Anyone run the exhaust under the torque plate?

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My Car
'73 mustang convt.
Right now my exhaust goes above the plate that is unique to our convertibles. I am test fitting a gearvendors OD unit that is going to end up smack dab in the middle of the tunnel just above the plate. There may not be enough room left for exhaust pipes.

So does anyone have a setup where they just ran it below?

I wonder how well it would clear? I already have headers and they hang pretty low. I don't drive the car except for fun days. I am already sporting subframe connectors which hang down pretty low themselves.

 
I think your ground clearance will be affected.

there was a post here a while ago with someone looking for a car and his exhaust pipes were below the plate, I'll see if I can find it, maybe he might be able to help with the clearance question.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**UPDATE**

the member is wrshog

and I found this picture attached to one of the posts

BOSS STANG UNDER 004.jpg

 
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Mine used to be just like the ones in the post above. It works.

The lowest part is usually the header flange. I never had any issues except when I drove down a steep driveway or parking entrance.

Now that the car sits so low it started to make problems which us why I reverted to an original exhaust. I think the original looks much neater too.

But the above setup will work.

 
Would installing an aftermarket subframe connector make it possible to remove the torque plate ? Or maybe fabricating something to replace the stock plate that will allow enough room for the gear vendor OD and the exhaust ?

I'm sure most of you are familiar with these ... http://tinmanfabrication.com

 
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Yeah, the GV takes up most of the room in the tunnel. I will just run the exhaust below. I measured and don't think it will hang any lower than my subframe connectors and, except for that curb, I rarely hit them.

 
I am getting too old for this working under the car crap. My lifted jeep is much much easier to work on.

Rather than try to cobble a set of parts together and because the new electronics will make it easier for my wife to drive, I went ahead a purchased a new gearvendors kit. I only got to work on it for a couple of hours but I have the old one out and the new tail shaft in. Trying to torque down a tail shaft lying on the ground with no clearence is a pain.

The rest should go in pretty easy. While I had the thing apart I took apart the dash and sent my tach off to rocketman. When I am all done I will have overdrive, an accurate speedometer (never fixed it after swapping gears) and an accurate tach. Sweet.

 
My oem single exhaust was below the plate. My dual exhaust is below the plate. I have 2.5" pipes and have no problems with the exhaust ever fitting/clearing/scrapping. If yer mufflers are getting hit they may not be the ones best suited to the car?

 
I'm taking the vert to have the 2.5 exhaust re-routed to above the torque plate. The exhaust has to move to make room for the Maier subframe connector cross brace. Two parts won't occupy the same space, Hehheh.

When using the Gearvenders you may need to fabricate a "double hump" torque plate. Alternately install a Maier type subframe connector cross piece, which would replace the torque plate.

IMG_3572.JPG


 
Tubo, that looks like a nice setup.

It turns out the GV unit occupies most of the space above the torque plate. For my situation I may as well just run the exhaust below and a little off to the side.

I am pretty happy with the global west subframe connectors. I used them as a jacking point with the floor jack. I left the convertible on jack stands for almost a week with the passenger wheels off the ground and had no problems opening/shutting either door.

I remember 20 or so years ago before the subframe connectors I had it jacked up and the doors wouldn't open/shut.

 
Pipes do not have to be round plus you can go to 15 inch factory wheels or even bigger non factory style wheels to get more room under the car.

Saw a lowered Chevy that had 1 inch x 4 inch "exhaust pipes" to get an inch or so more ground clearance. It sounded good and looked pretty cool.

It looked like they took 4 inch round steel tubing and flattened it down to an inch thick - lots of sectioning and welding but it fit nicely under the car.

I have always wanted to try it.

- Paul

 
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Funny you mention that. I was thinking last night that NASCAR uses non-round pipe. Probably for both clearance and wind resistance. It's probably pretty expensive.

I think I will be okay with regular exhausts, we will see how it work out.

Got the car fired up yesterday, put it into/out of gear a couple of times. I have the dash out and still need to hook up the electronics for the GV but I am getting close!

 
Ihave 3 inch below the plate and I also added the Gear venders unit, that is the best Mod I have even done to the car. I have a 72 w/351 conv

 
Ihave 3 inch below the plate and I also added the Gear venders unit, that is the best Mod I have even done to the car. I have a 72 w/351 conv
Hey Magicman351. Thanks for the input. Not only the exhaust but that you loved the GV upgrade. It's an investment for sure. I often considered going aod, and there are many good arguments for going that route. I am looking forward to trying it out. I will relish the first time I flip it into OD at 65 or so MPH... I think it will so add to the driving experience.

And welcome to the forum!

 
Ok, got a chance to take it for a spin. I only drove it about 12 miles. I disassembled the dash to get rocketman to fix my tach and to add the LED lights. My oil pressure and temp guage are now not working so I have to figure that out. Anyways...

After driving a few miles with the solenoid disconnected I plugged it in and put the GV into manual mode.

At about 45mph I hit the foot switch. I was surprised how fast it shifted. Dropped the RPM about 450. I did this a few times. Felt good.

So then I took it out on the highway. On the on ramp, at about 45 again, I shifted the OD on and then got it up to 65. I didn't push the car since I have the exhaust kind of temporary and the torque plate isn't in and, well, I usually start off a little slow before I get on it.

So at 65mph with the OD on I was right around 2300RPM. It's funny because that 'felt' high. So I hit the foot switch to take it out of OD and, goodness, it jumped up to 2900RPM. What a difference in feel and noise. I ran it up to 75mph and hit the OD and that was really noticable. I took it in/out at about 75 a few times. It literally felt like I was downshifting into a passing gear when i would take it out. I only stayed on the freeway for about 4 miles but I have to say thumbs up.

WHen I got off the freeway I turned on the 'auto select'. I drove down the streets 'normally' and I have to tell you I was impressed. The shifting is smooth both going in/out. Nice enough for the wife to drive.

Finally I couldn't help it. I put it back in manual and started off in 1st gear. I got on it a little and as the engine got close to about 4500 I hit the floor switch. It jumped right into OD and wow it it shot down about 1000 RPM so I was still in the sweet spot. I ran it up a little and then shifted the transmission into second. I think once I get good at it the 1st to 1st over and then 2nd/2nd over it will be a lot of fun.

Before the OD I would run it up to about 5000, which got me to about 43 mph and I would shift into second which dropped the RPM to just under 3000 or so. Now I can leave it in first, hit the OD and it will drop to about 3800 or 3900. I can stay there until about 55mph (around 5000RPM).

 
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anyone tried alternate material to replace the plate in the verts? i know it has to be a solid piece to handle the torque, and is vital to provide some torsional rigidity, but could it be made of thick billet alum? ? i expect titanium would work but would cost a ton. And of course carbon fiber always comes to mind, but not sure CF could be made as a torsional structure? Sure would save a ton of weight.

 
Will e,

Thx for the update on your GV setup. Can't wait to see how mine works when I finally hit the road. BTW what's the rear gear ratio and what size tires are you running.

thx

-jbojo

 
Have you had any issues with parking brake cable hitting the exhaust? Mine bumps into the driver side 2.5 pipes.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 
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