87 Muffler Advice
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,834
Likes: 2
From: Doylestown PA
87 Muffler Advice
I need to replace my mufflers. While I'm under the car I'm going to remove the pre-cats and the cat. I'm looking for a recomendation for mufflers that sound good while cruising and at WOT sound loud and great.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I have stock 2.25" pipes.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I have stock 2.25" pipes.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,491
Likes: 1
From: prescott AZ
Removing your cat and pre-cats are going to make any muffler a lot louder. If you want to save money and get an excellent sound ( not real loud but a solid and tuned sound) try to fine a used, or new if GM still sells them, set of the GM performance mufflers off an 88 and maybe the 89 model. These mufflers were stated by GM to produce an additional 5hp and were considered too loud to put on the convertible. I have them on my 88 with no pre-cats. It is a great sound with no, zero, resononce(sp) . Without the main cat it may be just what you want. These mufflers were part of the Z51 option on my 88. They sound nicer than the Magna-Flows on my 95 and the Magna-Flows are nice.
I am surprised that I have not heard more people saying what a nice sound the GM performance mufflers have, especially without cats.
I am surprised that I have not heard more people saying what a nice sound the GM performance mufflers have, especially without cats.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Removing the cats will definitely give you more noise. I always liked the LT1 muffler: Quiet at cruise and a good note when they open up (good looking tips, too!). Check the for sale sec. also/ Sometimes some used ones can be had for the price of shipping. Corsa also makes a great system, too. All this coming from a Flowmaster guy 
Putting 2.5" Ypipes and a 3"-3-1/2"main will free up some power.
Putting 2.5" Ypipes and a 3"-3-1/2"main will free up some power.
Advanced
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 66
Likes: 2
I was just in your shoes and am very happy with what I did. Had a bone-stock virgin '85 with rotted out mufflers. Kept the stock manifolds and front y-pipe, which on an '85 has no pre-cats... removed the stock main cat and everything behind that, and replaced with a Magnaflow high flow cat and cat-back system with their 2.5" stainless rear y-pipe. The cat, rear y-pipe, and 2 beautiful mufflers were $529 total and that included shipping - from John at Hottexhaust.
Fit is great, look is great, sound is great - deep tone and nice rumble at idle, but not too loud, and no resonance. Interior noise is the loudest at 1300-1500 RPM - but you never really go anywhere at that RPM in my car - it's a 4+3 with 3.07 rear and I cruise right at 2000 which is nice and quiet.
I'm hoping to add a mandrel bent front y-pipe in the future or maybe even headers, and that may move the resonance from 1400 to somewhere else, but right now it's very nice and I am very happy with the result - there's a little performance gain too!
Fit is great, look is great, sound is great - deep tone and nice rumble at idle, but not too loud, and no resonance. Interior noise is the loudest at 1300-1500 RPM - but you never really go anywhere at that RPM in my car - it's a 4+3 with 3.07 rear and I cruise right at 2000 which is nice and quiet.
I'm hoping to add a mandrel bent front y-pipe in the future or maybe even headers, and that may move the resonance from 1400 to somewhere else, but right now it's very nice and I am very happy with the result - there's a little performance gain too!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,629
Likes: 7
From: Lawrenceville PA
I just got a Magnaflow catback system and love it. Looks great and the sound is mellow until you get on it and best of all no resonance at cruising speeds 
Check http://www.hottexhaust.com/StainlessOval.htm
or
http://www.performancepeddler.com/borla.asp
either should come under $500 with the Forum discount.
Check http://www.hottexhaust.com/StainlessOval.htmor
http://www.performancepeddler.com/borla.asp
either should come under $500 with the Forum discount.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 13,793
Likes: 0
From: St. Peters MO Sometimes you have to prove yourself by doing alot of killing or alot of dying...
I have a practically stock exhaust on my car. When I bought it I had the stock mufflers cut out and welded Hooker AeroChambers in place. I like them because they offer a deep but mellow tone all the way thru the movement of the pedal. They are not overly loud, but they make a statement.
I got to hear STL94LT1's car with Flowmasters and I do have to say that I liked what I heard. Nathan Plemmons also has them installed and frequently offers video-sound clips of his car...
The problems with mufflers is that you will not know what they sound like until you install them. Many people here claim that Borla has an overly large amount of resonance and are loud... ToyC4 has Borlas and I though his car was almost as quiet as stock... so it is a matter of preference.
I got to hear STL94LT1's car with Flowmasters and I do have to say that I liked what I heard. Nathan Plemmons also has them installed and frequently offers video-sound clips of his car...
The problems with mufflers is that you will not know what they sound like until you install them. Many people here claim that Borla has an overly large amount of resonance and are loud... ToyC4 has Borlas and I though his car was almost as quiet as stock... so it is a matter of preference.
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Instructor
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
From: Tacoma WA
After trying several different systems on my '86 L98 (Magnaflow, Flowmaster, LT1 type, etc), I settled on muffler eliminaters which I had a local muffler shop make up for me. I left the stock pre-cats and the main cat in place. The tips can be of your choosing. When I press the loud pedal it sounds great (like a Corvette should). It also has a good sound when cruising, with no resonance.
