Rear exhaust pipe

[Old Dave]

When I bought "Alice" a few years ago she had a tailpipe that was straight as die and left the silencer box and went straight back under the axle and tank. It was not attached anywhere other than where it was clamped in the rear of the silencer. Tis was clearly not right, but to fair it worked.

A couple of years ago I purchased the rear ipe seen in the attached photos. It was billed as an RP exhaust I believe, which given my RN thinks it is an RP seemed to fit the need. I couldn't work out where it was supposed to attch to the car after it left the silencer. Eventually I fashioned a rubber mounting to hold the pipe up above the axle. THe tailpipe hangs down very low (see photos again)

Where have I gone wrong? Should the swans neck section tilt sideways at all? which would bring the end of the tailpipe higher?

Advice gratefully received as always.

Thanks

Dave

           

[David Stepney]

Your tailpipe appears to be the wrong shape. I have just fitted a new exhaust system to my own RP, and the replacement tailpipe has the part after the bends at the same height as the part from the silencer.

The RP exhaust has only two mountings; one at the rear of the silencer, which should have a bracket which bolts to the rear cross member and one at the end of the tailpipe adjacent to the petrol tank.

I have just been out to the garage to see if I could post photos, but it’s too dark in there and the lord only knows what young Leon has done with my inspection lamp. I will try to take photos an post them tomorrow.

[Steve kay]

Gosh, David, I thuoght that every Seven used on Welsh or Herefordshire roads, regularly filled back seats or luggage racks, did nav rallies let alone went trialling had side emission exhausts. Perhaps Cheshire is all billiard tables.

[Peter Naulls]

I have a Ruby one which has the opposite problem to yours Dave - the hump over the axle is about 2" too low. Either someone has mixed them up or they are somewhat inaccurate.

[Ivor Hawkins]

Silly question, but do you have the pipe back to front?

Here are a couple of photographs of my set up on an RP, the exhaust was just classed as LWB, so I assumed it was designed to fit both late box saloons and Rubies.

I had to do a bit of twisting and turning, but in the end, It worked out fine.

Sorry they are upside down, it’s this strange forum, click them to view them the right way up!

       

[Dave Mann]

In the 60 odd years of running RN saloons I've never found a supplier of the exhaust system for them. The RP system front pipe is the wrong shape to go through the hole in the front cross member so I used a SWB car front pipe which was the right shape and welded a piece on to make it the right length. The silencer was OK and I initially used a tail pipe which exited in front of the RNS wheel. When I learnt the correct tailpipe shape I made one. With the whole system correct I supplied it as a pattern to a stainless steel exhaust maker and this is how it goes.                 . 3 speed RN tailpipes do not go over the rear axle but 4 speed RN tailpipes do go over the axle.

[Colin Morgan]

I will admit that I was fitting new tail pipe on my Ruby a while back - and struggling in a dark pit - but it wouldn't go in right - UNTIL I turned it round!

[Ruairidh Dunford]

I also think that it is on back to front.

[Old Dave]

Thanks everyone for your insights.

Well first - is it the wrong way round? I don't think it can be for two reasons. The other way round the curve over the axle immediately hit the roof (so to speak) The difference in height between the two straight bits is several inches (as David Stepney alluded to above) that is why it so low at the back - look at the second pic on its side (sorry). Also after the curve, as it is now the pipe is almost vertical to clear the tank (see pic 1). When I tried the other around it fouled the tank and hit the roof.

I have seen quite a few RN's (no rear tank) with a short piece of pipe coming out of the silencer and then sharply towards the nearside and emitting there. I did consider this as a solution but decided that it allowed emissions to possibly enter the car when going slow or stopped. The wife could take her chances, but the grandmonsters in the back - well... It also requires at least a 45 deg turn in the pipe to clear the rear wheel. It's an attractive cheap solution with the advantages that Steve Kay mentions above.

Dave Mann's solution is very neat but as he shows he has a proper RN with no tank in the way. My car having aspiration to be an RP comes with downsides.

I like the look of your solution Ivor - I think I would have to bend my pipe a bit to force it out to the nearside of the tank and fashion a bracket. I would still have to shortened the drop so the last section is not so low. Perhaps my friend who knows little of A7's but almost everything about metal could help with bending and cutting.

Thank you all for your help.

PS - I have just stopped worrying about the exhaust pipe for now as the front oilway plug bolt (is that what it's called) is leaking badly again - I may be back for advice.

[Nick Lettington]

Why not cut and sleeve the downward section that is too long? No one will be able to see it unless you run them over!