Gardner exhaust system review
 

Have been restoring my 68 RA II GTO manual trans vert for a while now. For the most part it can be considered a finished project but they are never really finished are they?

In my case, I was never pleased with the fit and function of the exhaust system I bought from Ames so I decided to order a system from Gardner along with their concourse kit. It basically has all the correct clamps and hangars etc. Paying for the system hurt a bit. I mean, how much sense does it make to spend $1400 on an exhaust system? (including freight).

Well......
The Gardner kit is excellent fit and workmanship. I am still amazed how perfect it fit and how easy it went together. The head pipes have the top section flattened at the crossmember like I presume the original pipes were. It just looks and sounds correct.

I would spend the money again.
If any of you are restoring a GTO and Gardner makes a kit then I would recommend you find a way to work it into your budget.

I usually dont endorse products but this system is impressive. Maybe there are other options out there that are just as good but I am not aware of any.

X2, plus you get a nice Gardner glass as a bonus, lol. Highly recommended them. If you have a ‘72 buy the tips from them. If you don’t have originals they won’t fit, I know and they will warn you.


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I have the Gardner system as well. I forgot all about the glass mug, I wonder if I still have that somewhere. :)
Yours is likely more correct than mine, I bought mine over a decade ago & has the flat clamps & hangars.
I believe those are more like the originals now.

Where is the flattened area you mentioned? I do not believe I have that either.

I would love to see more of your car!

The pipes are flattened on top (side nearest the floorboard) at the transmission crossmember. Might be a 4 speed thing. They have to fit the exhaust manifold flanges before forming the flat section because they won't slide on after the fact. With the flat section in place...the pipes tuck up nicely into the reliefs formed into the crossmember. I will try and get a photo for you.

Gardner exhaust system
 

I also used the Gardner exhaust on my 68 convertible with the Turbo 400 transmission. The tuner exhaust tips fit just right and sound great. I would use the Gardner exhaust kit again.

Mine fit nicely, 4 speed. But I don't think I have any flattened areas. But again, I bought mine many years ago. Not as refined as the newer gardner systems. I recall talked to him a while back & mentioned something about black head pipes too, but maybe that was a ram air/ HO thing only.

Looks like you are correct. Their website says that HO (and thus RA) manual trans cars had 2 1/4" headpipes where standard engine and automatic models had 2" pipes. The HO and RA manual trans exhaust systems had the flattened portion to clear the crossmember I suppose. Here is a link to their website. You can see the area that is flattened.

https://www.gardnerexhaust.com/exhau...xhaust-system/

Wow, I don't think I have ever seen anything like that before. Very curious to hear what effect that would have on the exhaust note. Cool. :beerchug:

Gardner exhaust system review
 

The Gardner exhaust system with the Tuner Pipe sounds tinny. It was used to make the turbo 400 automatic 68 GTO sound more beefy. I also have a 68 GTO hardtop with the factory issued FoMoCo 3 speed manual transmission using a Midas exhaust. The automatic transmission 68 convertible does sound different with the Tuner Pipes than the manual transmission 68 GTO hardtop.

Some recent pics....

Few more...

My wife took these pics. She is much better at this than I am....

Dayuum! Sweet car!

Gorgeous 68 vert....and a RAII....doesn’t get much better! Beautiful job on the restoration.

Wow - what a beauty!

That is a stunning car!

I've used 6 Gardner systems over the years and everyone fit minty! I wish they did systems for my big cars to but they only do dual systems for A and F cars.

For the cars that Gardner doesn't do I use Waldron and they are quite good (and half the price) but the fit and sound isn't at that Gardner level.

The only nitpick is that the factory headpipes werent aluminized like the mufflers back. They should be painted black. People used to think that only the GM replacement headpipes were black but there is a thread on this site with photos from a bodyshop book printed in 1968 of an accidented 68 GTO and the headpipes are clearly black.

Thanks.
How far back should the black extend on the head pipes? All the way to the mufflers?

I just realized I forgot to install the GTO decals on the quarter panels. The to-do list never ends....

Here are a few pics from that bodyshop book from 1968. It's clear that the entire headpipe is black but the mufflers back are aluminized.

Btw, the second pic makes it obvious that this car is an HO or RA1, it has the big manifolds which could be either but I think the 4 blade fan identifies it as a RA1 car?

Speaking of those rear quarter decals, ideally a set of NOS would be nice, the repops are not the right shade of white. Your car sure deserves it.

Interesting how your car is optioned, no power brakes (is it manual disc? I remember driving a 68 RA1 with manual disc, they didn't like to stop completely!) but it has an 8 track. My 69 Judge was optioned strange like that... 4.33 gears and an M21 plus manual steering and brakes but he also ordered power windows and an 8 track.