rbrown

You have all be very helpful in the past, so here is a new question for all your collective wisdom. I have tried searching the forum but have had no luck.

I need to replace the exhaust on my 63. It has the 340hp motor. This is not for NCRS standards. I want something that looks basically 'correct' but I prefer stainless steel so I will not have to worry about rust ever again. What vendors do you recommend?

Robert

joec

Corvette Central makes some great exhaust systems and that's what I would get.. They fit great and look/sound great.. They're one of the few repro parts that are done pretty good.. Sadly most repro parts just suck...
I don't have stainless exhaust but heard they do stretch/expand a bit when the get hot...

65 Pro Vette

Check Allens Exhaust best price and he makes it for most venders, I would get the aluminized over the stainless, lots for ting noise with stainless

1snake

I have stainless exhaust and YES, they do stretch. They also have a different sound. If I did it again, I would go with aluminized steel but since my SS exhaustwill last forever, I just put up with it.

Jim

abe g

I have a set of stainless steel exhausts on my 63 swc (with 340hp) Nov-62. I have these exhausts for over 10 years. No problems, recommended. Bought from Corvette America. Allow adequate clearances on hangers, etc. Good luck, Abe G

DansYellow66

Get aluminized steel unless you drive the car daily in all sorts of bad weather including salt treated streets. For a week end driver, aluminized steel will look virtually unchanged after 10 years.

hedgehead

builder

aluminized

BADBIRDCAGE

To start with I don't care if you run aluminized, stainless, ceramic coated or plain old steel for exhaust.

Can we find out the TRUTH about expansion on stainless steel systems?

You hear the absolute BS that it will stretch three inches from front to rear between cold and hot. How has this been determined? Did someone pull a measuring tape on it? Does anyone see their tail pipes sticking farther out from the rear valence panel when the pipes are at operating temperature than at cold? Does the pipe increase similarly in diameter too during this heat cycle? I mean; a molecule is a molecule and if it expands it will do it in every direction, not just linearly. Do your clamps become loose and do your hangers wear out prematurely due to all the movement of the system during heat cycling?

Almost every new manufactured vehicle over the past five or more years has a stainless system on it front to rear. I wouldn't think it is some newly developed stainless hybrid material that has physical characteristics different from the older stainless systems.

Is there anyone here that actually knows the truth and is willing to share it?

As far as vendor recommendation I have had good results with Allens Stainless.

w1ctc

[QUOTE=builder;1577262374]aluminized[/QUOTE


If you buy stainless, it's for the next owner.

Pilot Dan

I installed an aluminized system in the 90's from Corvette Central, still looks like new. One of their best products. Pilot Dan

vintagecorvette

I had a 1963 340HP car and I installed an aluminized Corvette Central exhaust kit. It was a great fit well and sounded just right.

I have heard good reviews about this company. Never used them but heard good.

http://www.gardnerexhaust.com/1964-c...st-system.html

JohnZ

The mathematical difference in the thermal coefficient of expansion between steel and stainless steel is statistically insignificant. I measured the cold-to-hot expansion at the bumper outlets on my '57 (Zierden stainless system) and my neighbor's '58 (steel system), and there was no difference, at least within 1/16" or so. I don't know where the "stories" come from about "stainless expansion". The exhaust note is a little different with stainless and it "tings" a bit during cooldown, but that's all I ever noted over about 5,000 miles on my '57.

Vetterway

Aluminized Steel. Did I say aluminized steel?

Vetterway

rbrown

Thanks for all the excellent suggestions!

I will definitely go with an aluminized system. Now I just have to decide Allen's vs. Gardner's vs. Corvette Central. They all seem to have very good systems. It may simply come down to price.

Robert

wmf62

FWIW, here is a table of material expansion rates

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/li...ents-d_95.html

Bill

1snake

In the early 80's, my friend and I both bought stainless steel exhaust systems from Zierden. Mine is a 1960, his is a 1959. When cold, the tips are exactly flush with the edge of the bumpers. After a long cruise on the freeway, the tips stick out about 1" further than when cold. This is the same on both cars. Neither of us remember this happening with oue steel systems. When you consider the whole system is probably 100" or so, that's only 1%. The only other explanation is that our cars actually shrink when driven and return to their normal size once they have rested. I really don't care what the "engineers" say, that's REAL WORLD results.

Kinda of like the reflection off the air cleaner blistering paint. It does happen, I've seen it and so have many on this forum BUT, the engineers say it's impossible.

There is definitely a sound difference between the two. A deaf person can tell the difference.

I just did a search for all you engineers out there and at 150 degrees F, SS pipe has a 50% greater thermal expansion rate than carbon steel pipe.

Jim

project63

Mathmatically, the type of Stainless will matter but you will not notice it on the car.

Coefficients of thermal expansion for these materials are:

Steel = .0000073"
Steel Stainless Austenitic (304) = .0000096
Steel Stainless Austenitic (310) = .0000080
Steel Stainless Austenitic (316) = .0000089
Steel Stainless Ferritic (410) = .0000055

Multiply above values times the length of pipe (in inches) and then take the results times the number of degrees of temp rise.

Example for 100 inches of steel pipe at a temp rise of 100 degrees...

.0000073 X 100 (length of pipe) X 100 (degrees temp rise) = .073" growth

You can do the math using data for your car, but you will not "see" any difference. In fact, 410 stainless will grow less than carbon steel.

And yes, you can calculate the circumference of pipe using the same formula.

tc

woodsdesign

I have a complete SS exhaust system in my 65 ( including mufflers) They were part of the package deal when I bought my car. I love them and have no problems. That being said, if I needed an exhaust system today I would probably buy an aluminized system because of the $. They both hold up well. I am sure your car won't see much inclement weather. JMO

BADBIRDCAGE

Jim:

Given your experience with this subject did you ever look to see if the carbon steel system stuck out a half an inch when fully heated? That would seem the case if the SS pipe has a 50% greater thermal expansion rate.

Hopefully you recognize that I am breaking your stones on this one.

I just have to be amazed at the stories of how much stainless exhaust systems change physical dimension during operation. This is starting to rival the number of 63 coupes found abandoned in barns on farms in rural Nebraska due to death of the owners in Vietnam. All the clamps on these systems should be stretching, breaking, breaking loose or at least failing to stay tight with this great difference in sizing. Hangers should be breaking due to the movement forward and back.

How have the manufacturers achieved success in this matter?

Rich