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Out of what you listed only the Magnaflow or Corsa will suit you. I haven't seen a Flowmaster with high polished tips, but just because I haven't seen it doesn't mean they don't exist. The Borla is nice, but not loud enough.
The Corsa is easy to bolt on, the Magnaflow will require you to cut the original exhaust since it is mufflers only.
I see lots of talk on here about exhaust. Well in the spring I think I'm going to buy a Cat-back system for my '95. I have a few criteria;
1 - Can't be too loud for everyday driving but must have a nice sound at WOT.
2 - Must improve performance, which they all probably do.
3 - Must be bolt on, I don't want to do any mods. Want to be able to bolt factory exhaust back on.
4 - Must be high polished stainless mufflers/tips.
What's the #1 choice out there? I have an idea but I just want to confirm my choice.
You forgot B&B, but they are a bit on the loud side but sound great at WOT. They are the only other polished SS systems out there besides Magnaflow and Corsa. If I were to vote on the options you have it would have to be Corsa.
I have the stock pipes and resonator on mine. The piping diameter is already huge (I think 2.75"?) and should flow waaaay more that this motor needs. I cut off the stock mufflers, welded on flowmaster 40 series. I also cut off the stock tips and sent them in for chrome plating - welded those back onto the flowmasters - and the whole thing looks and sounds great.
The flowmasters sound really good, but the stock resonator tones it down to a comfortable level. There's a little drone at 1500-1800 rpm under load. I painted the flowmasters flat black to match the rest of the underside.
The benefit here is also the cost - the mufflers are <$100 total from ebay and the chrome plating was about $75.
There's nothing wrong with the corsa and other cat backs - but they can really set you back some coin without giving you the performance upgrade you're really after.
Out of what you listed only the Magnaflow or Corsa will suit you. I haven't seen a Flowmaster with high polished tips, but just because I haven't seen it doesn't mean they don't exist. The Borla is nice, but not loud enough.
The Corsa is easy to bolt on, the Magnaflow will require you to cut the original exhaust since it is mufflers only.
I bought a Magnaflow Catback from Performance Peddler (www.performancepeddler.com), and I did not have to cut anything off my old exhaust or the car. I dropped the entire stock exhaust from the exhaust manifolds to the muffler tips, and installed Hooker Competition LT headers, hooker y pipe, random tech cat, and magnaflow catback. All of it was bolt on. No welding or modification required. Also the magnaflow catback is highly polished stainless steel. Very nice catback if you ask me, and very easy to install too.
I bought a Magnaflow Catback from Performance Peddler (www.performancepeddler.com), and I did not have to cut anything off my old exhaust or the car. I dropped the entire stock exhaust from the exhaust manifolds to the muffler tips, and installed Hooker Competition LT headers, hooker y pipe, random tech cat, and magnaflow catback. All of it was bolt on. No welding or modification required. Also the magnaflow catback is highly polished stainless steel. Very nice catback if you ask me, and very easy to install too.
You have the L98, for the LT1, you have to cut. The LT1 exhaust is one 9 foot long piece. The Magnaflow kit for LT1 is mufflers only.
BTW, Flowmaster would be my choice for sound. I did not know if they had chrome tips or not, but somebody above confirmed it.
The B&B mentioned is the loudest and probably the toughest sound, but is also the most expensive and can be unbearable at 65-70 mph in overdrive with a 2.59 rear(if automatic).
If I could have afforded at the time, I would have purchased a B&B. My next choice was Magnaflow, and I feel its one of the best values out there for sound & appearance.
I'm the opposite on Flowmaster, personally I despise it.
I'm installing ther B&B system right now on my 92 vert. I've installed the Corsa system on a friends 94. The Corsa fits better than the B&B, but the B&B is okay, so far. I align eveything in the morning. I hope the X-frame goes on without hitting the exhaust. There is a great GP going on until the end of the year for the B&Bs. It's in the C4 parts/wanted section. Just so you know, GM is installing Corsa exhaust in their shops. Just too quiet for me, but a high quality product. I'll give you a report on the B&B catback tomorrow. Love thew look of the tips on the B&Bs.
On my 89 L98, I just had Flowmaster 50 Series installed and a true dual exhaust system custom fabricated out of 2 1/4" pipe, without cats or resonators. I already had Hedman headers. It sounds awsome under power, no resonance cruising, and the seat-of-the-pants dyno indicates impoved performance. I'm very happy with this setup.
Does anyone have an opinion on "Muffler Eliminators" (not listed in the POLL) ??
Knowing that I was going to install a B&B catback, I tried the elims on my OEM catback and loved them. BUT after a few hours of driving with the top up, I needed ear plugs. Great raspy growling sound with elims. Now that I've completed the B&B set up, It's much deeper and a little quieter. Took the edge off the elims' sound. Now maybe I can listen to the CDs.