cromwell74

Hi!


I am thiking of buying a C3 with Hooker sidepipes installed.
I wonder if the sound could be too loud inside the car when you drive with the targas off and sidewindows down?

flyeri

Depends on what inserts are in the side pipes. When I bought mine it had burned out Hooker Max Flows. In 4th gear at highway speeds 2800-3000rpm i wore ear plugs. The 5 speed helped a lot but still loud. I have Hooker Glass Pack now and it is at least 50% quieter. You can have a conversation easily cruising in 5th gear and 4th gear is ok too. It robs some power though but I can't imagine it is more restrictive than the original rear exhaust system.

jgcable

I have a 77 L48 with Hooker Side headers, Hooker side pipes and the Hooker Glass Pack inserts which are supposed to be fairly loud. I think the car is perfect volume level inside with the T's off and the windows down. No problem with having a conversation unless you are really wailing on the gas pedal. I don't get any of the dreaded "Flowmaster drone" inside my car. Also.. I have no sound deadening under my carpet.

johnny c

My fathers 68 we did the hooker side pipes on his 427. we added in the glass packs. it's loud. no ear shredding loud but, your not going to be able to go threw a drive threw without tuning the engine off. it's miles quieter then my miata that has a ls1 and hooker mufflers. I would rather drive his 68 if it was a spirited drive.

htown81vette

I did not like the sidepipes. Love the way they look, hate the way they sound. I'm going with true dual with flowmasters next time around. I did that to my 82 and love the dual exhaust it really sounds sweet.

Madhatr

This came up not too long ago in C3 general section:

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1592167781

It really depends on what inserts are installed. As I stated in that thread, I am running max flows and love them

augiedoggy

opposite here... my car had true dual exhaust which I replaced with obx side pipes and sweet thunder 2 1/4" baffles... they sound amazing but I'll admit they are louder than Id like on the highway and I have been considering the sts baffles ... the thing with comparing sidepipes to rear exhaust is depending on piping and muffler/baffle choice your just comparing one option of one to one option of another... theres a dramatically different array of different sounding options from power robbing reverse flow which is quiet to no baffles at all which is crazy loud... and then theres the size of the engine and compression which also effects the sound I believe.

For me the sound of the cam and the baffles in the sidepipes is music to my ears...

LT1M21Vette

Porsche => Targa
Corvette => T-Top

cromwell74

Is it a lot of work to change the inserts?
How are the inserts mounted? welded?

augiedoggy

not if its an 84 or higher.... my 84 had a true targa top.

augiedoggy

not welded unless ordered that way from obx or one of the other venders selling the obx ones under another brand name...(there are 3 places that actually make them from what Ive found including hooker and dougs) I dont believe hooker offers them welded in... they just slip in and fit with the opening at one end as it restricts down... depending on the brand and fit of the insert some complain of rattles and take steps to stop it such as retaining screws or welding. most do not move once installed correctly though... mine dont and my pipes are the cheaper $650 stainless obx variant with a different sweet thunder brand inserts...

keithinspace

I wouldn't go in assuming you can just slip the old inserts out. The side-tubes aren't awful expensive, though, and if the ones on your car have any rust at all, it's probably worth it just to buy a new set and get your inserts of choice.

The reverse flow inserts are, perhaps, slightly more restrictive than a full rear-exit exhaust with muffler. It's close, though. But the reverse flows are pretty quiet and I didn't have any "drone" with mine.

When I put my new engine in, I wanted a lot more attitude. My STS inserts aren't too awful when cruising and have a mean howl to them when I'm on it. Good compromise, in my opinion, but I don't think they would sound as good on a stock engine. I'd think about Sweet Thunder if you don't have a lumpy cam. Those are fine, of course, if you DO have a cam as well, just not the sound I was after. Personal choice.

LT1M21Vette

Yeah, but this is the C3 subforum...

augiedoggy

Hey I was just correcting the statement above since since it in itself was very misleading and confusing... Do you not see my point here? If you said something like c3= T Top and c4= targa it would have been a correct statement.. The truth is more generations of the corvette are targas than the single gen c3 t top years..
No big deal just didnt want someone to read that and make an *** out of themselves later when they repeat it somewhere.

augiedoggy

This is one reason I went with stainless pipes... Well that and the fact that inferior chromed steel ones made by the more popular brand cost more than twice as much and rust out... Why everyone still thinks they are better is beyond me... I know they are made in the states again instead of mexico but that alone isnt a good case for an inferior product at twice the price in my eyes. just my opinion.

But I know mine slip right out because I have already removed them once when adding fiberglass batting around them to quiet them down a bit.

From all the videos I have seen (and I been watching a lot) the STS and sweet thunders sound pretty much the same at idle... I myself just want something a little less loud when I am accererating at higher rpms...this is where the sts baffles (not drilled out) seem to have the advantage Dont get me wrong the sweet thunders sound great with the t tops off but ironically the noise can be too much with the windows up and the tops on...
I do have 10.1 compression and a mild voodoo 262/270 cam..

LT1M21Vette

augiedoggy

I'll agree to disagree here.

As far as I know Triumph was the first to use the Targa top (wiki just confirmed it was on the on the TR4).. then Saab used them followed by Porsche years later.. even though the T tops were invented and patented before the Targa in 1951 the c3 was the first US production car (and only corvette) to use them before following suit with the targa trend then used on many others by then including ferrari and yes Porsche as the popular ones..

I had read that GM felt the c3 had too much body flex to use the targa top when development was taking place and the t tops were a cost saving budget measure.

Anyway.. sorry to take this dead thread off topic...

sgt kohler

I put a set of hooker side pipes on my 77 l48. I put the most quiet inserts that hooker makes. my engine runs better then before with the stock exhaust and the sound is just right. I can carry on a conversation in the car and listen to the radio if I want and it still has a nice rumble.

augiedoggy

I read every thread and article I could on the different inserts when looking for mine and from what I read over and over and some testing supposedly found, the issue with the reverse flow inserts is they are as restrictive if not more than the stock exhaust and can cost close to 40hp (one guy claimed a 70hp gain when going from them to max flows on a big block) on engines that would benefit from additional exhaust flow and while theres absolutely nothing wrong with that for criusing the streets quietly, to many leaving that much cheap additional power on the table is just not worth it... Just one of those things where each insert has its place depending on application I guess...kinda like those thumpr cams...

heres one thread on the topic... https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...erse-flow.html

SteveG75

STS baffles with a 496 BB, 75 convertible. Not too bad when cruising at all. According to the dyno shop, the exhaust is starting to choke the engine at about 5500 rpm. Shows it on the graph. So, I may go under car exhaust or Max Flow's next year. Wife thinks the car is too powerful already (413 rwhp).