1949 Business coupe update

[falconvan]

One of the things I found out this summer was that I did not like the sound of the V6 through the glass pack mufflers. At idle it sounded OK but at highway speed it had a really annoying, unpleasant high pitched drone. With the pipes exiting in front of the rear wheels it felt like it was right in your ear and the radio was useless. After a little research I decided to go back with something a little more similar to the stock SHO exhaust and use a Y pipe to run the 2 1/4" header pipes into a 2 1/2" Y, use a free flowing muffler like a Magnaflow or Flowmaster, and take the pipe all the way out the back of the car. It has to be a single out the rear as the fuel tank is offset to one side and the spare tire well hangs down on the other; just giving enough room for a single pipe in the stock location. But for a 181 ci engine, I think this will be more that enough.

I dug out all my leftover pipe bends today, pulled the dual exhaust off, and built the Y pipe. It came out pretty good; I'll get a muffler this week and finish it up. Also after a long search online I was able to get all of the missing chrome trim. Here's the hood ornament, PLYMOUTH letters and hood trim. Looks much better with it on. I also figured out that my fuel gauge had a bad ground which is why it never worked right so that's fixed, too. More to come later; the goal is to have it ready to hit part of the Hot Rod Power Tour in June.

 

[Torchie]

A little chrome trim never hurt anybody.
Looking great.
I really like the machine turned panel around your gauges.
Torchie.

 

[I-R-POPS]

Looking good!!!!!!!! Are you getting close?
We may have to start a "back to the single exhaust pipe club". I like the way it sounds with everything out the one large pipe.

 

[bruno]

Chrome and shiny paint, I've never heard of such a thing

 

[falconvan]

Chrome and shiny paint, I've never heard of such a thing

If its any consolation, it was really inexpensive single stage paint.

 

[falconvan]

Merry Christmas! We did our family get together last Sunday so my wife and I are just hanging out today. I finished my exhaust and took it for a ride; it sounds sooo much better. It doesn't sound so much like a rice rocket without a muffler now. You can actually hear the radio and carry on a conversation but has just enough rumble to sound respectable. As respectable as a V6 can be, that is.; Power feels the same; dont think I lost anything going to a single pipe.

 

[sgtpontiac]

Cool Beans....

Yeah....didn't think you'd lose anything going the single route....nice work by the way....[cl

 

[jfg455]

Nice work Pat. I'm sure the wife appreciates the conversation now too! [cl

 

[earthman]

Anyone else ready for a video?

 

[AZRodDave]

Anyone else ready for a video?

Yes please!

 

[bob w]

Just like eveery other aspect of your build, the exhaust system is looking first class.

 

[falconvan]

Thanks, Bob! I spent the day today reviving the old vacuum wipers. No pics, camera was dead and no AA batteries in the house. Both arms,vacuum motor, and the control cable were stuck and had decades of goo and rust. Luckily, after taking everything apart, lots of cleaning and lubricating, it worked like a champ when I put it back together. I thought about going to electric wipers but since it all still works, I'm leaving the vacuum ones.

 

[christcrusader13]

Wow... I take a holiday and you pop back up going crazy

The exhaust work turned out sweet! I like what you have done with that and the chrome is a very nice touch over the red!

 

[falconvan]

Thanks! Here's a short video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddhPszMno0k

 

[sgtpontiac]

Sounds great man.....

Classy....nice work....car looks great too....[cl

 

[bob w]

Sounds very stout. Good job, FV.

 

[christcrusader13]

Wow! That is amazing and it looks so clean!

 

[falconvan]

My kids got me an AutoLoc motorized cowl vent kit from Summit for Christmas so I spent the weekend getting it mounted and working right. These things are a pain; the motor is really low torque so any minor binding and it stops. I had it on and off about a dozen times before I got the linkage right. I mounted the little motor controller behind the dash center panel. Also, I saved this JBL sub-woofer from the Taurus. I put a fresh speaker in it today and it will be going in this week.

 

[falconvan]

Lots done this week, got my speedometer working and changed out the stereo for a better one with the Taurus sub. Sounds much better. Also built a toe gauge and got the toe and caster adjusted right. I'm working on mounting a front sway bar from a Jeep Cherokee.

 

[earthman]

Excellent. Thanks for the update. Are you putting other wheels on it?