Exhaust Hangar Question

[73_Cuda_4_Me]

Getting ready to replace exhaust and tips, and find I have a single one of these bolted to frame rail on passenger side... nothing similar on driver's side (although there is hole and J-nut for one).

Above axle on BOTH sides, I have the rubber hangars bolted to shock mount bracket that are holding over-axle pipes...

Is this frame hangar the correct one for an E-body from 73, or is it from another type of car (like a B Body)?

[CUDA JAS]

There is a thread on here showing that same baracket...it appears to be factory for 73 / 73 ebodys.

But good luck finding another one!

Jason

[73_Cuda_4_Me]

Thanks for this, Jason... been scouring Mopar parts sites, and no luck so far... I might have to make my own for driver side hanger...

Almost everyone selling hangers today says it should be the 'through the trunk floor' hanger and S bracket... also should only have one of the twin-ring rubber mounts above passenger rear shock. I have factory bolt-in brackets that hold the twin-ring hangers above both rear shocks... the bolts are pressed into the shock cross-brace, and the hanger mounts vertical to those two bolts, with locknuts forward facing toward rear seat sheet metal..

[burdar]

There could have been changes mid year.  What I've seen for 73's is (1) rubber hanger on the shock x-member on the passengers side.  Then, (1) two piece hanger that goes through the floor pan behind the back seat on the drivers side.  74's use (2) of those rubber hangers on the shock x-member.  Looking at your fender tag readout, your SPD is 703.(July 3rd)  That's a very late production 73.  It's very possible that the exhaust hangers were changed in late 73 instead of in 74.

Is your trunk floor drilled for the heat shield brackets that bolt through the trunk?  My 73 Challenger had one on the passengers side.(single exhaust car)  If your trunk isn't drilled, then what is holding up the back of the heat shield?  Just the front bolt on the shock x-member and the bolts into the frame rail?

I have a similar bracket that I found in my parts stash but I don't know where it came from.  I doubt it was on the Challenger since I have the trunk bracket.  I'll have to look for it and see if it matches yours.  I thought it might have been from an 82 Cordoba I used to have.

[73_Cuda_4_Me]

Burdar, yes it is a late 73 model... possibly could be the last 340 Cuda off the line, it's in that area... door tag dated "7-73" has 'MDH' (bottom left corner) of 072512... but I have no proof to that claim...

The heat shields are bolted to the frame and shock brace, and there is a spot-welded stud on bottom of trunk floor that one of two holes at rear of shields go over at the rear, then a fender nut (nut/washer combo about 1-1/2 " diameter) to hold shield tight to trunk floor. There are no drilled holes in my trunk floor for heat shield or for muffler hangers...

Classic Industries has a frame hanger that is similar, but for a B body... that is the only one that bolts to bottom of frame rail, with the tang hole up on side of frame rail. Not exact match though...

I have not been able to find the U-bolt hanger metal piece similar to what is shown in the picture... it slides into the rubber piece from back side, goes down and over toward tail pipe about 2 inches, and the u-bolt goes up from bottom into that piece to hold pipe/tip in place.

[burdar]

How sure are you that it's factory?  The hole that the exhaust clamp goes into has been cut out with a cutting torch.  I can see the rough cut hole in your picture.

[crash340]

my 73 Cuda had its original exhaust system when I got my car, it had one of each of those rear brackets, marked L and R, they steel piece that is attached to the pipe bolted to the rear of the mufflers. it had one only of the large rubber hangers bolted to the shock x memeber on the passenger side, the drivers side had a hanger just behind the resonator attached to the floor rise

[73_Cuda_4_Me]

The hole in the bracket has been elongated with a torch because prev. owner put a set of 'home made' tips on... alignment, pipe size <2", exhaust routing is SNAFU... I'm going to 2-1/2" exhaust from headers back to new correct tips... and getting all the 'cobble' out....

That bracket is Tahitian Gold Poly and Undercoat... same as frame rails and most of trunk pan... The heat shield looks like PO melted a hole in it with torch for a bolt, maybe to mount belt-type muffler clamp bracket at some point, but trunk floor solid above it.

That being said, how sure am I that it is factory? - Pretty sure, but would not state positive it is...

I'd like to fix it right, though....

[burdar]

The paint overspray on the heat shield and muffler hangers wasn't factory.  Those items were installed after paint.  The car probably has a repaint or two in its lifetime. 

So with your post and crash340's post, it seems like the trunk floor hangers were discontinued sometime in late 73.  My early 73 has them.  I'd like to hear from some 74 owners to see what their cars have.  It's possible that this detail is only on the Plymouths and not on the Dodges.  So, both Cuda and Challenger owners(73 and 74) please chime in and tell us what is on your cars and what your SPD is.

[73_Cuda_4_Me]

Thanks for that, Crash340... it's what I suspected... I think they used the frame hanger as a tip locator at rear of muffler going out valance panel...

I have no mufflers... only resonators ahead of axle, then cobbled over-axle pipes back to 'tips'...

Both axle hangers look factory mounted to shock crossmember, though... but again, am I positive? Nope...

Once my sternum heals back together and I can wrench on it again, I'll get under and get better pix...

[crash340]

that hole in the heat sheild looks like someone has spiked it from above, is there a hold in the trunk floor, thats right where they collect water inside the trunk, my Cuda is a 18th Dec 72 build BTW

[73_Cuda_4_Me]

Burdar - entirely possible, to be sure... also sure it has seen several coats of paint before I got it...!

I just want to correct things as much as I can as I go along, so thank you for asking for feedback... it would be nice to know how 74's came out, so I appreciate any feedback!

Now, if someone only made the L/R frame brackets and offset U-bolt mounts....!  heeheehee

Crash - no hole in trunk floor above it... there is about 3/4" gap between shield and trunk at that point....

[crash340]

When I fitted the MF system to my car I used those rear brackets, you can buy them, cant remember who from but I have seen them. I did pretty much what your car has now in order to hold the tips at the correct location in the valance. Im not sure if you can see them in this pic so well

[burdar]

Since crash340's car is also an early build, it looks like that frame bracket is a Barracuda/Cuda piece.

This bracket is on the passengers side only on an early 73.  Both sides on a 74.  It must have been a running change sometime during 73 production.

[73_Cuda_4_Me]

Crash - can see offset brackets on your pic... I need the one for driver side... both frame mount and offset hanger piece...

Burdar - Bottom rubber hanger in your pic is what I have on both sides on shock cross-member... the clamp is formed round stock like in your pic clamping the over-axle pipes... new ones I can find are the flat stock shown in upper part of photo... I'm okay with the new style, just everyone else says only one ever used on passenger side only... I'll just get two of them...

Now if can get the rear muffler hanger pieces for driver's side... I'd be good to go!

Thanks to both of you for input, and for any more info on year changes from anyone! If you happen to remember where you came across the pieces, please let me know!