Vibration Update...
Well, this was bound to happen.
The B-3's engine is a non-counter-balanced 3 cylinder with 120 degree crank throw spacing, and it pretty much shakes like a paint mixer, all the time. the vibration is especially noticeable on the drivers side, in the area of the forward exhaust pipe mount. As a result, I've had the driver side mirror vibrate off several times. (though the last fix seems robust enough).
Anyway, I was out there running it (no driving during the "Salty" months, but I'll open the G'raj door and run it a while to work condensation out of the engine and keep the battery healthy) and afterwards on the walk around noticed this...
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Oh, Derp! Yup, 15,000+ miles had caused some cracking at the exhaust pipe hanger. Pulling the pipe off and cleaning off the paint revealed the full extent of the cracking.
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Well, that's not kewl. I'd wanted to fit in a flex pipe at the downpipe/exhaust pipe joint anyway, to mitigate the harsh vibration at the mirror, and so that became the plan. I purchased a 6-inch, 2.0 in ID universal flex pipe at Autozone...
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...and then made some reinforcing straps to spread the load out along the exhaust pipe. the pic below shows the forward strap in place for welding, after I'd gas-welded the cracks closed and ground them flat in the area I'd be reinforcing. I chose gas welding for the cracks, since that method creates a bit less heat-stress in the weld area.
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Detail pic of the strap - its drilled for plug welds on top, for initial welding. after the initial welding I heated the edges yellow-hot and bashed them down onto the pipe for final welding. Gotta have a bit of blacksmithing and bashing with a hammer in there, just because.
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...everything welded up, and test fit on the B-3. Mint, as they say...
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flex pipe tentative placement for pipe cutting...
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Exhaust pipe cut back about 5 inches, with smaller segment cut from the inlet and inserted at the correct angle for body clearance...
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...and, everything welded up and test fit in place. I took about 2.5 inches off of the downpipe as well. The flex pipe slip-fit onto both the downpipe and the resectioned exhaust pipe inlet perfectly. In the pic, the flex pipe looks very close to the body, but there's actually about 3/8ths clearance at the closest point. All it needs is a couple band clamps and paint!

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I'll tell ya, it's been so long, was really nice to be out there in the shop making sparks fly. Also, nice to know I still have my welding chops. A bit more wait time on the fabrication start of the Pamilcar, but this little repair really got the juices flowing nicely.