A classic truck project's exhaust system is many times one of the final phases of a build-one that often gets thought about and/or tackled after the chassis, suspension, brake, and driveline upgrades have been handled. It's also one that aside from pipe diameter and the exhaust note/muffler choice doesn't often garner the degree of thought or planning it should.
Before swinging by the local muffler shop, though, we should ask ourselves a couple of exhaust-related questions. Things like pipe routing, the inclusion of a crossover pipe or not, and muffler location (either before or after the rear axle assembly) should be considered as they will play a role in the ease or difficulty of future repairs or modifications. In other words, you don't want to run your pipes and/or hang your mufflers in areas that'll require you to drop either part or all of the system to access and/or replace say your brake master, or transmission/transmission pan and filter if you can possibly help it. Believe me, I'm speaking from experience. Years ago when I built my last F-1, I fabbed my exhaust system myself mostly while lying on my back under the truck with my nose 5 inches from the floorboards. When I was finished, I thought I'd done a great job and made sure to boast to anyone who'd stand still long enough to listen just how good it worked and how well it ended up-oh, and did I mention I did it myself?
It wasn't long after that my under-floor brake master took a dump-a situation that was unfortunate, but not earth-shattering. I figured it to be about a one-hour job I could handle the following morning before I was going to meet the guys for a run out to the beach (in our classic trucks, of course). Ha, boy was I in for a treat ... That home-fabbed, fully welded 21/2-inch exhaust system I'd been crowing about just weeks before just happened to completely block access to said master cylinder. And since I did/do have a nice tubing bender-but not a tube expanding tool-I'd butt-welded all the joints, turning the multi-piece conglomeration into one big giant Rube Goldberg-like monstrosity. To make a long story short, it took an additional few hours, a handful of Sawzall blades, and a snoot full of metal shavings to gain access to said master cylinder, and to redesign and reinstall the system. That's where a product like Juliano's new Pro Clamp stainless steel exhaust connector system would have been a godsend.
The Pro Clamp is an easy-to-install, great-looking exhaust clamping assembly that works even better than it looks-which is a breath of fresh air in these days of off-shore hot rod trinkets. The Pro Clamp is a rather simple concept at its core, consisting of three precision-machined stainless steel components. First, a threaded male piece, which is flush-cut to mate with an exhaust pipe or muffler at one end and a 37-degree male flare at the opposite end. Second, a female piece (again flush-cut at one end to mate with a pipe or muffler) that is machined with an integral raised rib and a female 37-degree flare at the opposite or mating end. Finally, a fluted stainless locking nut, which slides over the female piece and threads onto the male piece holding the two flared pieces together to form a leakfree union. The Pro Clamp's benefits are numerous. First, there's no crimping required, no gaskets to mess with or that will eventually blow out, and, best of all, they don't leak. Plus, when Pro Clamps are incorporated to any system they allow that system to be assembled and/or disassembled in seconds with the use of a spanner wrench made specifically for (and which is supplied with) the Pro Clamp clamping system.
If I'd had the advantage of the Pro Clamp system back when I'd first fabbed that F-1 exhaust system, removing the section of exhaust that blocked that master cylinder would have been a snap. It would've also made that system look much more professional than the butt-welded monstrosity I'd been so proud of at the time. That said, I'll more than likely be using Pro Clamps on my next home-brewed exhaust system. Until then, though, let's take a closer look at Juliano's Pro Clamp system and see just how easy they are to install as well as how good they look.
