I'm looking for opinions (or better yet, photos!) of what
you folks think the tailpipes of a dual-exhaust-converted '67
should look like.
Here's why I'm asking...
When I bought it, my Imp had the stock, single exhaust.
But some amateur mechanic had messed with it at some point
and left a number of leaks, conveniently located so as to
direct exhaust into the windows when rolled down. Eventually
I took it to a local (non-chain) muffler shop, and allowed
myself to be talked into having it converted to dual exhaust
rather than simply having the leaks closed up.
The good results:
A number of postings in the IML archives suggested that
Dynomax Super Turbo mufflers were appropriate ones for
an Imperial, so that's what I went with, and I'm happy
with that choice. And I'm glad I had the conversion done,
since the car is noticeably more responsive now -- it used
to roar and *then* go, but now it roars and goes at the
same time. :-)
The bad results:
I was a babe in the woods when it came to specifying what
the tailpipes should look like. Chrome tips? Pointing
down or to the side? Heck, I didn't know. So, regrettably,
I told the installer I'd let him use his judgment -- with
the understanding that an Imperial is a luxury car, not a
muscle car.
Silly me. He decided it was a muscle car after all. So
now I have two pipes sticking way out beyond the bumper,
with downward-pointing chrome tips. I thought I'd get used
to it, but I haven't. It'd be fine for a hot rod, but it
just looks wrong on an Imperial.
Hence my question: What do you think it *should* look like?
I'm not too concerned with making it look stock, although
I'd certainly consider doing that if I knew what a stock
dual installation looked like (the '67 and '68 pages at
www.imperialclub.com don't have any good tailpipe photos).
To make matters worse, there still seems to be a significant
leak. At least, *something* is causing a cloud of smelly
exhaust to collect around the front of the car at stop signs
and in the garage. So I think I'll be going to a different
shop to have them expunge the sins of the first shop. Anybody
know of a good one in North Dallas?
Tim Klein
'67 Crown 4DHT, haze green and smelly
Plano, Texas
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