VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 Radio exhaust spring

Today I removed the exhaust pipe from the orginal header, and there it was..the grounding spring connection on the pipe used for the radio. My car has never had a radio but the welded on attachment was there. I had never noticed it before today. There was a big discussion about the exhaust being grounded. It's there and it's in the parts section of the parts manual. A good thing to look for if you're a points junky and looking for something to pick on.

I agree that the attachment tab, and the cross member, are present as the connections for the spring, that is listed in the parts book. I have not been able to find a reference to the spring as having any relationship to the radio. Could you please provide me with your reference?

I guess it's not a spring connection but maybe a ground connection, my car doesn't have anything but the attachment to the pipe.

http://www.chevsofthe40s.com/detail/8845/Chevrolet_Ground_Strap_Muffler_To_Frame.html

http://www.chevsofthe40s.com/detail/7960/Chevrolet_Spring_Supports_Header_Pipe_Rear.html

It could be a spring or a ground strap. Something goes in that attachment welded to the exhaust pipe. The ground is for a radio according to the link.Both parts are listed for a 38 chevrolet.




I don't really understand what the attachment is for. Chevysofthe40s says the ground cable is radio related. Either way,it's a strange item.

You are getting your springs and cables mixed up. The subject was the spring for the support of the header pipe. That is NOT a ground for the radio.

OK, now we know what it isn't. So...what does it do? How could the exhaust pipe need a a spring that close to the exhaust header? It's rock solid. I crawled under the car and cut the pipe off today it is solid as a rock. Nothing is going to be springing up and down.Any guesses?

Actually there is something that goes up and down. It is the engine/transmission within the limits permitted with the rubber mounts. May not move much but a little is all that is necessary to require a springy support.

So that TINY spring ,just on one side of the engine is actually going to do that? That hole in the attachment is about 1/32 of an inch.

It's my belief that Chevrolet installed the subject spring to help eliminate exhaust pipe sage. As a kid, my 37 had the spring. If you look, you'll see lots of current 30's and 40's Chevrolets, that have replacement exhaust pipes and no spring, where the pipe appears to have sagged over time to a point where they look low and out of place.

That sounds better.My orginal pipe was a bit low, but the 216 manifold was bolted to a 235 engine. I thought the engine may be a bit different. The 235 I KNOW is longer by about 3/4 inch.

If you are talking about the block being longer than the 216 then you have a very special 235. All the rest of the 235s in existence are the same length. However the waterpump shaft is longer.

My 42 has that short spring attached to the exhaust pipe. I assumed is was for additional support.
Cleon

I have the short pump and it still got into the rear motormount crossmember by at least 1/2 inch. If you put one in a 38 car you will hit the crossmember for sure. Trucks are not like the cars.



The block may be the same but the oilpan makes it to long to go in without modifying the crossmember.

I was told by a old timer that the spring was to keep tension on the exhaust pipe and help keep it from rocking at coming loose at the connection to the exhaust manifold. May just be myth, but it sounded good at the time.

Sounds good to me.I guess they drove into the fields and rough roads alot.

Tennessee engine-neering./

Don...you are forgetting,we are the "Old Timers" now.
So be careful what you say because you may be quoted in the future.....ED

The pan is indeed longer on the newer 235 and the 216, I believe from 1940 up.

The only one I know about is the 56/235. There are so many different kinds of chevy inline six engines, it's hard to keep up with the facts.

http://pugetsoundvintagechevrolet.org/Programs/6%20cylinder%20engines%20with%20photos.pdf