C7 Exhaust... a radical idea... As most Exhaust systems add weight and complexity to the underbody, why not get rid of it... by this i mean go totally unconventional.. like route the exhaust through the frame rails or some such thing. Sure there are some technical obstacles to deal with like NVH (noise /vibration/harshness.) but it you can overcome them, say by using special composites inside the frame rails, you have elimitated weight and can cost cut the manufacturing process to be more effective. Just think, there are two frame rails that are hollow and run the entire length of the car.. and for those performance minded people... drill a couple of holes and you got side pipes ! This means that the frame rail will be different than what we are used to seeing but if this could be done, that would be a major breadkthrough. I think the most important thing to do with the C7 is to make it lighter...so reduce the number of parts, thereby performs and handles better and gets better fuel economy. Reducing the number of parts is better for everyone...
dobrenyr
You would not want the General to do that. Think what the cost of an after market exhaust system would be just to increase performance a little...KEEP IT SIMPLE
Creative thinking. Hate to be a wet blanket, but one of the reasons the exhaust pipes are open to the air is to allow some of the heat to disapate - away from the car and the passengers. Read any test drive of a Viper and you find the driver complaining about having to sort of hop over the too hot side exhaust enclosures to get to the driver's seat.
Running the pipes through the frame for the length of the car would enclose the passengers and trap the heat IMO. Remember that today the exhausts are super heated by the cats up near the engine.
Running the pipes through the frame for the length of the car would enclose the passengers and trap the heat IMO. Remember that today the exhausts are super heated by the cats up near the engine.
They should go with a side pipe set up...but unlike the Viper run it normal until after the door and bend it at something like 120-130 degrees out the side. think of it as straight back like normal and then bending like so... / \ It would be easy to make work. Unless regulations call for the mufflers to be in the rear. I have side pipes on my GT but the go into the stock muffler location over the axel. Its a 1 inlet 1 outlet muffler but it exits next to the inlet and comes forward then out to the side. Which in return means screwing up the flow too much. I'd like to see them go with a good side setup though.
The obsessive focus on weight location and weight savings reminds me of how Buell uses their motorcycle frames to store fuel (ie: no separate fuel tank).
I kind of agree, however, that super-hot exhaust gases running through the frame of the C7 is perhaps a bit too much to handle at the moment. However, if the General could pull it off... it would be a huge public relations coup. Not to mention the weight benefits.
Side pipes give a cool retro look, and they literally scream "muscle", but there could be some reasonable doubts.
I suppose that fans of side pipes are asking only for the *option* to have these factory installed.
A couple of random questions:
Given the "raw" experiences of many people regarding super-hot side pipes on the Viper, and given the arguably civilized profile of Corvettes today, how realistic are side pipes for a C7?
How would side pipes affect the image and consumer appeal of Corvette outside the US, where GM currently sells C6s for up to twice the US price?
I kind of agree, however, that super-hot exhaust gases running through the frame of the C7 is perhaps a bit too much to handle at the moment. However, if the General could pull it off... it would be a huge public relations coup. Not to mention the weight benefits.
Side pipes give a cool retro look, and they literally scream "muscle", but there could be some reasonable doubts.
I suppose that fans of side pipes are asking only for the *option* to have these factory installed.
A couple of random questions:
Given the "raw" experiences of many people regarding super-hot side pipes on the Viper, and given the arguably civilized profile of Corvettes today, how realistic are side pipes for a C7?
How would side pipes affect the image and consumer appeal of Corvette outside the US, where GM currently sells C6s for up to twice the US price?
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