1958 "Exhaust Tube" trunk area question

[Thomas H.]

I recently acquired a 58 that has been partially put together. Among the many parts I got with the car are, what I call, exhaust tubes. On my 60, these are made from metal, but the ones I got (obviously repops) are fiberglass. Doing some research into how these get installed has come up pretty dry. Other then Nolands book where they are called out as GM 3762441 and 3762442, I didn't see much in the AIM either. The drawings show them mounting with some form of bracket and screw. The opening I have is pretty large and I don't see where a screw and bracket will fit.

I found a old SACC article where it was stated that early to mid 58's did not have these, but had a sealed removable cover over the tailpipe in the trunk area. My car has this cover, so should I also have these tubes?

Car is S/N 5330, mid March 58 build.

Tom

PS: I know that black washer does not belong there.............

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[Tom B.]

Re: 1958 "Exhaust Tube" trunk area question

I had a rear clip off a '58 once that had the removable covers. it's been too long ago to remember if there were tubes also. Seems logical that if the area was sealed off with a cover that there would not be a need for a tube. My early '59 with fiberglass tubes has no cover. The left side was broken out from a collision early in it's life and the remaining hole was very large. I got one from a Corvette salvage yard many years ago to replace it. I asked for a fiberglass tube for an early '59 and they cut one out of a wreck and sent it to me. I'm not sure exactly what dates or vin that these changes took place but it appears that the parts you have are for late '58 up until whenever in late '59 or 1960 that the tubes changed to metal.

Tom

[Thomas H.]

Re: 1958 "Exhaust Tube" trunk area question

Hi Tom,

Thanks for your input. I'm leaning towards if the car had the removable covers, it did not have the tubes. I have found very little info on this subject. I'm going to try and contact some owners of cars listed on the C1 registry that are earlier then mine to see if they have the tubes.

Tom

[James B.]

Re: 1958 "Exhaust Tube" trunk area question

Thomas, I cannot give you a definitive answer, but. I have a friend who is restoring a 59 right now. The left rear had been hit but the right was original. On the undamaged side the fiberglass tube was glued into the opening on the trunk/fender- very crudely done, the openings were not well formed to fit the tube and there were big globs of panel adhesive. It looked like this was factory original. There were also metal brackets (which you can just see in the AIM) and these were for the metal tubes. We came to believe that the design was to have the exhaust pipe covered by the metal tube and that in turn inside the fiberglass tube. However, we suspect that sometime after release production stopped using the metal tubes or they came to realize that heat was not a problem and the fiberglass alone was sufficient.
As crude as the opening was, I don't know how they could ever glue the fiberglass tube in and put in the metal tube and have that all line up with the exhaust pipe- maybe that's why they stopped using the metal tubes.

[Thomas H.]

Re: 1958 "Exhaust Tube" trunk area question

Thomas, I cannot give you a definitive answer, but. I have a friend who is restoring a 59 right now. The left rear had been hit but the right was original. On the undamaged side the fiberglass tube was glued into the opening on the trunk/fender- very crudely done, the openings were not well formed to fit the tube and there were big globs of panel adhesive. It looked like this was factory original. There were also metal brackets (which you can just see in the AIM) and these were for the metal tubes. We came to believe that the design was to have the exhaust pipe covered by the metal tube and that in turn inside the fiberglass tube. However, we suspect that sometime after release production stopped using the metal tubes or they came to realize that heat was not a problem and the fiberglass alone was sufficient.
As crude as the opening was, I don't know how they could ever glue the fiberglass tube in and put in the metal tube and have that all line up with the exhaust pipe- maybe that's why they stopped using the metal tubes.

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the reply. Interesting........ My 60 has just the metal tubes and I'm 100% certain these are original to the car as it was a one owner, no hit car when I got it.

Hmmmmm....... I feel a future newsletter article coming on...........

Tom

[Stephen R.]

Re: 1958 "Exhaust Tube" trunk area question

My 59 has the plastic molded in tubes.They way they look, it appears that they are glued in or molded in, they don't appear to be readily removable without doing a lot of body type work.

[Thomas H.]

Re: 1958 "Exhaust Tube" trunk area question

Stephen,

Can you tell me the serial number of your car? Or, mine is 5330, is yours before or after?

[Steven B.]

Re: 1958 "Exhaust Tube" trunk area question

Tom, just as an FYI in '65 I ordered exhaust pipes for my '57 and mistakenly received the ones you picture. They are like the ones originally installed in my '57 and still there. Steve

[Stephen R.]

Re: 1958 "Exhaust Tube" trunk area question

Stephen,

Can you tell me the serial number of your car? Or, mine is 5330, is yours before or after?

Tom:

Mine is a 1959, #5823. About March 26, 1959 build.

Steve

[Dan B.]

Re: 1958 "Exhaust Tube" trunk area question

I have an Aug built 59 and it has the metal covers.

[Stan G.]

Re: 1958 "Exhaust Tube" trunk area question

My late Nov 58 has fiberglass shields with the covers in the trunk , hope this helps .

Stan

[Thomas H.]

Re: 1958 "Exhaust Tube" trunk area question

Hi Stan,

Thanks for the good info. Is there anyway you could post a picture with the cover removed showing how the tube is mounted?

Thanks,

Tom

[Bill M.]

Re: 1958 "Exhaust Tube" trunk area question

The top half of the fiberglass tube for the driver's side on my Dec. '58 assembled '59 has come loose.



Here's where that tube fits into the body:



And here is how the tube fits when it is installed:

[Thomas H.]

Re: 1958 "Exhaust Tube" trunk area question

Awesome! Thanks Bill. Gives me a good perspective on how it mounts.

I think I might get the exhaust fit first, then install the tubes around the tail pipe and resin them in. This way I get the tube alignment correct. The opening on my trunk is pretty big which would allow a lot of "misalignment" if I try to install the tubes first, then try and fit the tailpipes through them.

Tom