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Sat Dec 04, 2010 7:47 pm

I read in one of the "Barn Find Threads", that a 1960 muffler on a 36 HP engine is tilted slightly upwards and will hit the notches on the rear apron of a 56-59. Is this true? and if so, is there a fix.

Thanks

Sun Dec 05, 2010 12:03 am

Never heard of a 1960-only 36hp muffler and/or rear apron before

Sun Dec 05, 2010 5:07 am

i have a 60 only muffler

-has coffee can vw logo sides
-flared heater box pipes
- its cadmium plated -not simply painted

the exhaust tips actually point lower , due to the 1960 only trans mount being below the torsion tube in effect tiltiing the drivetrain 2 degrees forward and improving the handling for 1960 beetles. 61 was 40hp, so a different muffler after 60 making a 60 muffler a 1 year only deal. this change causes a stock official original VW 1959 and earlier muffler to hit the apron if installed on a 1960. (im sure if this is encountered the OG service bulletin way woul dbe to wack them down with a rubber mallet - LOL)

using a 1960 muffler on a 59 and earlier chassis will have the tips hanging lower than original but not really noticeable and not a problem like the opposite.

My guess for currently available aftermarket reproduction exhausts is that they emulate the 1960 exhaust since they are universal . im sure when vw offered available replacements, they only offered the 1960 style (no more splayed heater box tubes mufflers would have been available as they were adapted with a new muffler clamp kit- VW still practices this as ive found with my new beetle)

as for the rear apron it is the same as always, no change here for 1960, or 61,62,63 either

Sun Dec 05, 2010 9:11 am

yes it was true, but it has to be a really old muffler for this to happen as they didn't make that muffler for very long before they started making a more universal muffler,IIRC, that split the difference so it would fit all.
What I did on one was to heat up the tail pipe flange and gently bend it to where it needed to be.

Sun Dec 05, 2010 11:07 am

Thank you all, I feel better now. I'm in for the 60 36 HP :D

Sun Dec 05, 2010 4:53 pm

With my 36 hp NOS repo muffler,the "flared" J -pipe tubes made it so you have to use the clamp kit with the doughnut/2 piece clamp/bolts & nuts.........BUT the clamp would NOT fit since the clamp would HIT the heater box so I had to modify the flared end and use the OG style flat 36HP style clamps.
All the mufflers I see for sale in the classifieds have the "flared" ends,and it is rare to find the tubes with the slits in them for the OG flat clamp style.
I don't know how guys are putting these on without the 2 piece clamp hitting the heater box!

Mon Dec 06, 2010 3:23 pm

808OvalGreasemonkey wrote: With my 36 hp NOS repo muffler,the "flared" J -pipe tubes made it so you have to use the clamp kit with the doughnut/2 piece clamp/bolts & nuts.........BUT the clamp would NOT fit since the clamp would HIT the heater box so I had to modify the flared end and use the OG style flat 36HP style clamps.
All the mufflers I see for sale in the classifieds have the "flared" ends,and it is rare to find the tubes with the slits in them for the OG flat clamp style.
I don't know how guys are putting these on without the 2 piece clamp hitting the heater box!

The easy way is to slide a piece of pipe inside the muffler tubes and pound the flare flat, then using a dremel with a cut off wheel, cut slots into the muffler pipe so it can be splayed, and you can now use the old flat clamps

Mon Dec 06, 2010 3:28 pm

That is what I did! I used a socket on the inside and A CUTOFF WHEEL to cut the slits.PITA though.........small kine exhaust leaks at the slits :evil: