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Most guys don't think a three inch system is necessary, but there are a few of us that are knocking out some serious power. I am finally ready to redo my exhaust system, and want some opinions on what mufflers and pipe configurations sound reasonable, and of course flow well.
I have a 406 with a solid flat tappet cam 254@.050, AFR 195 heads and for years have run a cobbled together three inch system with Edelbrock RPM mufflers. They are now unavailable, so I'm trying to get something else with a similar sound, and flow capacity. There is no drone, or resonance in my current setup.
So I finally found a shop local to me that can actually mandrel bend three inch stainless pipe, and hopefully soon will have my new system. He asked me to YouTube some Magnaflow sound clips to get an idea of what I was looking for, and to be honest.....I'm not a big fan. Best sounding mufflers I found was the Pypes Violators.
Any suggestions? Also I can do either X-pipe, or H-pipe configurations. I'm looking for that old school muscle car sound......actually more like L-88 cam sound if you know what that means.
If you have a fairly stout combination, and maybe sound clips,....I'd love to hear them.
I am not a fan of the sound of any glass/ceramic packed mufflers.... I don't like the rasp and glassy sound from them, especially on something that makes some power...(magnaflows, ultraflos, borlas).. The only ones that sounded decent to me were the Pypes RacePros, and they are even a bit more raspy then I like but, overall, they sound the best out of the packed mufflers.
I use the Hooker Aerochambers, they are a straight thru design, but they have a single "chamber" and a ceramic packed section. They have a deep, unique sound and not raspy sounding at all. Just a deep base sound. They do drone just a bit at the 1700-1800 range, but below and especially above that, they are quiet inside.
If I didn't run these, I would run the Pypes RacePros.
All depends on the sound you like and what you're looking for. Definitely stick with a 3" straight thru design, run an X pipe and do mandrel bends of possible.
For anything 500hp or more, I would stick with 3" exhaust.
Sound clip at idle/wot. I admit, the mic on the camera makes the car sound a little louder then what it really is tho...
I just put the 1 7/8 inch headers on and took a short clip of it idling with open headers. Like what I'm hearing......but I do need some muffler to be able to drive it on the street.
I have a 3" 304 Stainless system. I built it myself. I have Borla 3" in Twin 1 1/2" out Mufflers. Then again, maybe they are 2" out. Anyway one would think that a Glass packed Muffler would sound just like any other ( Cherry Bomb ) muffler but I don't think they do. I like a Car that is quite, something that is not easy to do with 3". But I have Turbo Chargers, Cats, and then the Largest Borlas that I could fit. Sorry, no sound clip, that's a little to high tech for me, and besides what I have is not what your after. Beware, putting 3" Exhaust under the rear end is going to reduce ground clearance. This might not sound like much, what's another 1/2 inch, but I bottom out all the time and my Exhaust has the Scares to show it. And if You go all Stainless its going to be heavy.
L-88 Sound, I think I know just what You mean. As a teenager I knew somebody with a built 427 side oiler Boss Mustang ( only ford I have ever herd that sounded good) that had the sound. A buddy of mine has a 71 Firebird with some 468 CI and Headers with Flowmasters. Its close to what I remember the Mustang sounding like. The owner of the Firebird sez His car doesn't sound anywhere near as good as somebody he knew with an LS-7 in a Chevelle . I think the secrete to " the sound " is big CI, High Compression, Thin Wall Headers, and just the right Cam. Mufflers are important to...but I think the above makes the right combination, the muffers just tune it to personal taste.
I've got 3.5" RacePro's on mine. This is the latest version...but there's some spinning snail looking things in front of them these days. Didn't really seem to change sound a lot. Of course it's only got 9.0 compression and a 248* cam on a 114 LSA, so that tames it some.
A buddy of mine has about the sweetest sounding small block I know. It's a 388" we built...about 11.0 compression...248* cam on a 109 LSA. It's only got 2.5" pipes and 2 chamber Flowmasters...but I really like it for the sound.
The playing on the street version was N/A. The dyno one is turbo'd. BTW- it made just as much power capped up as it did uncapped!
427. 510RWHP 1 7/8" primary Kooks headers into 3" manderal bend pipe, X-pipe, and out duel Borla 3" in duel 2" out mufflers.... ZERO drone.... NOT raspy..... Mellow on the freeway... Until you open her up... Sounds like a cross between a inde 500 car and a muscle car... My sons and I race/run 5 different vettes... We, my sons their friends and I, all agree this one sounds the best.. But... As beauty is in the eye... Sound is in the ear of the beholder...
I just put the 1 7/8 inch headers on and took a short clip of it idling with open headers. Like what I'm hearing......but I do need some muffler to be able to drive it on the street.
Part of the full effect will probably not have an xpipe as i doubt the L88s had them, and we know that xpipes have the tendency to mellow out how a cam sounds. If that is what you really want couldn't you just buy an L88 exhaust system?
I am not a fan of the sound of any glass/ceramic packed mufflers.... I don't like the rasp and glassy sound from them, especially on something that makes some power...(magnaflows, ultraflos, borlas).. The only ones that sounded decent to me were the Pypes RacePros, and they are even a bit more raspy then I like but, overall, they sound the best out of the packed mufflers.
I use the Hooker Aerochambers, they are a straight thru design, but they have a single "chamber" and a ceramic packed section. They have a deep, unique sound and not raspy sounding at all. Just a deep base sound. They do drone just a bit at the 1700-1800 range, but below and especially above that, they are quiet inside.
If I didn't run these, I would run the Pypes RacePros.
All depends on the sound you like and what you're looking for. Definitely stick with a 3" straight thru design, run an X pipe and do mandrel bends of possible.
For anything 500hp or more, I would stick with 3" exhaust.
I second the Aerochambers. I just had a custom stainless system built for my car and he talked me into the Aerochambers and they sound great and, according to him, don't lose any more power than any other muffler. Mine is a 3 inch system with an H pipe.
I have a 3" system with Magnaflow mufflers. It fits like stock, but is a little lower due to the larger diameter pipes. It's an automatic, and the pipes fit through the stock crossmember (though I like ajrothm's set-up much better!). I also found 3" exhaust tips at Summit which match the stock set-up. A local custom exhaust shop bent the pipes to fit, similar to stock bends.
I couldn't find my 3.5 in and out, but these are 3 inch in and out. My headers are hooker super Comp 1 3/4. straight back 3 inch diameter pipe with a 4 inch oval "H" pipe back by the differential. 4 inch diameter chrome tips out straight back.
Behind a moving car is a lower pressure area. Having the exhaust tips end in the low pressure area helps. You see this on race cars.
I second the Aerochambers. I just had a custom stainless system built for my car and he talked me into the Aerochambers and they sound great and, according to him, don't lose any more power than any other muffler. Mine is a 3 inch system with an H pipe.
Are you having any sort of drone issue with your setup?
I do like the sound of the Aerochambers, my only concern with them would be that the case is not stainless, like I plan to do the pipes with. I know it's more money, but the headers are stainless and look great. Be a shame to see rusty pipes in a few years.
Also with the H pipe setup,....hows the sound compare with Ajrothm's?
I know that cam,compression and displacement will alter the tone some.
C3Stroker I envy you being able to drop by Summit. My stepson went to Kent and I stopped in Summit only once while in the area. I was like a kid in a candy store..........
Last edited by The Money Pit; 12-02-2015 at 08:45 PM.
Are you having any sort of drone issue with your setup?
I do like the sound of the Aerochambers, my only concern with them would be that the case is not stainless, like I plan to do the pipes with. I know it's more money, but the headers are stainless and look great. Be a shame to see rusty pipes in a few years.
Also with the H pipe setup,....hows the sound compare with Ajrothm's?
I know that cam,compression and displacement will alter the tone some.
C3Stroker I envy you being able to drop by Summit. My stepson went to Kent and I stopped in Summit only once while in the area. I was like a kid in a candy store..........
Honestly I haven't driven the car much yet but don't notice any drone. I sprung for the polished stainless Aerochambers as well. My system sounds great, very low rumble. Very different than glass pack sound. My builder who is a very renowned header builder does not see an advantage to an x over an h pipe until very high hp numbers. Not sure on the sound difference between the two but I love the low rumble. Below is a link with pictures in the first post in a thread I started when I got my car back. https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-improved.html
427. 510RWHP 1 7/8" primary Kooks headers into 3" manderal bend pipe, X-pipe, and out duel Borla 3" in duel 2" out mufflers.... ZERO drone.... NOT raspy..... Mellow on the freeway... Until you open her up... Sounds like a cross between a inde 500 car and a muscle car... My sons and I race/run 5 different vettes... We, my sons their friends and I, all agree this one sounds the best.. But... As beauty is in the eye... Sound is in the ear of the beholder...
Are you having any sort of drone issue with your setup?
I do like the sound of the Aerochambers, my only concern with them would be that the case is not stainless, like I plan to do the pipes with. I know it's more money, but the headers are stainless and look great. Be a shame to see rusty pipes in a few years.
Also with the H pipe setup,....hows the sound compare with Ajrothm's?
I know that cam,compression and displacement will alter the tone some.
C3Stroker I envy you being able to drop by Summit. My stepson went to Kent and I stopped in Summit only once while in the area. I was like a kid in a candy store..........
I found this video showing a vette with Pypes Violators cruising. I don't think it sounds bad at all, but I'm not sure how much louder a three inch system would be with my 406. I believe the one in this video is 2 1/2 inch.
Last edited by The Money Pit; 12-03-2015 at 04:00 PM.
12-01-2015, 08:12 PM
Three inch exhaust opinions.....
