Jag IFS in my Hudson

54coupe

Someone asked me about the factory Jaguar mounts for the crossmember. This is what they look like. 

54coupe

I have been struggling over what to do about my exhaust. I’ve been looking at headers, but haven’t been able to find anything I thought would work, unless I bought two sets so I could get a left and right that would both work. I have also thought about making a set. I ended up acquiring these from my niece and her husband. They took them off of their 72 Torino with the 429 Cobra Jet, when they went to headers. These will work fine for me for now, and I may tackle making headers sometime down the road. I think these manifolds will give me lower temps under the hood than headers, though they probably won’t flow as well. I am going to send them out to be coated before I put them on.

hudshornet

@54coupe
How is the project coming?  Still happy with the jag choice?  I emailed you a question today regarding the shock mounts.

54coupe

Well… that won’t work. The driver’s side is fine, but the passenger side doesn’t stay tight enough against the block.

StepUp

Not sure how old this thread is and whether it's active? Thought I'd post a few pics of the other end of a '54 Couple sporting a Jag IRS. I'll start another thread dedicated to the IRS  subject if there's interest in additional pics.

Other features include a 468 BBC, Edelbrock ProFlow4 FI, Tremec 6 speed, '75 Monte Carol front suspension.

The car just successfully completed what I call the "1000-mile Mechanical Reliability" stress test. Now it's time to pull everything apart and begin the actually restoration journey.

I'll be taking plenty of pics along the way. Let me know if you are interested in seeing.

StepUp

54coupe

this is still an active thread and build this is still an active. Please do start a thread on the IRS. I would love to see it.

StepUp

Shall do (sorry for butting into this one). Nice work and pictures ---keep them coming!

DTEL8811

Yes would love to learn more as well regarding the monte front ssuspension and the IRS suspension. I have a 51 hudson pacemaker 2 door sedan that I am sarting a resto project on

52hudsonman

you can use ram horn exhaust manifolds they go straight down in the middle that's what I used on my 52 wasp with a 350 chevy

54coupe

I'm not sure who you are suggesting the ram horns to... StepUp has a big block Chevy in his car. I have a big block Ford in mine. There doesn't seem to be ram horn type manifold for either of these engines.

54coupe

Well, the police interceptor manifolds didn't work. It looks like I will be learning how to make a set of headers.... I've been sidetracked with a 57 Chevy pickup. I hope to be back on this real soon.

54coupe

I started messing around with my header flanges and tubing, trying to make the round tube fit the oval flanges. I did this experimental piece with a 4” long piece of tubing, and no heat. I’m going to see if I can get the same results with a 2” piece.

54coupe

Doing a little shop cleanup in preparation for the California Inland Chapter meet tomorrow, and got the 54 out to make room for tables inside. Thought I would share a couple of photos.

54coupe

Started on the headers on Sunday. The rear tube will go under the strut, and the front three will go over it. The collector will be outside the frame rail, as shown.

StepUp

Thanks for the update! I'm also running behind schedule on my '54 thanks to a needy Suburban. Are you planning on running dual exhaust all the way back to the rear bumper or jetting the tail pipes out just ahead of the rear wheels? The original Hudson fuel tank makes it challenging to squeak the pipes past especially if they are 2.5" inch or bigger. 

54coupe

I would prefer to have the exhaust go all the way out the back, but I don't know if that is realistic, with the space provided.

StepUp

I think it's possible but would require sacrificing the spare tire wheel well in the trunk. Remove the well and blank off the hole left in the trunk with flat sheet metal. This modification now allows space to slide the gas tank over towards the passenger side of the car. Sliding the tank over 2-3 inches might provide just enough space to run exhaust pipes between each side of the gas tank and the inner frame. The gas tank's filler neck would then have to be lengthened to reach the new location. A cut to the neck and a flexible fuel extension hose might do the trick. Thought I'd share the concept. I need to measure twice if not trice again before any cutting. Laying the spare tire on the floor of the trunk seems like a fair trade off in order to have full length dual exhausts on a BB.    

StepUp

Not to crowd your posting here see new thread---'54 Dual X Concept

54coupe

StepUp said:

I think it's possible but would require sacrificing the spare tire wheel well in the trunk. Remove the well and blank off the hole left in the trunk with flat sheet metal. This modification now allows space to slide the gas tank over towards the passenger side of the car. Sliding the tank over 2-3 inches might provide just enough space to run exhaust pipes between each side of the gas tank and the inner frame. The gas tank's filler neck would then have to be lengthened to reach the new location. A cut to the neck and a flexible fuel extension hose might do the trick. Thought I'd share the concept. I need to measure twice if not trice again before any cutting. Laying the spare tire on the floor of the trunk seems like a fair trade off in order to have full length dual exhausts on a BB.    

I will look into that.

54coupe

I was able to get the last piece of tubing for this cylinder cut last night, and tack welded them together. I may have to buy some U-bends with a tighter radius for some of these cylinders. I’m planning on doing the one with the stub in it next.

Glowplug

54coupe said:

I was able to get the last piece of tubing for this cylinder cut last night, and tack welded them together. I may have to buy some U-bends with a tighter radius for some of these cylinders. I’m planning on doing the one with the stub in it next.

Dany  watch the fellow on BITCHING RIDES SHOW who does the exhausts.  He uses a Circle of stainless tubing and a protractor to cut slices into the circle allowing his to curve around obstacles.  Might be a solution for your problem? 

bent metal

I'm not an exhaust expert.  Nothing wrong with the way you are doing it.  But I was thinking you would make the front tube first and run it to the collector where you have that tube going.  This would give you the "longest" tube length so that you could make the other tubes close to the same length.  Start building from the head, front to back.  Connecting to the collector Inside bottom, outside bottom, top inside, top outside.  Keeping the first tube down as low as you can.  Then each tube after that would be fit above the previous tube.

Fred_Pitz

I've been watching your build since you started.  It should be a really impressive car.

For what it is worth I built a 52 Hornet with a built 55 Olds, 37 LaSalle trans, stock Olds starter location on driver side, hydraulic clutch and 4 sets of 1 1/2" lowering blocks in front and 2 sets of 3" blocks in back, back in 1957.   At 18 and with somewhat limited knowledge and skills I ran the exhaust outside the frame with modified stock manifolds (hacked) and mufflers and turn downs between the frame and rockers.  There was NO way to get past the starter, steering box, clutch cylinder and brake linkage.  It worked but was too noisy, (who cared in those days).  I tried to run the pipes out the back, but never could figure it out.

Fast forward 60 +/- years.  I bought a 51 Commodore coupe with plans to build a 50's semi-custom.  After a lot of study, I don't think you can get the exhaust back inside the frame after you go outside without major surgery.  The LS engine with Hooker cast manifolds should work well.  The drive shaft tunnel needs to be widened in the rear footwell area to fit both pipes.

StepUp's comments on centering the tank will easily get you out the back. 
   

54coupe

So I welded up the front tube to go to the lower inside of the collector. I think Bent Metal was correct in thinking that it would fit better that way. I’m going to see.

54coupe

The second tube is done. It goes to the lower outside of the collector.

54coupe

This is half of the kit I started with. I started on the third tube.

54coupe

One to go.

54coupe

The tubing is all reworked. Now I have to take it apart and finish weld all the joints before I can attach the flange and collector.

54coupe

I worked the tubing around the struts. When it comes time to install everything, the headers will have to go on first, then the strut, then the inner fender, and splash guards. I’m working on the other side now too.