I've got a 68 and I'm installing a set of lakewood ladder bars. I've got to the point were you slide the front of the bar into the brackets that are supplied but it hits the muffler. The mufflers are in their stock location and I really don't want to modify that. Is there a different way or will I end up moving the mufflers?

I'm not sure of the difference between a 68 and 69 in that area but on my 69 I use the lakewoods but my exhaust setup is different- I have side dumps instead of the stock routed way.

I think you're probably going to have to modify your exhaust.

my .02

I've been thinking about it and I don't see any other way. thanks, rob

I'm not sure if the muffler pocket is the same, but years ago I had the same problem on my '66 when I put 3" exhaust on. My mufflers were Walker Super Turbo (16x11x6), I had Lakewood bolt on ladder bars on the rear already. To accommodate the mufflers I altered the bracket that is the furthest forward on the front mount (2 part). Half way between ladder and the frame (shorter peice), cut vertically, overlap 1/2", weld both sides (remove 1/2", butt weld if prefer). I also torched about a 1" hole to run the e-brake cable through. I don't recall any bind problem, or symmetry issues. I drive my Chevelle daily, and hard, used the original Lakewoods from '79-'90 and the reconfigured set-up '90-'03, without incident or noticing the difference. I'm trying something different now, but it was good for the staightline, anytime, at any streetlight, I could roll out a mid 12 sec 1/4 mile on street tires(Mickey Thompsons), track best 11.55.

BEWARE; I HIGHLY RECOMMEND CIRCUMFERENCE WELD AXLE TUBE TO THIRD MEMBER, I TORQUED OUT THE RIGHT TUBE ON TWO DIFFERENT REARENDS BEFORE GOT MY HEAD OUT MY NETHER REGIONS. Rectal cranial inversion is the leading cause of shortsightedness.

My old lakewoods are laying in the back yard if you want to see a photo of the bracket, but I'd have to e-mail, I don,t yet know how to post photos.
Good luck Rowdy

yeah, if you could send me a pic of the bracket or possibly a price, that would be cool graemlins/thumbsup.gif ! I see what your saying about the e brake cable. I'll have to do the same thing. my email is frobert915@aol. thanks rob