Encyclopedia Hoonatica: Factory Side Pipes

EH-sidepipes
Side pipes were, at their genesis, an imperfect solution to a vexing problem. In many compact, low-slung vehicles with big engines (in other words, racing cars) there is often nowhere for those big, hot exhaust pipes to go under the floorboards, and thus they must be routed around the side the vehicle by necessity. Thus was the case with the 427 Cobra and the original Viper. But they have serious drawbacks for occupants: high door sills and, unless serious attention is given to guards and heat management, a very real burn danger. (Subsequent redesigns of the Viper have enclosed those calf-searing pipes inside the rockers, but they are still side pipes.) Because of these practical issues and because they were only considered stylish for a limited period of time in the 1960s and  ’70s, side pipes have not been widely utilized by car makers. But there are other examples of cars that were equipped by the manufacturer with exhibitionistic pipework along their flanks. And that is today’s Encyclopedia Hoonatica assignment: cars with factory side pipes.

    Specific Requirements:

  • Aftermarket pipes don’t count, but accessory pipes sold by the OEM as a dealer-installed accessory are okay.
  • We are looking for production vehicles: No concept cars, SEMA cars, or home-built specials.
  • Side pipes carry exhaust gasses; if you’re going to include some sort of fake side pipes, you’d best prepared a good argument to justify their inclusion.
  • Race cars don’t count, even if they were modified by the factory, unless they were made available for sale to privateers.

Difficulty: Get your fruit while they’re low-hanging. Zero to total obscurity in about 10 minutes flat.
How This Works: Read the comments first and don’t post duplicates. Adding photos with standard HTML is good, but shrink the big ones with width="500".
Image Source: Wikipedia, Hemmings.com

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The maximum upload file size: 64 MB. You can upload: image, audio, video. Links to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other services inserted in the comment text will be automatically embedded. Drop files here

  1. smalleyxb122 Avatar

    The first that comes to mind is the C2 Corvette.

    1. Alan Avatar
      Alan

      The interwebs says that factory side pipes were also an option for the C3 in 1969.

  2. jayp2112 Avatar
    jayp2112

    These may not exactly be “side pipes” but they’re as close as we’re going to get in this era.
    ’12 & ’13 Boss 302. Came with a restrictor between the main pipe and dump. Ford offered difference sizes for varying loudness. Most just removed them. (Also available for the S197 4.6 from Ford Racing. And it rocks.)

    Dodge was supposed to offer on the Challenger as part of the Shaker kit. Came with remote valves and actually dumped out to a round exit. Sorry for the bad pic but it’s there.

  3. potbellyjoe Avatar


    AMC AMX had them as an option.

  4. potbellyjoe Avatar

    How far back do they have to go in order to be side pipes?

  5. Devin Avatar


    They are pipes on the side so I say they count.

  6. mike Avatar
    mike


    Do this count ?

    1. mike Avatar
      mike

      Damn, too late.

      1. Devin Avatar

        There’s no such thing as too much Li’l Red Express though.

  7. Devin Avatar

    There’s this Lucra LC470:

  8. Alan Avatar
    Alan

    How has no one mentioned the Lotus 7 yet? Granted, the build quality in Hethel probably requires us to file this under home-built special.

  9. Juliet C. Avatar
    Juliet C.

    Were van conversion shops “factorys”?

    1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      Um, sorry, but definitely NO. They were customizing shops, not production manufacturers. No different than any hot rod out there somebody slapped side pipes on.

      1. potbellyjoe Avatar

        The Dodge Street Vans may have had the option from the factory as MOPAR was trying to get in on the action of van customization. Hard to tell without a catalog though.

  10. engineerd Avatar

    C2 Sting Ray 427

  11. engineerd Avatar

    Morgan 3 Wheeler

    1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      Ooooh, good one!

  12. wilco40 Avatar
    wilco40

    American Motors AMX

  13. Vavon Avatar

    The Renaults R3, R4, R5 (not the fast ones!), R6 and R7 were all available with sidepipes.

    1. Vavon Avatar
      Vavon

      Sidepipe on the R4 for test of Gravatar…

      1. Vavon Avatar
        Vavon

        YAY!!!

  14. Tomsk Avatar

    Many tenth-gen F-150s (including the Lightning) dumped their exhaust just ahead of the right rear wheel.

    1. KAC Avatar
      KAC

      Side exit exhausts with only the tip visible count, right? Sorry for not shrinking the picture.

    2. William Robinson Avatar
      William Robinson

      It’s gotta count just look at that thing. It’s sexy as Hell. It would be missing somthing without those pipes sticking out the sides.

  15. opkraut Avatar
    opkraut

    G-Wagon!

  16. Vavon Avatar
    Vavon

    The following small Renaults all had side pipes: R3, R4, R5 and R6.
    But the side pipes were not available on fast R5s or on the LeCar!

  17. dimpl7 Avatar
    dimpl7

    Stutz Blackhawk.

    1. neight428 Avatar
      neight428

      Early C3 examples Some factory, some aftermarket –
      http://www.autoguide.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/1969-Corvette-L88-S134.jpg

  18. Rose Valentino-Rotondo Avatar
    Rose Valentino-Rotondo

    I have a 1985 El Camino choo-choo customs with factory

  19. Greg Blackmon Avatar
    Greg Blackmon

    Hello I’d like to show some pic of my 65 mustang with original side pipes