running exhaust UNDER rear end?

Anybody doing this on a 49-54 chevy [or similiar cars]? What are the bad stuff to happen? I will be getting my 51 chevy notched in the rear- its gonna be pretty tight going over axle when its done- I would think. Thanks!

 

In my 50, I had 3" blocks. Not super low by any means. the original pipe went over the rear end. Then my buddy crashed his 54 and sold me his headers/intake which bolted right on and it went below the rear and i never had any problem with it.

 

yeah, i'm planning on bagging my coronet. i was wondering if i should do the under way. but i was scared on getting it ripped off or somthing.

 

it was much easier to install that way too.

 

I have the pipes under the rear on my '54. I might mention I put flanges in-line a couple of inches in front ot the rear end. That way I can remove just the tailpipes if I need to pull the rear end.

 

you might consider putting a couple u shaped straps hanging down from the frame, around the axle. That way if you ever need to lift the rear of the car you dont use the exhaust to hold up the axle.

 

THE TAIL PIPES ON MY 50 CHEVY ARE UNDER THE REAR THE CAR IS LOWED 5 INCHS IN THE REAR NEVER ANY PROBELMS

 

I run the tailpipes on my 40 under the rear axle and had no problems for many miles...........

 

i just did it on a 49 merc that sits pretty close to the floor, put a flange right before the rearend so you can unbolt the tail piece if you need to drop the rearend

 

is it gonna have bags?..if so are you gonna run the pipes out the back of the car?..i dont see how this would work with ajustable suspension..the pipes get bolted to the frame of the car..when lower the car either the pipes are gonna drag the ground or when raising the car there gonna hit the bottom of the rearend..right?.i may be wrong but im trying to follow the pipes from front to back..

 

My 54 is down about 7 1/2" and it hits, I think the only way to fix it is run the pipes under the rear. The flange idea is good too.

 

I put pipes under the rear of my 53 Buick...
Pain in the ass when I needed to pull the rear end, but other that that, no issues. and,, way easier to install

 

I did the under the axle exhaust on my shoebox with the flanges before the rear end. It worked out great, but I would suggest that you limit the travel of the rear so that if you need to get a tire off, the axle does not hit the pipes.

 

Ran the pipes under the diff on most all of my cars.
Didn't put in flanges, but I don't pull the rear end out that often.
Sounds like a good idea though.
But you have to remember, every time you want to change a tire, ya need to pull the supports off at the end of your exhaust tips.
Otherwise, the exhaust keeps the rear end from dropping down far enough to take the wheel off. Especially with the short openings on the early fifties GM fenders, where skirts would go. Not as big a deal on the forty, since the wheel openings were radiused under the skirts.

Craig

 

Thanks everybody- yes its bagged and leafs are dearched- so travel of the bags will be something to think about? going with the Gambino notch kit also

 

i still think you will have alot of prblems with dragging through the pipe...what if you wanted to lay the car down on the hwy at 75mph ..i think the pipes would be ruined the first time you do it...if you dont plan on draggin the piss out of the car do it..i like to drag my drag blocks on my shitbox...put turn downs right before the rearend and have no probs..

 

My underslung pipes, hasn't been a problem in 10,000 miles.

 

If you're notching the rear, you'll have to cut out the trunk between the frame-rails. It might be a tight bend, but I don't see why you couldn't run it over the axle.

I've been running under the axle for a while...no real problems, but I highly recommend the flange idea if you go that route. Like others have mentioned, I have to unbolt my exhaust at the rear to take my tires off.

Bryan

 

Bumping this old thread 'cause I may need to run my pipes under the rear. Don't get the previous posts though about having to pull the pipes to change rear tires. I would think you'd want the suspension to top out before the rear end hits the pipes.

 

Just put the u bend under the rear end instead of over.
Easy peazy no problem.

 

Anybody remember scavenger pipes? 4 foot long chromed pipes with end flared. My first hot rod build was about 1964. It was the style then to jack up the rear of the car with air shocks (a rake) and have the scavenger pipes end just behind and under the rear. With the rake it was easy to see them. I was very disappointed when the muffler shop ran the pipes over the rear and out under the rear bumper. The style didn't last too long.

 

Yes I would think so. You could get them as low as the bottom of the third member, still have a couple inches of clearance to the axle tubes and not be the lowest point.

Yep, had them back in high school, however as I remember they caused a reverberation coming from the trunk (which I probably thought was cool at the time), plus the way my flathead spews out soot it wouldn't be pretty underneath aft of the pipes.

 

scavengers on the model A works out good! I didnt clamp the pipes tight before the rearend. when i have to work on it i just pull the tail pipes off.

 

FYI - production cars have done it. GM big wagon starting in 71 had pipe under axle - with "clam-shell" tailgate and third seat there was no room over the axle. Go for it !!

 

I think most of the guys with piped under the axle with bags know how low they can set the car and clear the road. They won't drop them down that low too many times and laying frame at 75 mph isn't too swift anyhow.

It's a damned if I do damned if I don't deal. You either fight the clearance over the axle or work around pipe run under the axle.

 

mine is under, worked out nice

 

Scrub line.

 

yeah--scavengers were the hot setup back then, but there was no safety inspection!

 

Pipes should be tuck in and out of sight. I would box out a part of the trunk to get it that way, and I have. Besides where is the rear end going to go when the car is on a frame lift, and the rear end drop down. some states allow you to dump the exhaust out in front of the rear wheels. Look at it as a challenge to your build. But then again, that is just my two cents.

 

Tight and outa sight is a "new" concept. this is a exhaust question on a trad rod sight. like i said before my "scavengers" are removable before the rear axle for service work. A search through the archives would show you that exhaust pipes were mostly visible on rods in the '50s and '60s.....chances are most of you guys don't even know what a scavenger pipe is