Leo's progress

looking good! I do my own exhaust as I can fuuk it up as well as anyone else and it cost me less.

Jerry Forrester (no spam) wrote:

Damn Jerry,

That IS nice!! Are we going to see him in Martinsburg next weekend????? I think I am driving the ragtop over for the event.

Lee DeLaBarre Daytona62

Thanks Lee. Nope, Leo wont be able to make it to Martinsburg this year, maybe next year. But OcrappyOne and I will be there. Don't have reservations, but will ride around when we get there (Thursday night) and find a room. When are you and that girl that hits a lot going to be there?

Why not get the tailpipes from Don Simmons and just have the rest custom bent? I hate welding on exhaust pipes...

nate

Jerry Forrester (no spam) wrote:

That sounds like a stock '55 fuel tank. The tailpipe routing on a '55 is asymmetrical and funky. So is the driver's side tailpipe hanger.

nate

Jerry Forrester (no spam) wrote:

Since Leo does not have a stock '55 fuel tank (seems to be about 4-5 inchs short on the passenger side, otherwise just like a '55 tank and there's really no room on the driver's side of the tank) I was thinking about running both tail pipes on the pass. side from the rear axle back. But I change my mind a lot.

Jerry, Check the Martinsburg hotel listings:

Thanks Paul.

Jerry

The girl who hits a lot won't be there, unfortunately. However, there will be a pretty, young 22 year-old girl on my arm the entire weekend. We should be in sometime late Thursday afternoon.

Lee

Lee DeLaBarre Daytona62

Looks like a model that has a stand up spare tire...

Yeah, it may be a sedan tank. Don't they have standup spares? At some point in his life, Leo got hit hard in the ass end (probably why he has a sedan tank). When I got him there was a two inch gap between the filler panel just under the trunk lid and the trunk lid. I could drive him for a 1/2 hour and get a hell of a headache from the exaust. The wreck moved the whole rear end of the car 1/2" out of line to the right. That's why the trunk lid overlaped the left quarter panel by a 1/2 inch. It had been that way for so long the trunk lid had rubbed a hole in the edge of the gasket channel. But it's amazing what a frame puller can do as far as straightening frames and bodies.

Definitly no room on that side. If your mufflers are not to loud you could just dump the exhaust down right in front of the axle. But if they are loud it will be real loud. It will be hard to run two pipes over the axle on one side, but you do have more room there than stock. The hardest part will be getting the right exhaust over or under the driveshaft that moves up and down. Maybe you could bring the right exhaust over before the muffler, near the trans where the driveshaft does not move much. Switch there to a three inch pipe. Use mandrel bends.and you can make small adjustments by cutting a slice with a sawzall about 3/4 of the way through the pipe, bend it and reweld.

I definatly dont want to end my exaust with turn downs in front of the axle. I had enough of that ear shattering, head ache inducing rumble back in the sixties. I don't think running the two pipes over the axle together will be a problem, they will be welded together and will measure 2 1/2" high by 5 " wide. Looks like I have room above the pinion to do the cross over. Don't want to do the cross over close to the tranny, I already made this cross member for the exaust to go through.

Do you and the niece want to do din-din if OcrappyOne and I get there early enough? Any Bob Evans around there close?

Sounds like a plan, Jerry!! I am sure we can find one close by. Emily is looking forward to seeing "That nice guy who does not have an accent" again

Lee DeLaBarre Daytona62

Oh, I hope you have a smooth cam in that thing...any "rumpety-rump" in it and it will vibrate just enough to make those exhaust pipes rattle like hell against the cut-outs!

My Avanti has the same type setup and it SUX since I changed the camshaft to a higher lift/duration and got that beloved rumble! It's fine while it's idling smoothly...but get a bad batch of gas or set the timing too far up and it starts rattling against those damn cutouts!

Of course, I don't hear it until I come to a stop at a red light...otherwise, the power keeps it stroking strong and the exhaust sound hides any small noises! Sure is embarrasing though at a stop, especially if the AC is on and it's idling a little higher than normal.

Bob (I've even thought about wrapping them with heatcloth right there to dampen the rattle)

Jerry Forrester (no spam) wrote:

Not addressed to me, but since I know... Bob Evan is third exit south on I-81 (just past big mall). There is a decent Italian restaurant and a Chinese restaurant across the side street from the Comfort and a Hoss's Steak and Seafood a block down from the Comfort. Good Mexican restaurant about 1/2 mile toward town from the Comfort. Second exit (which will also take you to Bob Evans), Shoney's, Applebees, Cracker Barrel.. Also at the third exit, Ruby Tuesday, Texas Steakhouse, Ryans and a huge Chinese Buffet (ask Calvin- he ran them out of steamed clams before they ran us out). There are numerous fast foods at or nearby all the exits. Paul Johnson

Damn Paul, that place sounds like Douglasville. An eatin place on every corner and 3 or 4 in between those.