So, I'm striking out in trying to find a place locally who does custom exhaust work. I'm basically wanting factory routing, but with 2.25" pipes. I have mufflers & tips, so I literally need the pipes. I haven't called Waldron, but the website only shows an option for the full kit. I did get on the Walker website however just to see if I can grab part numbers, and found something interesting.


If I'm looking at it correctly, the PS downpipe is 2.25" whereas the rest of the pipes are 2". Is that correct, or am I missing something?

Alternatively, where can I get correct fit 2.25" downpipes & tailpipes..or is that just too custom?

Thanks.

 

If you want a local exhaust shop to install duals just tell him what diameter you want and wether you want stainless or aluminized pipe.

 

Nobody bends pipe around here anymore..that's my issue. I had one shop (who has a Chevelle in the parking lot as their shop project car) tell me "GM A-body tailpipes are such a tight bend, we can't do that even if we had the equipment."

Just tell me you don't want to do it...ha.

The same shop however welded up the exhaust kit I had for my previous car. A kit for a Mopar A-body, going in a Mopar M-body. They were stumped with an X-pipe though.

 

Oldsmobile did that different diameter headpipe thing a lot in the 60s, and maybe later. The big cars were notorious for it.

I think it was for parts consolidation more than anything. The single exhaust cars needed the larger pipe, but they didn't want the expense and added inventory of using a completely different part for a factory dual exhaust system. So- use the same larger passenger side headpipe for both single and dual exhaust cars.

2.25 should be ok. Bigger than that you might get into some clearance and fit issues going over the rear axle.

 

Bummer. I'm sure someone knows what kit you need. Good luck. 👍

 

I got 2.25" all the way back with some Year One 2" trumpets that were necked to fit ... done by a local shop, but this was probably 15 years ago.

Hard to believe nobody can do it now.

 

I can't speak for the rest of the country but I know in my neck of the woods, the good old neighborhood muffler shop is a thing of the past. They are all long gone from around here. Open up a Summit or Jegs catalog. There are quite a few options. I put a Flowmaster 2.5" stainless H-pipe system on my '69 442 and it fit like a glove. The tailpipes were straight through the bumper cutouts so I was able to cut to length. Pypes makes 2.5" polished stainless trumpets so I used those to finish it off. I also used Pypes stainless downpipes off of the manifolds and connected those directly to the H-pipe. The whole system fit great and still looks great. Very happy with it. There are various materials and pipe diameters available. Pypes and some of the other exhaust companies also offer kits for the A-bodies.
To be honest, I preferred the kit. I'd rather be the one fitting the system to my car than some clown making $10/hr who couldn't care less.

 

Everything I have seen online is either 2.5" or 3", and is header back. I'm running manifolds, so the fact that I'd be paying that kind of money for essentially tailpipes and clamps/hangers isn't ideal.

The frustrating thing is, I know enough people who could get the job done. They're just nowhere near close to me and the idea of driving/trailering the car to them just seems like more hassle than it should be worth (granted, if I can't find anything local..nor a kit..that makes the hassle point moot)

 

That sure brings back memories. I worked a a auto shop in the 80's. I would look over all those diagrams just to oogle over them... WOW, look at the duals for a Hemi Cuda, etc.. I see there are no part #'s for the pipes and mufflers- just the clamps. In the old books all the #'s were there including the hangers. You are right, It's hard to find a old school muffler shop that will bend up pipes. Course now a days exhaust systems last the life of ths car, back then you might need a new one every 2 yrs or so...

 

Back in the day, one trick I found was to use 1970 GTO tailpipes on my 442s, which were 2.25" as opposed to the factory 2.0". Of course, that was back in the 1980s when you could walk into an auto parts store and order a pre-bent exhaust pipe out of the Walker catalog.

 

Call Waldron classic exhaust. They built my 66 442 the factory pipes which are 2.25 head and tail pipes. I had initially called a company called classic car exhaust..They told me the factory 66 442 was 2.25 head pipes and 2” tail pipes. They argued with me when I wanted the correct 2.25 tail pipes.. So I called Waldron, she immediately told me they were wrong, the 2” tail pipes in 66 were for cutlass, bot 442.. They did a great job.. definitely recommend them

 

Good call on the GTO exhaust. I may have to look into that one.

I didn't think about it though, but I would assume the factory mufflers are probably longer than the aftermarket.

The more I think about this, the more I think I'm probably just gonna have to bite the bullet and trailer the car somewhere for exhaust. Kinda sad when there are 3 or 4 exhaust shops around town and I'll need to take business elsewhere, but thats what I get I guess for wanting something custom..ha!

 

Depends on which aftermarket mufflers you have. I used 14" Walker Turbos, which are obviously much shorter. A short section of straight pipe fixed that. Today you can get 21" Walker Turbos as well, which are about the same as OEM.

 

Fair point. They're a 14"case (20" total).

The super frustrating thing is, the only parts that are bad are the drivers' side muffler, and drivers' side tailpipe just after the axle. Everything else (while rusty) is in pretty decent shape. Granted, going up to a full 2.25" system would obviously necessitate changing everything but the PS downpipe anyway.

 

IIRC, Waldron will only sell either a complete system and then individual pipes IF and only IF it is for a replacement part for the complete system previously purchased from them. Did use one of their systems on a '69 442, the quality was truly remarkable.
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