71 Vert with a 383 stroker around 500 HP/TQ with Hedman Hedders for sidepipes.

I am trying to decide which to use and fit under my stock 69 Style Covers. STS has the baffles for 3" tubes which is the size I need under the OEM covers.

If I go with the STS Baffles I will need to fab everything from the header/collector back.

If I go with the Sweet Thunder I will just need to fab from the collector to the side pipe.

Other considerations are which has the best sound ? Power Loss ?

Cost is close enough for each so I am not concerned about that.

What are your alls thoughts and recommendations ?

I have done the forum search and read all the previous threads and still not come to a conclusion.

 

ttt

 

The forum is split on this issue, some like STS and others like thunder. I have no first hand experience with either, I have not started the motor since I installed it in the car. I bought auger style mufflers from another vender and modified them the way I wanted them.

Neal

 

Yeah I am looking at the Speedway Augers , there is a huge price difference between STS and the Speedway. I am concerned about the old saying - you get what you pay for. So I guess they are a third option I need to consider. how close are you to starting yours up ?

 

I posted the same question a couple of weeks ago and ended up calling Sweet Thunder. They thought the C2 - 2 1/2" style chambered with a 69 style tip would be a great option and has sold several kits to do so.

I am interested in flow but also want a reasonable volume so I will be using their HP C3 stock style 2 1/4.

 

The C2 - 2 1/2" chambered with 69 style tip sounds interersting.

Any other members have any recommendations early so I can get my order placed today.

Thank You

 

I am hoping to crank it up in 3 or 4 months, but it depends on work and we are still recovering from the hurricane. I am waiting on parts and still have some to order. I can’t wait to here it run its been over a year since it ran.

Neal

 

the speedway solution requires more fabrication on your part.
If you can weld, they work great, they are not a turnkey solution.

I run them and they work great, I have 3, 3 1/2" units per side.

 

i fabbed up my own 2.5" pipes to a 16" bullet style muffler. Works pretty good, and sounds awesome..very free-flowing.

 

I have the 2 1/4" Sweet Thunder mufflers, can't complain..... they sound great
For a 383 I would get the 2.5" instead

 

What are you guys with stock covers doing for the exhaust tips? I have stock covers which I'm planning on fabbing up 3" or 3 1/2" (if possible) pipe and putting the STS baffles in.. . just not sure how to find tips that will fit. .any ideas?

thanks,
Mike

 

This may or may not help. I have some video clips with audio on my site. If you go to

http://www.mcspeed.homestead.com/About_Us.html

You will see a video clip near the top to the far right. That is starting and running with hooker headers and standard style glass pack mufflers.

If you scroll to the end of the page past the magazine article you will see another video link. Right click and save. It takes a while to transfer the data. The second video is with STS mufflers. It is a music video but there are some nice audible clips of the car starting and running.

I am thrilled with the STS sound. However, I am going to drill the center plug out when I reinstall the engine and see what happens.

 

This is what my son (user 71vetteLT-1)and I have decided to do:

I have ordered (2) sections of 3"OD. 180degree Mandrel U-Bends from Summit and a 10 foot section of 3"OD Exhaust tube (14 gauge aluminized) from my local muffler shop.

I have installed the OEM 69 covers on the car and will fab the sidepipes to fit inside the covers, the front cover to frame bracket will need to be modified to accommodate the best fit for the 3 inch pipe, ain't to crazy about cutting on a $1000 side cover, but what the heck, these only cost $125 each back in 1976 (there are still in decent shape).

My son and will be making our attempt to fab up the side pipes from these parts. I have a welder and 14" Metal Chop saw and the muffler shop has offered to expand the pipe ends so I can slip fit the joints then weld. We will be fabbing the tips by cutting up one of the 180degree Mandrel Bends, we wanted to have the 69 square style tips but these will need to do.

The main tube along the side will have a front slip fit (will be using anti-seize to join)like the Hookers so they can be separated to insert what ever muffler inserts we go with.

We are going to hold-off on getting the muffler inserts until we see how our fab job turns-out. If this doesn't work out we will probably go with the Sweet-thunder 2 1/4" 69 style and then fab up the muffler to collector pipe.

Kinda anxious to get started on this, if it doesn't work , it will have only cost 100 bucks for the pipe and bends.

Here's a pic with the side-pipe covers on the 71 Vert/Hardtop

 

off topic... but what are your motor specs?

 

383 Stroker, AFR195 aluminum heads, 750DP Speed Demon, Edelbrock Performer RPM Airgap, MSD Ignition, Jet-Hot Hedmans ; dynoed - 489 HP/495TQ

 

I like you & your son's approach to side exhaust & headers.

Which AFR195 are you using with Hedman side-exit headers? Angle or Straight Plug? Which plugs? Shorty or Reg? Any plugboot-to-header clearance issues?

 

Using Autolite 2923 plugs, no clearance issues, I had bought a set of Accel shorty plugs and it turned out they were the same length as the Autolie2923

 

Got started on fabbing up the side-pipes while watching the Nextel Cup Race in the garage today;
Pic of the material; 3" Mandrel U-Bends from Summit, Large will be cut in half and used for connecting front of pipe to Header Collector, Small U-Bend will be cut in half to fab-up the end tips. The 3" pipe I got from the local muffler shop and they enlarged the ends for slip fit then I will weld once everthing is lined up. No welding til my son gets home for spring break next week and approves my work , this was his design by the way I just got to pay for it


Under car Shot of Driverside;


Shot of side-pipe connection point to the header-collector, I will have the muffler shot expand the bent end for a slip fit.

Shot of Driver-side, pipe is tucked in well under the cover, I had to tweak the front cover to frame bracket in order to tuck it up.

Well that's all for now, this has been pretty cool working on this, somewhat easier than I thougt, give it to my son for his persistance on his design , guess it's never to late to learn and take some advice from a younger mind.

 

nice work...make me a set too while your at it, but leave out the auger mufflers...i'll go straight.

 

We will be starting it up without the augers, can't wait to hear it. The 3" pipes are a tight fit in the OEM covers, each set would probably have to be built custom to fit each car cause the tolerances are so tight. I had to use die grinder/cut-off wheel to trim the side cover front bracket to reshape it to fit over the larger pipe. Still have a ways to go yet, but I am feeling a liitle more confident about how it will turnout.