Quote Originally Posted by gr79 View Post
Stuff:
The timeline of internet and pc really changed business, for the good and not.
Ford may have blueprints for all their exhaust systems on file. Old ones too.
Nowadays suppliers offer even more cataloged parts for OEM. Off the shelf products. Sensors, tires, light bulbs.
Auto co's own the tooling and prints if they design the entire parts or respeced aftermarket. Supplier gets contract to build.

Helps to research where the parts came from and what happened to the suppliers so as to find new sources of parts.
When visiting DAP in the 70's, 80's, 90's, noted vendor bin tags. Arvin (AP?) and Walker as 2 exhaust component vendors.
Having worked in the Detroit area auto industry parts chain a long time, knew parts could be easy or impossible to replace someday.
Swap meets, car shows, parts counters, internet sources, give clues. Aftermarket needs a fairly large demand for production batch runs.

Arvin/Maremont. Timeline includes buyouts, holding companies, capital.
Maremont is now https://www.apcautotech.com/company/company-history
http://www.preservingarvin.com/arvinmeritor--inc.html

Did not know this one
https://waldronexhaust.com/arvinodedualexhaust.htm

Good (older) videos of exhaust mfg. Robotic welding robots are more common now. Hand welding is used for repair.
AP 2012
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUbVvtmGTRc

Flowmaster 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNLfM8ih0y0

Times constantly change in the auto industry for one. Mergers have broken the chain for old replacement parts.
What happened to the old companies and plants?
https://www.toledoblade.com/local/20...s/200112150056

Now, exh. contract factories near assy plants receive pre bent metal pipe, pre stamped metal parts, brackets, substrate for cats.
Assy only. No parts machining needs to be done. Entire systems are built and racked for shipment to the assy plant floor.
Aftermarket runs a wider variety of product, not tied into vehicle assy plant production schedule or contracts.
OEM and aftermarket build to order in batches, then change over tooling for next order.
Usually run a certain product at least one shift or more before changeover. Depends on order size and parts on hand.
Aftermarket has large whse for finished product, OEM plants very little, ship just in time. Sometimes welds are still warm.
In my search, I hit all of those companies. It also takes some creativity and figure out what can be mix and matched. Walker seemed to have the best muffler but I have yet to hear it. Lol. I have no idea why their matching tailpipe does not fit even with the required reducer.

I wish I kept the mid pipe from my svo when I replaced it with a NOS system some 10+ years ago. From what I can tell, the 84 svo and the turbo GT seem to have the same system. The tailpipe tips may not have had the resonators. The Ford replacement shows the same part number. If I can get a decent one made, I may make a spare or two.