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I've got some money to play with, and i'm not sure what i want to do. I've considered hooker super comp headers and sidepipes, but want to know how the performance and sound would compare to my current setup. Right now i'm running dynomax headers, and flowmaster 50's on my 71' l48 with 380-400hp. I like the sound of the car the way it is now, and if anything want it to be louder:) I also don't want to loose any performance do to a lack of back pressure. Any input or insight would be invaluable. Also, if anyone can direct me to a good source that sells either the side pipes or the headers at a good cheap price i would greatly appreciate it. Thnx!
Brandon :flag
Edit... the headers i'm looking for need to be ceramic coated, and the sidepipes and the minimum be stainless. Ceramic would be nice:)
Re: Hooker sidepipes vs traditional setup? (BrandonS)
I cant really compare the two because my car always had the sidepipes since I bought it. But ive had many different mufflers of baffles in the sidepipes. if your looking for a loud exaust dont even bother with the hooker mufflers. I finally settled with the spiral turbo baffles in mine. I really like the sound and the performance as well. I havent dynoed it with the different mufflers but since i installed them my temp guage runs a hair cooler an the engine seemed to rev faster and higher. I have the center cap on the baffles right now and they are loud enough for me but you can drill or remove the center cap for even more flow and noise. I also tried the car chemistry baffles (the 3 baffle ones) and they were supposed to be street legal on noise. They werent far off from open headers so I took them out after 3 miles. So I have an extra set of these lying around if you want to try them. The only problem is that im in ohio right now for school so it might be a while before i could send them.
Are the sidepipes smaller for the small blocks than for the big blocks? I have the 454 in my car so if they are different diamaters then I guess the car chemistry baffles wont fit.
Re: Hooker sidepipes vs traditional setup? (BrandonS)
Tks for the info. I'm farely new to the scene, so i'm interpreting what you said the best i can... lol :cool: I looked into the hookers because the way they looked... amazing. Any pics of sidepipes that people can post would be great.... I'm in short looking for a header/sidepipe setup that will sound as aggressive or more aggressive than what i have now, but not sacrifice any performance. Tks
Re: Hooker sidepipes vs traditional setup? (BrandonS)
I like the side pipes for both looks and the sound. Mine are the Hookers, I ordered the black painted headers and pipes and the day they came in I shipped them out to Jet Hot,( that went over good with my wife).I went with the sterling finish and have been happy.
Re: Hooker sidepipes vs traditional setup? (BrandonS)
Man do i love those hookers (LOL :jester ) more and more every time i see them. Those pics have pretty much done it for me....! How much did you pay for them, and where did you get them?? In particular, the ceramic coated ones. Also, how does the ceramic coating compare to the jet hot coating? Tks,
Re: Hooker sidepipes vs traditional setup? (BrandonS)
Nice cars BTW, both of ya! Gotta love the red vette.... like mine:) And the yellow is mean as all hell..... gotta give props to that red one in the photo next to yours though..... i can't see all of it but it looks pretty mean!
From: Where are the Smoky Mountain Cruisers? Not Correctly Restored Stingray
Re: Hooker sidepipes vs traditional setup? (sidepipes79)
If you want Jet-hot coated hookers with sidepipes and don't already have them, purchase headers and pipes from Jet-hot. I think mine were like $950.00. I think most of the compliments concerning the car stem from the exhaust.
Re: Hooker sidepipes vs traditional setup? (baja216)
I bought my hookers in the black paint. That way I am able to fit them, make any adjustments (ie; for steeroids linkage clearance) and then take them to a local shop for ceramic coating. I was quoted $300 to have them ceramic coated inside and out (don't know how well they will be able to coat the inside). Jet Hot coating IS ceramic coating. Jet Hot is a bit pricey, but you do get what you pay for.
I think you loose just a pinch of power with the sidepipes vs. a headers/dual exhaust/ h-pipe set up, but you more than make up for it in the "WOW" department. :cool: Vette's were made for sidepipes and vice versa!
Re: Hooker sidepipes vs traditional setup? (SHAKERATTLEROLL)
Mine were chrome when i got the car and were peeling. I then had just the headers ceramic coated for i think $300 inside and out. They came out verry nice and i ended up buying new side tubes that came ceramic coated for i think 100 each.
Im pretty sure the baffles are still in my garage at home. Ill try and remember to pick them up durring thanksgiving then i could send them from here if your still interested. Some shipping money would be all i want for them.
they arent mufflers though. its 3 discs with holes in them and a center tube. And if you like LOUD you should like these.
Re: Hooker sidepipes vs traditional setup? (71vettman)
Heck yes I am very interested in those mufflers :) Thank you so much. And I will comment on the HP of sidepipes. Yes you will loose a bit of HP with them over running lets say a good header setup with 3" exhaust or 2.5" exhaust through some good High flow mufflers. But the rumble and the sound and how it shakes the earth is another story :). But since my car is a long way off all I can remember is a friends built 69 L88 turning over 85OO rpm with those sidepipes the only word I can think of is WOW lol.
Re: Hooker sidepipes vs traditional setup? (SHAKERATTLEROLL)
Yes you will loose a bit of HP with them over running lets say a good header setup with 3" exhaust or 2.5" exhaust through some good High flow mufflers.
I must strongly disagree, at least you won't with the JCL spiral baffles. I have a factory L88 clone. Although I have never run mine up to 8500rpm, I only lost 6 horse power compared to open pipes with the JCL's (uncapped). With the caps left in place, it is about 4 db's quieter and about 40 hp less. This is compared to just under 500rwhp. For a warmed over small block the difference would be much less.
Uncapped, the noise level is about the same as Flowmaster 40's. At 7000 rpm the scream produced will strike terror into the hearts of anyone close by.
Re: Hooker sidepipes vs traditional setup? (Chuck Harmon)
Well thank you so much for the info . I have never used the spiral mufflers since at the time they were not around. On a further note I would not recomend anyone to turn a big block over 8000 now. Unless the engine is built for it and run some race fuel. And do not mind tearing it down allot to check the internals. But I do remember that on his high RPM Big block they started with a two bolt main and used splayed main caps which added the other two bolts at an angle and still when you tore it down you would have to whack the main caps with a hammer to get them out and rehone the mains.