Thank you, to everyone who gave suggestions and photos regarding corrective surgery for my tailpipes. I'm happy to report that the ends are no longer sticking out beyond the bumper like a couple of vampire fangs. I showed the muffler shop owner the photos of Dick Benjamin's stock tailpipe, but he said he wouldn't feel right bringing the ends that far under the trunk, for safety reasons. (Didn't somebody here say Texas has a law about that?) So the tips of the pipes are still visible, but they're not so hot-rod garish as before. And the work was so minor that the shop wouldn't even charge me for it, so I just tipped the guy who did the labor, and drove away happy. As for the exhaust-ish smell emanating from the front of the car: My mechanic tightened a loose bolt on the exhaust manifold, and that seems to have helped. But there's still something foul happening under the hood (nothing visibly dripping on the exhaust manifold though). After I've gathered some more evidence, I'll post another question here about it. Tim Klein '67 Crown 4DHT, haze green Plano, Texas --