A Mopar racer approached me Sunday and had a question about his late uncle's one owner 61 Plymouth Fury Golden Commando.

He described these "trumpet" looking things coming out of the left and right exhaust manifolds. I told him to bring me a picture so here ya go!

What the hell are theses things?

They are perfectly symmetrical left and right. Where they screw into the manifolds there appear to be a set of cooling fins.

Damned old Dodge boys always tootin' their own horns! You find out let us know, I have never seen them

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You don't quit playing because you get old; you get old because you quit playing!

I might think that they are for putting your ear on to listen in the same manner that you would with a screw driver... you know for knocks, ticking valves and odd noises?

That's about the most bizarre thing I've ever seen on a car. Durned if I can even muster a sorry guess...

mabey they pop if the engine gets too hot...

That's where you put your elbow when resting your chin on your palm contemplating why the engine is misfiring...

A clearer shot of the one on the right and about 3 less can's of Chrome Spray paint and I'd take a copuple guesses...

Chryslers idea of factory cut-outs???

I give up...tell us what they are.

_________________________
Mark Landen

those are sgt. peppers lost trumpets.

What does the sticker read? (whats left of it anyway)

First thing I thought was the 383 Sonoramic V8.
You know Plymouths 30-inch aluminum Cross ram manifolds?







I would guess these were the early version of the heat exchange elbow off the exhaust manifolds for the automatic choke setup for the Four-barreled Carter AFB's




But in every picture I find the Sonoramic manifold is blocking the view. So I can't visually confirm my theory...


Anyway, that is my guess.
Why they are shaped like trumpets? I haven't the slightest clue.
And did the manufacturer cap them, or was the Sanoramic Manifolds removed later... I also dunno.
But this year of fury did have the Sanoramic Ram induction manifold option.


Richard

RatStang Automotive Rotisserie Restorations.
http://www.RatStangRestoration.com

Heat risers for the duel crossram intake ?

beat me to the post

Too cool for me.

Dang, alternators in 1961? Beat Ford by a few years...

I have NO IDEA what those things are.

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Mike Burch
66 mustang real street
302 4-speed 289 heads
10.63 @ 129.3
http://www.mustangworks.com/cgi-bin/moi-display.cgi?220

I don't think they're for thh cross ram intake guy's... It evry pic with cross ram's that I looked at, the manifolds sit WAY too low, this trumpet's little round cap would be at the level of the top of the venturi's, or maybe a little higher..

I'm very curious to find out what they are and I know someone, who might have our answer. He's an old codger who has nearly every model of Dodge made since 1938...

I'll post my findings on Thursday...

They were found on all early Chrysler V 8 engines. They're harmonic exhaust balancers, that interact with the flux capacitors. They help in the transition going from the standard "mph" to light speed. If you would try to make the transition without them, you would end up as a steaming pile of poop on the floor of your car.
Very critical items to have, and while they did work, you would have to constantly tinker with them to keep them operating properly.
My uncle had just one of them malfunction while warming up the car to take my aunt to the store. By the time auntie May got out to the car, uncle Roscoe was a steaming plie of poo on the floorboard. I dont think she ever got the stink out of that car.

And I thought they only came on the Millennium Falcon

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You don't quit playing because you get old; you get old because you quit playing!

I'm going to print those pics and take them with me to the Chrysler Proving Grounds and ask some engineers and mechanics next time I'm there, if I can remember. I'm not scheduled to go back there until December.

Skipping a few doses of the medication again, huh, Chuck?

*************{QUOTE} Skipping a few doses of the medication again, huh, Chuck?*************{END}

Hehehehe.... I'm with you there Doug, but I think it brings out the creativeness in good old Chuck, that was simply the best explanation I've read!

As a kid my dad always drove Dodge and Chrysler cars and my first cars were Plymouths and Dodges. As I recall, and my research shows me, the Chrysler cars came mostly with 318, 361 and 383 V8's. The 395 is really just a 361 with a four barrel. I found nothing on the trumpets. Although they look stock could they have been some kind of aftermarket horn? I don't see any brackets for an operation cable though. I can't wait to see who finds out what they really are.

The "395" is the torque rating. It's a bigger number and bigger is better, at least in those days.

Buick had a Wildcat 445 which was a 401"

Edsel had a E-475 which was a 410"

Etc, etc, etc.............

After another look those things are not trumpets! They are Bugles!!! Like in Army Bugle, playing Taps or Reveli (sp). I still don't know why the f someone adapted them to the exhaust manifold though.

They probably dont do anything, they'er on a MOPAR

Looking at the construction, they have hex fittings and a clip in the middle that appears to be designed for heat expansion, which would make sense hooked to the exmans, but what they would hook to who knows. The whole heat riser thing with carbs sitting on 'em would make some sense, but why wouldn't you cap off the exman with a pipe cap and throw those horns away?

Gotta be a device for pulling instant heat from the engine and putting it somewhere.

I spoke with a Mopar man today who's owned nearly every Dodge/Plymouth since 1938 and he's stumped too...

I still need a 1938 Desoto Business Coupe Instrument glass or whole cluster.

and a set of 4 DeSoto Hub caps for the 38 as well.

Obviously they are some sort of aftermarket gizmo.

I'll try to find out what it says on the sticker of the passenger side unit. That might give a clue.....

Aftermarket or experimental, maybe from the Ramchargers bag of tricks. They don't look anything like any exhaust manifold whistles that I've ever seen.