The 3000 Forum

Just curious and have a question about the exhaust/muffler system. My 1st Austin Healey 3000 was a used 1965 that I purchased in 1968 and as I recall
my car had 2 mufflers with the pipes going out the back on the drivers side (left). The 1967 I now have has 2 additional mufflers across and under the trunk
area with the pipes out the back on the passengers side (right). I'm just curious as to what the reasoning was or maybe it was a requirement to add the 2
extra mufflers. I've done some research but unable to come up with a answer. Thanks, Paul

The original design of BJ8 exhaust had the twin silencers under the drivers seat then the twin pipes made a 90 under the fuel tank area and there were two other silencers then 90 degrees again so the tailpipes exited on the passenger side .
I’m talking RHD car here .
A lot of owners removed the rear silencers and went straight out the back on the drivers side for more sound and less restriction .

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That’s not an oil leak , it’s my patent pending rust proofing system .

Graham has it right, except for a crucial point: I think you meant LHD not RHD? The twin longitudinal silencers do indeed sit under the driver and the tailpipes exit on the passenger side of an LHD car. I’m imagining Healey owners around the world looking at their exhausts this morning and scratching their heads……...
This what Clausager says in his restorer's guide, and I quote it because Paul’s query expressed an interest in the evolution/history:
“In January 1961 from Ch13601 (late Mk1) cars for expert to Europe became available with the “Continental” exhaust system. This had a main silencer of slightly different pattern and the tail pipe was split into two sections behind the rear axle. The second section of the tailpipe bent through 90deg to a secondary silencer mounted transversely across the tail of the car, with a dual flexible mount at the right hand end At the end of the secondary silencer the tailpipes bent through a right angle again to emerge on the right.
Eventually this was the ….system which served as as a model for that on the Mk111…..from Ch H-BJ8/25313 on. These cars also had a transverse secondary silencer at the back, with the tail pipe emerging on the right hand side, but the Mk111….system was completely dualised, with twinned main and secondary silencers. Despite the revised suspension package….found on Ph 2 cars from Ch 26705 on, no further change to the .....system was found necessary. On the BJ8 models the same exhaust system was found on cars for all markets.”
I expect all sorts of different systems were used as replacements over the years. Bill

Oops , my mother always said I never knew right from left …..apologies .

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That’s not an oil leak , it’s my patent pending rust proofing system .

I'm told by the original owner of my BJ8 that the original exhaust was replaced within the first two years

Back then, before stainless steel mufflers were available, they did not last long. My unreliable memory tells me about 4 years.

Richard