VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1916-1922 - Model 490 Exhaust Heat Stove

Wow, thanks for all these responses. I should have just called Gary. I'll do that tomorrow, and ask him if he somehow "finishes" the edges at the ends.

(problem is, if I call Gary, I'll end up buying about a hundred other things...)

I have bought some stoves and flexi hoses to 4-cyl. from Gary W. He got them made for me, as I had inquiries from people missing the arrangement. The solderings on the new made are pretty rough so my buyers will have to smoothen them before use, I think. I also bought a used original one, and that had much nicer soldering. Anyway the stoves will work as planned.

My sentiments exactly. They just have to have enough pride in their work to make a nice looking exhaust system. I know nice looking welds can be done.

I just ordered a complete system for my 1928 CSC. It was slightly over a foot too short and was a 1927 system and not a 1928. Shipping a complete system is not cheap and now we must return this one and ship another correct system to me.

Steve from The Filling Station here. I just checked our stock and found that our new guy failed to trim the end of the pipe. When these are cut, there is a short piece of excess metal that needs to be snipped off. The pipe is two pieces (inner and outer) that are crimped together so it will not come apart. If you bend back the outer piece, you will find the spot where it is locked onto the inner part. Snip it off with a tin snip or diagonal pliers and you should be ready to go. Sorry for the oversight. If your pipe has actually come apart, please call us 800-841-6622 and we will get a replacement pipe out to you.

Steve - When I removed the tape from the end of the heat stove pipe I bought from you, the conduit unraveled an entire turn. I quickly slapped new tape on it and took it to my fab guy to weld the ends.

I don't have the pipe in front of me to examine. But it looked like it had been hacked off a long coil - not what I consider a finished part. I already spent the money to make it right.

Sorry for the problem. Contact me on Monday and I will get you a refund for the part. Steve

I tried to fit my Parks Pipes exhaust yesterday, and it doesn't fit. With the manifold installed on the engine, the exhaust hits the engine cross-member and will not slide onto the manifold. When the manifold is left loose and the muffler is attached to the muffler bracket on the frame first, the exhaust manifold bolts don't come close to lining up. It seems that the straight section that incorporates the heat stove is too long and the bend angle is wrong.

I guess I'll have to modify to make it fit.

That's frustrating and disappointing. I would call them and tell them exactly what you have posted here before I started modifying to fit, though. Keep us posted.

I received a curious e-mail back from Regina at Parks Pipes this evening: "The only thing Harold can think of is that you might have a car classified as a touring car. The touring cars do require the pipe to be 1 3/4 inch shorter in between the heat stove and the bend. Is your car a touring car?"

Aren't most 490's touring cars?

Well, this response raises a few questions.

Of course most 490s are Touring, not Roadster, bodies. In a quick look through my books, I don't find the 490 production broken out by body style, only by plant. But it is fair to say that it is a given that touring production far outweighed the roadster. This was the case right on into the mid and late 20's.

So the questions that come to mind are:

(1) why doesn't Parks Pipes know that? (they've been doing this awhile)

(2) since Harold knows there is a difference, why didn't they ask you which body style you had when you ordered?

(3) Bigger question - why would there be a difference? Since as far as I know, the car would be identical back to at least the firewall. Why would it matter which body was sitting on the same chassis?

(4) maybe most important for you - are they going to make it right for you, and take care of the extra expense?

I have looked at the 490 part books in my collection. 1918 and earlier there is one part number "H 240" for "Muffler Complete" or "Muffler and Exhaust Pipe". It includes exhaust pipe, stove and muffler. There are separate parts listed for 1916-17 "Muffler Head, Rear", "Muffler Head Cap", "Muffler Shell, Inner" and "Muffler Shell, Outer" Apparently 1916-7 Only one number for exhaust pipes. The 1917 parts book also lists a part number "H 731" "Muffler Exhaust Pipe.

None of the books list separate parts for Touring and Roadster. Even the Canadian numbers and part numbers are the same.

Therefore, I believe that the claim that there is a difference between Roadster and Touring is bogus. Also apparently all 490s used the same parts or assembly. It makes one question the knowledge and/or integrity of Parks Pipes.

My dads 10K mile 21 490 touring was used for the pattern since it still had the original exhaust on it. They obviously just made a mistake when they made it. I too think they all used the same basic chassis on the 490s. Body style wouldn't have anything to do with it since the pipe just lets out under the seat area and nothing bolts to the body.

An update: Regina at Parks Pipes wrote back with an offer to make a new shorter pipe for my car if I return the original one. Saves me a lot of hassle trying to modify the pipe I have. But I hope they know for sure that shortening it 1-3/4" will make it fit.

I agreed to her offer, and also asked if all 490s used the same pipe assembly PN, what was the pipe they sent me supposed to fit?

I got brave and ordered an exhaust system yesterday evening from Parks Pipes. I called late and got Ruth Mary, who is the Owner (her husband passed and she kept it going). Regina is her daughter and Harold is her son-in-law (Regina's husband). Harold does the bending.

We talked a long time. It seems that they show the identical specs for ALL Chevys from 1918 to 1926, period. They didn't know about Model D, F, FB, etc.

We also talked about CORetiree's experience. The converation about "being 1.75 inches shorter before the bend for touring cars" is a result of a notation they made a while back when someone ordered a system, and then had it reworked as described, and it was for a '26 touring. That's all they know about that, they virtually never get complaints back, but always try to rework to get it right, or refund, she says.

So I ended up telling her to send me their "standard" system (I assured her a 1916 and '17 would be the same as an '18). It fit my '25 several years ago pretty well, once I figured out to rotate the heat stove. She agreed that if there was any problem, to make notes on how it should be different and return it and they would make it right. So keep fingers crossed and I'll post my experiences once I try it. It will be a while, as the Board meeting is now less than a week away, and free time for the car is non-existant.

Why did I order this now? Well, last evening I decided to see if I had spark (still haven't done anything with the gas tank). Starter is pretty marginal, but I had a spare that spins pretty good on the bench. So I decided I would swap them out. Well, it was physically impossible to remove the starter. I either had to remove the oil pump and go forward with it, or the exhaust system and go backward. The exhaust that is on there is pretty ratty. It has a dented up '28 style stove, with the two outlets - one to the carb and one for an air cleaner. It was rusted solid to the pipe and wouldn't rotate, and that second stove outlet blocked me. So I decided it would be easier to remove the exhaust than the oil pump and lines. And in fact I got lucky and the manifold bolts and the hoop that holds the muffler all unscrewed real nice. The new Starter spun it up real good, and yes, by God, I have spark! Earlier I had cleaned up the points, distributor cap, rotor etc, and put a new set of wires from Gary Wallace on her. So rather than put that exhaust back on, I decided to come get on the phone and look into it. I also found out (from Parks) that if you buy the Filling Station system, Parks Pipes actually makes it and drop ships it to you, and Filling Station takes the order and marks it up about 15%. Thus my call to Parks (not saying there's anything wrong with that).

So maybe soon I'll get that gas tank cleaned out and the new exhaust installed, and we'll see if this old girl will come alive.

ChevyGuru: Sounds like you got to the bottom of my pipe problem. I was giving Park's credit for knowing more than they really do about Chevys. I hope Ruth Mary was taking notes.

I have no idea how a 490 exhaust compares to a 1926 touring. But the first pipe they sent me is definitely too long, so I'm hoping the replacement fits.

At least you're in the same neighborhood if you have to return your pipe. It's an expensive proposition for me.

Got my new system from Parks Pipes yesterday. Looks reasonably well made, no complaints there. I trial fitted it, and discovered that with everything like it is supposed to be, the muffler is about 1.5" lower than the curved bracket it should mate to.

So I talked to them, asked them to re-make it and take about 2-1/4" out of the diagonal stretch between the stove and the bend, and that should raise the muffler 1.5". They said they will send it to me that way, and I can return the original.

So I will report back once the replacement system arrives. I have to say they are very agreeable and accomodating.

Also learned from CORetiree that he and I have completely different reasons for this shortening. His 1920 has a frame cross brace under the transmission area that he can't clear. My '16 doesn't have that brace, I've got plenty of room - my pipe is just too long to fit the muffler up where it should go.

I had the same problem with Parks Pipes for my 28. They re-made the exhaust pipe but I still had to make it work, and not to my satisfaction. They also had to re-make the tailpipe. It was too tall over the hump. I was not at all happy with the finished product and it took weeks to get a poor fitting exhaust system.

I had good luck with the system for my 28. It was a bit snug in one area near the cross member but cleared and I had it installed in about 1/2 hour- 45 min. My air cleaner bracket hooked right up like it was supposed to so the heat stove and pipe down to that was right on.

I guess I didn't do too bad with the system I ordered for my 1928. It was about a foot and a 1/2 short in the middle section. I think I can understand that problem, however it was a 1927 system. I assume I will eventually get a system that will fit my 1928.

I think there is a need for some competition in the exhaust systems for the 4-cylinders.

Park's second try at my exhaust pipe is sitting at the Post Office. I'll have to drive down there today and pick it up. It was interesting to talk to ChevyGuru about his problem fitting Park's exhaust to his 1916. Since he doesn't have the crossmember running under the transmission, he could calculate how much shorter the pipe needed to be. Without removing the crossmember (which I didn't want to do), I couldn't get the exhaust onto the manifold to check length. I'm hoping the 1-3/4" shorter pipe will work. But I don't have much faith that Park's understands early Chevys at all.

The good news is that Park's 1-3/4" shorter exhaust clears the crossmember and slides onto the manifold now. The bad news is that the muffler sits about 5/8" below the hanger bracket. I'll have to find some way to fill the gap.

ChevyGuru: your 2-1/4" shorter pipe should be pretty close.

This should not be the way to correct your problem, but the muffler bracket can be urged to accept enough bending to reach the point necessary to fit.

Even if the subject here also concerns the years from 1923 to 28 I am impressed it already has reached over 1000 viewers, and in a period from 26th Feb. until now. Bravo!

A big and joyful thank to all contributing both to the 1916 - 1922/490 part and to all other parts too.

Got a little time and installed the replacement exhaust system (see above) this afternoon. It fit like a glove! Good to go...

Good news! Tell Ruth Mary at Park's to make all their 490 exhaust pipes like yours.