 Missing Exhaust Tunnels in Trunk

Mike I think (this gets me in trouble)the 56-57 made of fiberglass, the 58-60 are metal and that is the reason for the fastners, the big question is when were they installed during body build is what it looks like to me.
Phil

That's the $64,000 dollar question, Phil. I'm wondering if they may just be too difficult to install at this point for the advantages gained. I may have to just bite the bullet and buy a pair just to check them out and see if it looks possible. It wouldn't be the first time that I bought Corvette parts that wound up sitting on the shelf!