Early A body HP muffler question

[pbiggs]

I'm trying to restore a 65 and 66 Formula S to original specs and need some information concerning the exhaust system.
I have a 65, 66 and 67 parts book the information below is from those books


For 1-4 bbl 273......muffler pt#.........extension pipe pt #
1965......................2534468............2534456
1966......................2660541............2660538
1967......................2856245............2823439

I was under the impression 1965-67 273 HP exhaust systems are all the same. (I know a different part number doesn't necessarily mean a different part. I think this is because Chrysler sometimes changed vendor and would change the part number to reflect a new vendor)
Does anybody know why there are 6 different part numbers from the above list?

Over the past couple of years, I have bought two NOS Chrysler mufflers, each supposedly for the 273 HP engine A body cars. Neither were in factory boxes. One has part number 2534468 written with a magic marker..the other has no Chrysler part number. Both have the Chrysler "star", both have the number 10832 (vendor number I think). The 2534468 is dated 1/68 and the other is 10/67.

Both have the 2 1/4" inlet and outlet and one muffler is 3/4" shorter than the other. As you can see in the picture, the big difference is the 1/67 muffler has the inlet and outlet offset but the 10/68 does not.

By now you're probably are confused as I am. Question: Is either or both of these muffler correct for a 65 and 66 HP?

Thanks, Pat

 

[65dartcharger]

Interesting!

I'm restororing a 1965 DArt with the 273 HP engine and I have found out that the mufflers offered by Chrysler were different between the early 65-66 and 1967. My guess is that the body changes was the reason. I have 5 NOS mufflers with different date codes and the first thing is to found out which date your car was assembled. Second is to get a muffler made 0-3 month prior to your car's assembly date. Third is to get a orginal muffler, not a Chrysler "fits all HP engines". I bought one for NOS one which was in factory box with the sticker "fits all HP"

The muffler with the offset front inlet is the early style 65/66. The outlet should be in the center.

In this picture you see how the "fits all" looked like. It doesn't have the cut off on the front section.

The rear extension pipe were different between the Dart and the Valiant. That's the reason for different part#.

 

[66fs]

273 Commmando mufflers from 1965 thru sometime in 1966 are not offset but actually straight thru. You can look in the inlet and see someone on the outlet side. Kinda like a glasspack. The resonators are the same. Under pressure Chrysler went to the baffled muffler, offset inlet and exhaust, to quiet the exhaust note. Barracudas have a shorter wheel base than Darts. But I think it effects only the pipes. Not sure, I only had Barracudas. 1967 exhaust is very different than the 1965 and 1966. The Y pipe is longer and curves in as I remember, but is the same ID. Most parts were date coded but may have been a replacement part for a different year by 67 or 68, either 65-66 or 67. I would go by style first, date code second.

 

[chewy]

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