Hi all. Its been a while since I've been on the forum and it's great see the nice rides out there keeping the Olds tradition. I have a 1973 Olds Delta 88 Royale all original with 53,000 miles on it and I now realize I need new tailpipes. I have a 350 under the hood but put duelies on the back using a set of 455 tailpipes back in the 90's. This week I have been looking around for a new set and can only find the passenger side pipe that straddes the rear end. The drivers side pipe seems no where to be found. Can anyone help?

 

Any competent exhaust shop should be able to bend one for you.

Another option would get a generic set from Autozone, etc.

 

I work at one, we could bend it or find something that will work.

Those parts are all discontinued now, even part #'s for mid 90's cars

 

I know that this will vary by shop, but what does a dual 2.5" run nowadays? I am thinking about just buying bends and putting it together myself. I have a welder but really haven't used it yet so it will be a learning experience (don't laugh ). Would it be a bad idea to terminate the exhaust before the rear end? It would be a ton easier to put it together without those bends! If I did this would I be breathing fumes?

 

Back in the old days we used to just put turn downs after the muffleLrs so that the exhaust would end just before the rear end. Depending one what mufflers we had, the windows would typically rattle at a certain rpm (varied by car) and be very annying and yes sucking a bit of fumes. Some guys would just shorten the exhaust a bit and put a simple angled pipe to come out the sides before the rear tires (like the old AAR Cuda's). This would also give a bit more rumble noise to car next to you at the lights and sound pretty good even for a stock engine. I guess they were a poor man's side pipe.

 

I like the poor man side pipes idea, but I put a 1.5" drop on it and I am a bit worried about reducing the clearance by 2.5" more with the exhaust coming out below the frame. I don't like the idea of breathing fumes, I am freaked out about CO poisoning. Like most things in life, it is better to spend a little more and do it right the first time I gather.

 

Yes co poisoning sneaks up on you and can be dangerous, fall asleep at the wheel. I also think 2,5" tubing is too big. Since you must consider velocity will be slower and turbulence in the exhaust robs performance. I would go with 2" on a350 and put either flow master 40s if you want a really aggressive sound or 50 for almost the same sound only quieter inside. Finish with a pair of 3" chrome slant cut tips out the back ,which I think is the bomb! I did a similar setup on BBC and it is really incredible .