1964 Nationals at Indianapolis

[oldskool]

"...I cant figure that because it was already open headers by that time!..."

I have no idea what the rules were for Indy '64.

When I started, in '73, you had to have mufflers & exhaust pipes to the back axle. But, the pipes coming out of the front of the muffs didn't have to be connected to the down pipes from the exhaust manifolds. Local rules didn't require stock size muffs. Mine had the round glasspacks I'd run on the street, with straight 2 1/2" pipes, almost to the rear axle.

And, the rules didn't say the down pipes had to be stock diameter. So, I had a muff shop make me a pair of down pipes. Used a real short section of stock diameter pipe, to connect to my RA manifolds. Then those stubs quickly enlarged to 3" diameter pipe. Had flanges at the ends, just like headers.

If you took a quick look underneath, from the sides, they appeared to be headers. Even had matching flanges on the exhaust pipes, so that you could bolt 'em up to the down pipes if you wanted to. Some thought I did have headers. So, I had to pop the hood & show a few guys that I didn't. I suppose they told others & soon nobody asked about 'em anymore.

The 1st pic below is what I assume is a re-creation of the A/S Don Gay car. There appears to be some sort of exhaust under the car, which is not headers or down pipes. Don't know if that is suppose to simulate what was under the car, at some point, or not. None of the pics I have of the original car seem to show any type of exhaust under the car.

Pic #2 is my Goat, in '73. You can clearly see the big 3" head pipe, under the car. Pic #3 is a closer view of the exhaust system. You can make out the front of the exhaust pipe & the outline of the bottom of the muff, just below the bottom of the frame rail. In pic #4, you can clearly see the head pipe & front of exhaust pipe, as the car launched. The head pipe looks white. But that was just the light shinning on it. They were not painted.

Headers were legal for our Stockers, in '75. So, I removed all exhaust system except the headers, from both cars.