Wrong exhaust on Vitesse 1600?

[Bobtaylor]

I have ordered a replacement s/s exhaust for my 1966 Vitesse 1600. Whilst waiting for delivery !!!!! I decided to remove the existing one. I suspect it might be a mixture of bits. There is a small cherry bomb type silencer in the middle. The standard exhaust I have ordered does not have this, I suspect this might be an exhaust from a Spitfire, any ideas.

Bob

[Colin Lindsay]

Same as my GT6 Mk1 exhaust - both the mild steel one that I removed and the stainless one I replaced it with have the centre silencer. I bought the replacement from the Club Shop quite a few years ago now. Some suppliers may not include this any more; who did you order yours from? It could also be the case that the photograph they use is for illustration purposes, so yours may yet have the centre box when it arrives.

[Bobtaylor]

You may well be right, I will see when it arrives.

I originally ordered through the Club shop, so it is made by Bell. However they did not have it in stock and so there was  originally a 3 week wait, but coronavirus has put paid to the! I happened to see one on e.bay advertised by David Manners, for the same price and fee delivery and it was on the shelf, so I have ordered that.

[ahebron]

I bought one of the last genuine mild steel Vitesse 6 exhausts in NZ from Motorcorp when they existed back in the late 1980's. They were the NZ agents for BL.

It is a pipe from the manifold and has a slip joint silencer at the very end with a pea shooter tail pipe. 

I was under my car today removing the rear hubs to scrap the powder coating off them and repaint and I noticed the pipe is still looking good apart from surface rust. I think the gearbox and engine weeping oil on to it has helped😉

[dave.vitesse]

The 2 Litre (Mk1) has the centre box.

Dave

[Pete Lewis]

agree 1600 parts list shows no centre resonator   just a pipe 

pete

[Bobtaylor]

Exhaust arrived and fitted (no middle box). Very happy with the result, after having deliberated about standard or semi sport I am glad to have chosen the standard.

Would no longer having the (wrong) middle box improve the flow? It is probably my imagination but the car seems to run better now, and the tick over etc has changed probably requiring some minor car adjustment.

 

[Clive]

Exhaust unlikely to affect tickover. Possibly at very high revs when the old middle box may have been slightly restrictive. Other possibilities include disturbing the inlet manifold during fitting. Check manifold to head bots are tight, spray some WD40 or similar (brake or carb cleaner work) round the manifold gasket see if the engine changes tone. 

Of course it is also possible to old exhaust was restrictive through a blockage. 

[ahebron]

And never forget the well known fact that spending money and changing parts on a car always seems to change the way the car runs no matter what you do😉

[Bobtaylor]

I agree, since changing the exhaust it sounds better, accelerates better is more responsive and I think I am getting an extra 5 miles to the gallon. All in all well worth the expense, in fact I will probably saved myself money, nearly enough for my new wheels!!!!

Happy lockdown to all

Bob

[johny]

Hmmm that sounds like a good way to justify it to the missus.....