Author Topic: 69 Camaro 396 Exhaust manifolds  (Read 11820 times)

Jody

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69 Camaro 396 Exhaust manifolds
« on: November 11, 2013, 05:51:23 PM »
I have a 69 Camaro built the 4th week of OCTOBER 1968.  I need exhaust manifolds, I found a right side cast I 14 8, (Sept. 14, 1968) and a left side cast I 19 8, (Sept., 19 1968).  Are these dates too early for my car?
« Last Edit: November 11, 2013, 06:52:44 PM by Jody »

Jody

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Re: 69 Camaro 396 Exhaust manifolds
« Reply #1 on: November 11, 2013, 05:53:03 PM »
I forgot to ask what is a fair price to pay for these.  They are for sale by different people.   Left side worth?  Right side worth?

william

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Re: 69 Camaro 396 Exhaust manifolds
« Reply #2 on: November 11, 2013, 06:28:03 PM »
The body tag date of the car isn't the determining factor. The manifolds were installed at the engine plant so the engine build date is the key. It would have to be a short time after the casting dates.

I would be more concerned with the quality of the manifolds. They are often badly pitted or cracked along the parting lines. Very common for the end bolt hole flanges to be broken off. AIR manifolds are worth more than non-AIR.
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HOT3O2

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Re: 69 Camaro 396 Exhaust manifolds
« Reply #3 on: November 11, 2013, 06:51:06 PM »
I don't think 69 Camaros were built the 4th week (Jan) 0f 68. Did you forget to state the month?
Rick
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Jody

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Re: 69 Camaro 396 Exhaust manifolds
« Reply #4 on: November 11, 2013, 06:57:05 PM »
I did forget the month, October. Post has been edited.

Jody

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Re: 69 Camaro 396 Exhaust manifolds
« Reply #5 on: November 11, 2013, 07:04:22 PM »
Would I be better off just buying new manifolds through Classic Industries or D&R Classic Automotive who has "**GM Licensed**" manifolds.  Will originals fit and flow better?

68Zproject

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Re: 69 Camaro 396 Exhaust manifolds
« Reply #6 on: November 11, 2013, 07:06:21 PM »
Its just a guess, but my car 05D's engine was assembled early May so if your engine would have been assembled early Oct., I think those dates would be good.
68Z28

68Zproject

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Re: 69 Camaro 396 Exhaust manifolds
« Reply #7 on: November 11, 2013, 07:08:54 PM »
Would I be better off just buying new manifolds through Classic Industries or D&R Classic Automotive who has "**GM Licensed**" manifolds.  Will originals fit and flow better?

If the ones you are looking at are reasonable and in good shape, I would get them and hang on to them as finding dates and in good shape are getting harder.  Also, it depends if you're trying to go for an all correct car.  I don't believe the repro ones have dates.
68Z28

Jody

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Re: 69 Camaro 396 Exhaust manifolds
« Reply #8 on: November 11, 2013, 07:13:16 PM »
If reasonable is $300 for the right and $375 for the left.  Both sight unseen, both eBay. They have photos, but they have both been painted, which could have covered any visible cracks.  Both sellers have good reps on eBay.

Mike S

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Re: 69 Camaro 396 Exhaust manifolds
« Reply #9 on: November 11, 2013, 07:19:00 PM »
 As William stated, it depends on the date the engine was assembled. The manifolds should be before that date.
My 67 BB motor was assembled 02/14/67 and the exhaust manifolds were made the second week of Jan 67. So it looks like they sat almost a month before being assembled to a motor. Maybe the shelf life was shorter in '69 because the BB's were made in larger quantities.
 
Mike
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Mike S

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Re: 69 Camaro 396 Exhaust manifolds
« Reply #10 on: November 11, 2013, 07:22:17 PM »
If reasonable is $300 for the right and $375 for the left.  Both sight unseen, both eBay. They have photos, but they have both been painted, which could have covered any visible cracks.  Both sellers have good reps on eBay.

  The $375 price sounds like HB. If you don't need them ASAP -or- the dates are exact for what you need then I would hold off and keep looking. More reasonable deals do show up. $600+ for a set sounds like a lot.

Mike
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bergy

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Re: 69 Camaro 396 Exhaust manifolds
« Reply #11 on: November 12, 2013, 04:31:04 PM »
May be interesting to note that BB exhaust manifolds were cast 4 to a mold (2 RH and 2 LH) on lines 5 and 6.  Big block cases were cast one in a mold on line 1.  There wasn't a lot of room for rough casting inventory at the motor plant, so casting over-runs had to be stored at the foundry.  Parts that wound up in foundry inventory were stored "first in - last out", so castings that went into inventory tended to stay there for quite a while.  Most of the inventory area at the foundry was located outside and was such a mess (particularly in the winter in western New York) that scheduling would often cast new parts rather then try to find the previously cast parts located in inventory.  Soooo - if you find a nice set of exhaust manifolds that are within 6 months before the engine build date - no one should cry foul!

x77-69z28

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Re: 69 Camaro 396 Exhaust manifolds
« Reply #12 on: November 12, 2013, 04:42:50 PM »
Did they use "I" in casting numbers? I thought that would be an "L" or December?
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Jody

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Re: 69 Camaro 396 Exhaust manifolds
« Reply #13 on: November 12, 2013, 04:47:17 PM »
"I" is September

1slow64

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Re: 69 Camaro 396 Exhaust manifolds
« Reply #14 on: November 18, 2013, 11:55:38 PM »
i have a set in my shop. i will check the dates and get back to you.
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