Let me say this first. I read the other post about the exhaust with another 1990. However, I am more specifically concerned about difference in sound and power handling between what i have and what I want. Right now my current exhaust setup on my 1990 L98 consists of:

Hooker long tube headers running into the stock front Y-pipe without cats, into the 3 inch (??) primary with a gutted cat, back to the 2.25" rear y pipe with flowmaster 40 series.

I plan on doing a heads/cam/intake package. My first question is will I gain hp going a new route, or is my setup able to take around 320-340rwhp?

Secondly, I want to go a little louder, and a little deeper. Its not a daily driver, so I really have no concern to resonance, but I do want to keep it deciently priced.

Would going to hooker headers into 2.5" true duals with 2 high flow cats and chambered muffers help me at all? I'd also put either a H pipe or X pipe in after the cats. Does placement before or after the cats matter?

Or would the cats mellow it out enough to not need mufflers? That could save me almost 300 bucks getting chambered pipes.

Basically I didn't want to spend more than 400 in parts. I have a manderal bender at my disposal, plus piping, so the 400 would go towards tips/cats/muffers.

Ideas?

 

-Crossover after the cats, dual 2.5s are fine
-A packed muffler will give a deeper tone over the chambered one most of the time.
-Ive never seen any type of CFM test on the chambered pipes available..Seems to be more for sound than anything but I could be wrong. You have to like it so if it means giving up a few hp which youll never notice for the sound you want its worth it.

IMO on a 350 if you have 2.5" mandrel bent pipe it doesnt matter what muffler you put on it will handle what your motor is putting out.

 

By packed muffer...do you mean a "reosnator" like a bullet muffler?

Would the sound be a lot different or "deeper" with a muffler as opposed to running straight pipes?

 

packed...Magnaflow, Dynomax, etc. Yes, they are deeper tone. Cynomax also makes a "bullet" muffler which is more or less a modern day glasspack....Have both those and Super turbos on mine, has a pretty deep note. As soon as I can afford a different exhaust Id give them to you if you wanted them.

 

Ive had Borlas (liked a LOT), then went to home made elims, which I LOVED the noise and cool sound from no exhaust... then I got a set of true duals (no crossover) and flowmasters on the end. I love the sound it makes, though sadly the mufflers are only single piped chrome tips.. I liked the look of the dual tips MUCH better... but eh..it was free so I can't complain.