Arvinode Dual Exhaust System - Arvinode Is Back

What does it take to authentically reproduce a classic Mustang part? There are extraordinary people in our industry who have produced the wealth of reproductions available today. We're familiar with many of them-Scott Drake, California Mustang, Dynacorn, Kevin Marti, Dennis and Scott Carpenter, Tony Branda, and a host of others who have committed themselves to authentic reproduction parts.

Then there are the names we seldom see, like Scott Fuller, who has reproduced obscure pieces for Shelby, Boss, and Cobra Jet Mustangs, including the super-rare '68 starter time-delay modules for '68 Cobra Jets.

Dave Wallace is another passionate caretaker of the breed who saw a need and went after it. Dave's objective was fundamental; he needed a correct Arvinode dual exhaust system for his '65 Hi-Po Mustang fastback. The aftermarket industry doesn't offer one. In fact, few people even knew about the system when Dave started his reproduction project.

Used for just five months on the rare 289 Hi-Po '65 Mustangs, the Arvinode exhaust system was a very limited-production piece. When the 289 High Performance V-8 was first offered in the Mustang in June of 1964, it came with a transverse muffler dual exhaust system. On October 15, 1964, Ford switched to the Arvinode dual exhaust, which was used on Hi-Po Mustangs through March of 1965 when the GT dual exhaust system took its place. Originally produced by Arvin Industries, the system did not utilize conventional mufflers. Instead, the exhaust note was "tuned" by combining the effects of resonance tubes in front with conventional resonators integrated into the tailpipes. The sound was low, aggressive, and loud, and it's said that the system increased peak torque and horsepower.

For Dave, low production numbers made producing a concours-correct system a daunting task. In 1965, just 7,273 Hi-Po Mustangs were produced outside a handful of Shelby GT350s, and only a small percentage got the Arvinode exhaust during its five-month production period. There just weren't enough survivors for Dave to get measurements. When he began examining his '65 fastback and reviewing the Arvinode illustration in Bob Mannel's Mustang & Ford Small-Block V-8 book, the tumblers fell into place. He knew he was onto something beneficial for himself and others who needed this special exhaust system.

Dave began his efforts with posts on the Hi-Po forum at www.hpm.com. Charles Turner quickly chimed in and sent Dave a picture of a complete Arvinode dual exhaust system from a '65 Hi-Po Mustang he was restoring. Unfortunately, the system was thrown away before he realized what it was.

Dave contacted Arvin Industries, the original manufacturer, but did not get a response; turns out the company has been absorbed several times through the years via mergers and acquisitions. He also touched base with several custom exhaust system manufacturers, none of which were interested in Dave's low-production project. But when he contacted Joe Tonietto at Waldron's Antique Exhaust, things began to happen.

Waldron's initially produced a prototype Arvinode system, based on a glass-pack muffler, without a single drawing or blueprint. Before Dave could bolt the prototype system on his car for a fit and sound check, a breakthrough occurred that would change everything.

Karl Seifert in the Hi-Po Forum introduced Dave to "Herschel-Quincke," a sound attenuation principal used for noise control. Figuring the technology was patented, Dave contacted the U.S. Patent Office for Herschel-Quincke information. It turns out there were numerous patents for this unique sound science based on "node" dampening, a number of them registered by Arvin during the 1960s. Dave noted the names of company engineers associated with the patents. He tracked down two of them, Benjamin Irwin and Ed Ludlow, in Columbus, Indiana, where Arvin Industries was located. Unfortunately, both had passed away. However, Ben Irwin's son, Dick, put Dave in touch with Jim Abbott, the former prototype shop foreman at Arvin. Jim, who had fabricated the prototype and production patterns, was able to find the original drawings for the mufflers and resonators.

Across the miles, everyone pooled resources, making it possible for Waldron's Antique Exhaust to reproduce the Arvinode dual exhaust system with painstaking accuracy. The objective was to produce a system that would pass the scrutiny of the toughest Mustang Club of America '65-'66 judges. As luck would have it, Dave heard from former Ford engineer Tom Glotkowski who had the original Ford engineering drawings for the exhaust pipes. He sent them to Waldron's, which went to work producing accurate reproductions.

The reproduction Arvinode exhaust is perfect for '65 Hi-Po Mustangs built between October 15, 1964, and March 1965, but it also fits any '65-'66 Mustang with a 289 engine. In addition to the concours style that is visually correct, Waldron's also offers the system as a non-concours version for those who want the sound but are not concerned with a factory-original appearance. Both versions are available through National Parts Depot.

You can hear the Arvinode exhaust on Dave's Hi-Po '65 Mustang via a video on Waldron's website at www.waldronexhaust.com.