Duals on a '35..Problem in tailpipes from Red's

[Robert Dip]

I purchased from Red's the entire dual exhaust system..headers to tailpipes. All went well, headers, exhaust pipes, Smithy's 22" mufflers ( muffler ends have to be bent for a proper fit, as instructed ) and then came the tailpipes. Does not fit. I have a good original tailpipe that I removed from the car, and in comparison, it seems to be clear that something is wrong. I discussed this with Jim at Red's ( great guy to work with ) in trying to solve this problem. This is with photos and checking dimensions. I believe we can use your help here with the guys that did this set-up on a '35 or a '36. Jim is presently at a loss, since he told me that he has been supplying this kit for a good many years without negative feedback. The photo attached shows the forward tailpipe piece. ( original is one piece, Red's is in two pieces...most probably easier to ship ) The headers are bolted to the original engine, in its stock location, the exhaust pipe loosely slipped on, also the muffler, and now the forward piece of the tailpipe slipped on. What I get is what you can see on the photo. Pipe is lower than what it should normally be, and it exhausts directly into the rear portion of the cross member. The rear portion of the tailpipe is impossible to slip on.
Am I the only one that has this mysterious situation? Would appreciate your input here......Thanks....Robert

[35 coupe]

Months ago I put this system on my 35 5window coupe, and had problem with the passenger side going thru the cross member and the tail pipes, called up reds, they sent me new tail pipes. these did not fit and I ended up cutting the pipes and fitting them myself and mig welding them together. I ended up with with 3 cuts in the tail pipes to get them to fit over the rear axle and inside the frame near the arch of the rear spring. If I remember, you take and reverse the tail pipes, they fit nice under the rear axle, but thats not where they go. I am a welder by trade so it was no big deal to me, but if you have to take it somewhere,it will be a pain. you can use his pipes, you have to cut the pipes and roll the bends to fit

[Robert Dip]

Bingo...Thanks 35 Coupe....I also have all of the welding equipment in my shop, however, the idea here is to correct the situation at Red's. I can build the entire exhaust system here, but I did not want to do that. It is suppose to FIT. I believe we owe it to all of those going through this route, and to assist Jim at Red's to make the appropiate corrections. Call it the 'Ford Barn' team. Appreciate your input, and hopefully, we are not the only ones...waiting to hear from others. Should be the same problem up the the '40.....same frame.

[JM 35 Sedan]

I'm wondering if Jim (@Reds) doesn't have some of his exhaust pipe stock mixed and is maybe sending out the wrong pipes for your particular year vehicle. It's difficult to believe that someone would purposely design a dual exhaust system from the get go that requires a bunch of cutting, fitting and welding to make it work. JMO

[35 coupe]

I took the pipes to a local muffler shop to try to bend them right and he did not have the same arbors and he wanted to make the system , but my car was without the body, so I ended up doing it the welding way.

[Kerk]

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THANKS FOR THE HEADS UPO AS i AM PLANNING ON (opps) sorry for caps --doing a 35 also and will follow the posts to see the end result of the problem is .

[36 flathead]

1936 ford left side would not clear brake rod. cut and weld. rt side clears but not pretty. will probably cut and weld that side to make it fit. headers fit great

[gearhead1952]

Are the tailpipes designed for a muffler where the outlet is offset from the inlet? I had this issue when doing the exhaust on my f1. The dennis carpenter 'authentic' muffler is really a straight through resonator and so the outlet is not offset as it would be if the muffler had internal baffles. Caused a roughly 2 inch drop in the tailpipe.

[ken ct]

Originally Posted by Robert Dip

Bingo...Thanks 35 Coupe....I also have all of the welding equipment in my shop, however, the idea here is to correct the situation at Red's. I can build the entire exhaust system here, but I did not want to do that. It is suppose to FIT. I believe we owe it to all of those going through this route, and to assist Jim at Red's to make the appropiate corrections. Call it the 'Ford Barn' team. Appreciate your input, and hopefully, we are not the only ones...waiting to hear from others. Should be the same problem up the the '40.....same frame.

I purchesed a dual set of tail pipes from Waldrens Exhaust yrs ago and they didn't fit either,muffler shop had to cut int pcs and reweld. One place is no better than the other. ??? ken ct.

[Teich]

Had same type of problem with pipes for 1948 car. Had to cut tail pipes rotate is make look like the original pipe and weld. Then they fit nice, also changed pipes at the header, on the right side had to extend header so clamp wouldn't but in the frame hole, alittle more work on the left side to clear clutch pedal . Still i like the system,cost me about 200-300 less from Jim than it would at home (Manitoba Canada) Laurie

[G.M.]

If you have to do all that cutting and welding you may be better off going to a local small private owned muffler shop. I have a bender and do my own. The problem is if you don't do it often like me then I have to rebend a lot of the bends to get them centered in the openings they pass through so they don't rattle. Here's a set I bend for Skips 3/4 P/U. G.M.

[Karl Wolf]

I bought a system for my 1939 Deluxe from Red about... (a long time ago)
After scratching my head, I determined that the tail pipes were 3" too long- made for the shorter muffler... So, cut out a section, weld together- bingo...

Would have brought it to Jim's attention, but it was about twelve or so years out, and easy to fix...

Karl

[Robert Dip]

Gearhead 52....the mufflers are the Smithy's 22", and as per the instructions, the ends are easily bent to fit the angles required. A solid piece of pipe in a big vice, grab the muffler on the opposite end and bend. The metal is thin and soft enough to allow this to be done. On the '35, and similar year frames, both ends has to be bent to match the position of both exhaust pipe and tailpipe going through the holes in the x-members. On this application, it is only the tailpipe ( 2 pieces ) that are way off and need a lot of work to fit. Jim told me that the end of the tailpipe ends somewhere close to the line of the bumper. Starting from the bumper end, and trying to match the bends necessary to clear the rear-end housing and eventually going to the muffler.....it turns into a worst case scenario....nothing seems to make sense. JM 35 Sedan's comments makes more sense....they must be the wrong pipes.

[35 coupe]

Reds thought he sent me the wrong ones, so he sent me one side to see, but it was the same, so it is not he wrong pipe. When I told him it was the same, he said nobody had a problem and I must have a different frame under the car,but I don't, it is an original 35 5 wind. I ended up fixing it, cheaper than sending it back.

[Robert Dip]

35 Coupe....he told me the exact same thing....that nobody had a problem...I guess you and I have weird '35 Fords with alien frames......I think not.....and they definately are the wrong pipes. My '35 3W coupe is an original, virgin, untouched car, and after 50 years in this hobby on old Fords, it took me 25 years to finally get one in that state, and I paid dearly to buy it. Having said that, I want to do this car with details that are neat and clean....no botching.....but that's me.....and most of us.
Still anxious to obtain feedback from others.

[JM 35 Sedan]

Originally Posted by 35 coupe

Reds thought he sent me the wrong ones, so he sent me one side to see, but it was the same, so it is not the wrong pipe.

Now think about what I said in my first post..."he may have some of his stock mixed and is maybe sending out the wrong exhaust pipes"...if he sent incorrect exhaust pipes from what he believes are correct on the initial order....you call him and say the pipe is wrong....he grabs another pipe from the same wrong stock location and sends that ....you say yes, it's the same as the first one sent...which it probably is if it came from the same stock location...now you say, w e l l, it must be correct, if both parts sent are the same?? In my book... two wrong exhaust pipes sent from the same stock location still do not equal correct parts.

[ford38v8]

Gee, this sounds familiar, doesn't it? Nobody else has ever had a problem with the tailpipe! It must be that you have a different frame. Maybe a '36? or how about a '40? The thing is, though, the same pipe should fit all of these.

Like John says, the problem can probably be traced to a mixup in inventory.
In any case, don't blame Red Hamilton. He no longer owns Red's Headers.

[bbrocksr]

The front piece of the tailpipe is too long like Karl says, Shorten it about 3 inches and it will work. It moves the joint forward /away from the crossmember. I have never bought a set of duals that fit without some modifying. I put these on my 36 and with a little tweaking they fit good.
Reds is a good system, good quality materials and well built, Just needs a little final fitting. Bill












the front piece

[barnfind08]

Smittys like in gm's photo the rear pipe coming out of the muffler is in the center. This is not where it is on a real 35-36 muffler. The rear pipe is higher up on the muffler so the tailpipe is higher up in the frame. I know because years ago when I was big in the business of selling early ford parts 24 hours a day I made all the pipes and mufflers for the 32-48 fords. If it was my job to fix now I would either raise the muffler or do as others suggested and cut up the tailpipes you have and reweld after you have got all the pieces fit in the frame where the need to be.

[gearhead1952]

Originally Posted by barnfind08

Smittys like in gm's photo the rear pipe coming out of the muffler is in the center. This is not where it is on a real 35-36 muffler. The rear pipe is higher up on the muffler so the tailpipe is higher up in the frame. I know because years ago when I was big in the business of selling early ford parts 24 hours a day I made all the pipes and mufflers for the 32-48 fords. If it was my job to fix now I would either raise the muffler or do as others suggested and cut up the tailpipes you have and reweld after you have got all the pieces fit in the frame where the need to be.

What I was trying to say about the muffler exit location in my post.

Jim is good to deal with so I am sure he would make you what you want even if you had to botch up the ones you got in order to figure out what you need.