What would you do?

Which new exhaust for an original car?

  • Stock manifolds and single exhaust.

    Votes: 3 6.7%
  • Stock manifolds with duals.

    Votes: 33 73.3%
  • Headers with duals.

    Votes: 9 20.0%

  • Total voters
    45
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Chris Nicholson

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Location
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A little background: '74 Swinger, factory 318/AC/disc brake car. Shows 58-ish thousand miles. Other than leaving the vinyl top off during the repaint and adding Magnums (and the Corvair rocker trim, but ignore that), it's all stock and original. I just cruise it around and occasionally drive it to work. Haven't even run it down my local 1/8-mile strip. Looks like this:

side shot for uploads.jpg


I patched the downpipe last year, but it still has an exhaust leak at one of the ports on the driver's side. If I'm going to dig in and fix that, I might as well replace all the old piping. For new exhaust I'm considering...

A. Keeping it stock with single exhaust.
B. Stock manifolds with duals.
C. Headers with duals.

If it was your car, what would you do?
 
B. Easy to do, Retains OEM value (ignoring the corvair trim!:rolleyes:) easily return to OEM single if wanted in the future.
 
As far as answering your question, probably 'B'.
Now my question - are you sure that's Corvair rocker trim? My old '69 Dart had that style of rocker trim just below the doors and I know it was from the factory.
My current '69 Dart did not have it, but I liked it on my old Dart so I'm adding it to my current project.
 
D. 340 hp manifolds and pypes stainless exhaust and be done with it//will handle most any future up grades //it"s in our nature:lol:
 
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As far as answering your question, probably 'B'.
Now my question - are you sure that's Corvair rocker trim? My old '69 Dart had that style of rocker trim just below the doors and I know it was from the factory.
My current '69 Dart did not have it, but I liked it on my old Dart so I'm adding it to my current project.
Yep. Bought new clips for the molding, then realized one side was different. Didn't have a matching pair except for some Corvair pieces. I've had a few Corvairs (okay, more than a few) and it seems the leftover parts never seem to run out, lol. I'll never be able to escape my Corvair past, haha!
 
If you are not going to put "much performance" into the engine, then "B" Even a mild cam and 4bbl will do fine with "B"
 
I'd go with option "B", especially if you're not planning any major engine upgrades. I had a 75 Swinger long ago, 318/904, stock manifolds and full duals, only real upgrade was to a 4 bbl, the car ran great and was always a pleasure to drive, just a bit of attitude from the exhaust note.
 
“B” is my choice. Nice power and mileage enhancement. (FWIW, a multiple spark ignition is also a great mileage getter.)
I would do a simple “H” pipe dual exhaust. 2-1/4 will keep it pretty quite, the longer the muffler, the quieter it will be in and out of the cabin.
 
I like "D" also. Would be great of other mild upgrades and it means you can get pipes that are stock for a 68-70 340 Dart and go. With custom pipes required for "B" you never know how well they will fit. Accurate Limited pipes would fit right with no hassles.
 
Only you know the answer...... People can praise OOTB TTI or whomever for these cars but the fact is they just don't fit like a daily stamped out header from the factory for a Chevelle. You can get thrown out of a track for no cage with any of these scenarios so the choice is yours. Mild to wild. IMO if you want to enjoy your car mostly for street driving then set it and forget it with B. Your C option ups the power ante but that can require maintenance as where Manifolds are pretty much a plug and play....

Enjoy,
JW
 
I patched the downpipe last year, but it still has an exhaust leak at one of the ports on the driver's side. If I'm going to dig in and fix that, I might as well replace all the old piping. For new exhaust I'm considering...

A. Keeping it stock with single exhaust.
B. Stock manifolds with duals.
C. Headers with duals.

If it was your car, what would you do?

its all about intended use.. if it was my car and i didn't care about 1/8th mile times because its just a cruiser i'd keep the manifolds and throw dual exhaust on it..
 
Theres a guy on here selling 73-74 360 exhaust manifolds. Those would be nice as an upgrade that's still stock. Run a 2&1/2" pipe setup all the way back with an H or X pipe, and when you decide on that magnum 360 swap, you will be ready to go.
 
Probably B option or if upgrading, 340/360 left manifold and early magnum right manifold opened up to 2-1/4 outlet with dual exhaust.
 
B. My son has a 73 4 door Dart. 318 273 4 barrel intake and carb, small MP cam, double roller timing chain, 340 electronic distributor, dual exhaust and manifolds. Runs out as a great cruising car.
 
Stock manifolds with dual exhaust. These are Dynomax Super Turbos. Sorry for the bad audio.
 
Another vote for B here.
If you decide to build a bullet for it later, then C with good headers like Doug's or TTIs would be a good upgrade to do now while you're buying exhaust.
There's no use paying twice.
 
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