Primary and Side Pipe Install

[Traveller]

I believe I have everything done correctly.

1) Holes Cut
2) Primaries and Pipes Installed (that was a ***

I'm about to weld the hangers and brackets but I have some questions about clearence.

First, should I tighten up the primaries to the heads before I weld?

#3 primary pipe is up against the foot box. Since I'm pulling the motor after I've completed the pipes, I could create some clearence through "surgery". I guess I just looking for back up.

#2 has 1/16" (maybe less) of clearence between it and the stearing U-Joint. I could put a stategic "dent" in that pipe, again, I'm looking for some back up before I do that.

In general I'm surprised how well everything is fitting considering I'm retrofiting current components to a 25 year old car.

Would pictures help?

[strictlypersonl]

It's very likely that you have the engine mounts reversed: Left one on the right side, right one on the left side. This will move the engine back quite a bit.

Whoops. I just noticed how old your car is. Did your car originally have a small block (and still have the original stands on the chassis)? You should be using two-bolt mounts. If the car was built for the FE, you should be using three-bolt mounts. If that's the problem, I'll have to dig up the part numbers (which should be listed in your original manual).

[Traveller]

ERA #003

The data plate says 428 so I'm assuming it's always been a BB car.

As for motor mounts, who knows?

Another question: How much clearence should there be between the side pipes and body? As it stands I'll have to exert a good bit if force to get the hanger bracket close enough to bolt up under the car.

[strictlypersonl]

There should be about 1.5" clearance between the body and the pipe toward the rear. Sometimes it must be tweaked a bit to move the pipes into position but once the primary pipes heat up the stress is reduced.

But - I would still like to know whether you're using the two or three-bolt mounts. The two-bolt mounts will throw your off engine position quite a bit. We've never had footbox clearance problems like you're experiencing.

[Traveller]

OK, I'll go look right now.......be back in 15........

[Traveller]

3 bolt mounts

[Traveller]

What do you think Bob? Motor mounts backwards maybe? How do I tell?

[strictlypersonl]

I found a couple of the three-bolt mounts here to compare with the other mounts. I'll model what happens when you use the new mounts.

[strictlypersonl]

Trav,

What is your chassis number? It appears that the two-bolt mounts will move the engine forward about 1.5". Does the transmission mount line up with the chassis bracket?

Just for yucks, measure the distance between the rear face of the driver's side cylinder head and the firewall. It should be 3".

[Traveller]

Chassis #003

I measured driver'd side head clearance and it's dead-on 3".

Perhaps some pictures would help

Here the area in question looking down, the #3 pipe is tight against the foot box and the steering joint has maybe 1/16 or less clearance.



Standing over the drivers side looking down through the hole...

[Traveller]

Here's some more......

Pardon the mess......

[strictlypersonl]

Is the engine level? Sometimes you can tweak the situation by loosening the mounts and shifting things around.

I have no solution to the pipe-to-footbox interference. We changed our pipes on our later cars and we've got a footbox indentation where #3 passes.

As far as the steering column, if all else fails we can make a new support bearing to shift the column up on the footbox.

[ERA Chas]

Trav,
I have a very early car too but it has the original primarys made at the time. My steering shaft clears because the pipe is dimpled at that point. Over time I became unhappy with with the distance from the sidepipes to the body. You can improve it by trimming the ends of the primarys which will both raise the pipes from the ground plane slightly and tuck them closer to the body. JUST DON'T OVER TRIM. Then weld your tabs on when you've found the best position.
My #3 is close to the footbox but not touching. I've got .005 stainless sheet over thin ceramic cloth on the boxes.
See my gallery.
Hope this helps.

[Traveller]

Bob and Chas, thanks for the feedback. It definately helps.

Bob, since I'm going to do some repair to the foot box anyway I'll just clearance that area where #3 is contacting the pipe in similar fashion to ERAs current footbox.

I may also trim a bit off the primaries. Gilby sent me his primaries but they are MUCH shorter than the ones I have from ERA so I know those won't work.

Thanks again fellas. I can now proceed.

[Traveller]

Got off my ass and finished in stalling side pipes.

Cranked it up for the first time in 4 years. Fired right off

I'm running side pipes WITH NO BAFFLES (<---- see, I'm shouting).

Drove it around the neighborhood. It was awesome.

[ERA Chas]

Good job. Now show us some pics.
Love those early ERA's.

[Traveller]

what you really need is a sound clip