Topic: 1968 KR500 exhust tips

[ruppstang]

Are the 68 KR500 duel quad tips chrome or stainless? The original Ford clamp on style for my 68 HCS were chrome and was wondering if the KR was the same.

[sportyworty]

 Ford used both steel pipe and aluminized pipe the latter being most common on line parts as it was what was used on the tail pipes themselves. The quad tips/ends themselves were stainless which confuses people because it was a magnetic variety. This includes  67-69  quad tips regardless of  clamp or welded Shelby. None were Chrome of the many samples I have seen. The factory drawings call out the T9 stainless.

[ruppstang]

May be Scott Fuller will weigh in on this I was thinking he told me they were chrome.

[PerkinsRestoration]

Marti,
I believe the C7ZA-5C262-H  tips were stainless. The C9ZA- 5C262-E  appear to be chrome plated. The originals on my unrestored 69 Mach have a few pits in the chrome. I will take a few pics tomorrow of my samples. I believe the same is true on the 68 KR big block tail pipes, aluminized tailpipe with stainless tips and 69 428CJ aluminized tailpipe with chrome tips. It's been several years since Scott and I discussed this topic? At that time I had NOS 68 KR pipes I've since traded for 69's.

[Scott Fuller]

I have quite a few pairs of original tips.  Some are the C7ZA-5C262 and C9ZA-5C262 shorties that Bob mentions.  Some are C8ZA-5C262/C8ZA5C203 (KR and 68.5 CJ). And some are  C9ZA-5C262/C9ZA-5C203 (428 Mustang/Mach).  As far as I can tell none of them are chromed.   I've cut many of the tips from the tailpipes and had them polished and none required chrome removal.  Admittedly, I haven't seen every pair, but one would think that I'd have run across at least one pair that was chromed, and I haven't yet.  When polished they obviously appear chrome...which I guess was the point when Ford made them.  Also shown is a photo of an original tip I cut off a pipe, had polished, and rewelded to one of my tailpipes that is now on one of my cars.  I've tried to weld the tips after they are chromed and the chrome always would flake off due to the heat of welding them.  I would think Ford would have had the same issue if they were chromed.  Stainless avoids that problem.

Scott

[ruppstang]

Thanks guys for all of the great information. Possibly a PO chrome plated the originals on our HCS because I know they were chrome. Scott you are right the issues with the welding the chrome tips would have been enough to stop Ford from using Chrome.
Thanks Marty

[PerkinsRestoration]

The tip on left is a 69, the tip on right is a 67 in the first 3 pics. Note the difference in finish. Also note the inside of 69 has chrome flash appearance while the 67 has no shine at all. The big block tip in picture 4 a 69 appears to be chrome also. I also included a picture of 69 Fairlane tip, (stainless) and 70 which is chrome. I have 3 67 Mustang tips no doubt polished stainless like the one pictured, I have (5) 69 like the one pictured, 4 appear to be chrome, one polished stainless. All tips I have are NOS service parts in Autolite box's so 1971 or older. The oem tips on the 52 mile 351 Mach I are chrome. My opinion is I have not seen any 67-68 tips other than polished stainless. I have seen more 69 tips that are chrome plated than stainless. Just my observations from samples I have.

[Scott Fuller]

Bob,

I see what you are saying and you have seen more tips than me.  But I don't know how you weld a chromed part.  I have never seen a tip with any plating on the weld, which suggests that the chrome plating was done before welding.  Or that it was masked and chromed down from the weld.  I don't see a mask line so have to assume the tip was chromed prior to welding.  Maybe someone with welding experience can comment on a process that would work to weld a chromed tip to an aluminized pipe.  I went and rechecked the ones I have and they appear to be stainless (polished) to me, but they are used parts and have degraded with time.

Thanks for the picts.

Scott 

[ruppstang]

Perhaps the PO of the 68 HCS used a C9 part that was chrome when he restored the car in the 80's. I could not find any part numbers just the Ford logo.