Just wondered if anyone has a stock C5 exhaust with cutouts. I was planning to do a complete exhaust swap (LG Pro & Borla) on my 01 but was scolded by the wife when the idea of volume was brought up. On my 98 Camaro I have LT headers with an SLP Loudmouth cat-back, and it is pretty loud. I love it, and she HATES it. She wants the car as quiet as possible. I thought the cutout idea might be a compromise. I can open it up when I'm alone or keep it closed when she's in the car too. Someone told me that it sounded great with the cutouts. I just need some added confirmation from anyone who can provide some.
Thanks!

 

I and several others here have them. QTP, a forum vendor can set you up with a set.

Here's a recent thread on the subject. You can do a search and find several more in the C5 Tech and General sections.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...s&forum_id=103

 

I have the QTP setup like Patches w/LT headers & cats. I've been told by several Vette owners it's the best sounding Vette they have ever heard (open cutouts and full throttle). I think it sounds great but at normal driving speeds with the cutouts open, it sounds rather crude. I usually leave them closed except when I go on mountain cruises or pull up next to a "Competitor" .

 

This is McCord cutouts on a LG X-pipe with a factory Z06 cat back. Shouldn't be any reason you couldn't do this with 100% factory system. I can tell you it won't sound as good with the factory stuff up front. While repairing my car I ran it a lot without a cat back, just factory manifolds, cats, and H-pipe. It was not very loud with no mufflers. When I installed my LG headers I fired it up the straight header and it was insanely loud!

I love my McCord cutouts! They sound awesome and were pretty cheap, even cheaper when you get in on a Group Purchase. A big cam and open exhaust sure does make some good rice intimidating racket!

 

Patches, Speedy, what size cutouts did you buy from McCord? Like you, once I went H/C with Dynatech headers & HF cats my Borlas were too much. But my TI's are too quiet! I need to follow in your footsteps.

Thanks!

 

I bought the McCord dual setup which they call "Dual MPP2 for 2-1/4", 2-3/8" or 2-1/2" Cutout or Downpipe" which has a 2.25" valve. Their 3" version has a 2.75" valve. I debated on the 3" but figured it would be much harder to make it fit specially with the DTE brace so I went with their 2.5" setup. I can tell you at idle once they are open 10% they are about as loud as they get. There is very little difference between 10% open and full open. While debating on which ones to buy I figured that the 2.25" dumps and the factory Ti's together would be pretty close to open exhaust anyway so I didn't think it was worth getting the 3" version. But now that I have installed them I think I could have put the 3" ones on there but it would have been tight! I used 2.5" stainless steel pipe I bought on ebay.

 

Great. Thanks for the help Speedyz!

 

I have ... dual electric cutouts on my '95 9C1. I did a lot of research before choosing whom to buy from and it was pretty clear that DMH was the best as far as build quality and customer service. First of all DMH offers a 4 year replacement warranty and truly does stand behind their product. Last month one of my cutouts wouldn't close, for some reason it was stuck open. I called up Dave at DMH, he said to send them in - a couple weeks later I got two brand new units free of charge. To me that's about as good as it gets.

I have read countless posts about QTP units leaking and McCords breaking due to poor build quality. I have yet to read a post about either of these companies standing behind their product. DMH is the way to go.

As far as driveability is concerned they are a bit rough to have open all the time. The LT1 has a slightly deeper sound to it than the LS1 but either way it's LOUD. There is quite a bit of resonance and I noticed a good amount of low end torque disappear with the cutouts open. Now the nice thing about electric cutouts is the fact that you can choose how much you want to open them. You can choose to only open them a little which will give you some noise without the resonance and loss of torque you would experience with them wide open.

Another thing to think about is fitment - these units aren't small and need to be positioned in such a way that they're tucked up underneath the car as to not scrape on speedbumps and such. I haven't really taken a look under the C5 with this in mind but I know on my Caprice it was somewhat of a challenge.

Here is a shot of dual DMH electric cutouts mounted on my '95 Caprice.

 

Those DMH are nice looking cutouts! Looks like they would be way tougher than the McCords or QTP units but they are HUGE! The gear box looks 10 times bigger than the others. But I don't think there will be any way to fit those under a C5 without a lot of work.

 

Here is one from Street pro. I would only assume benefits when its open. They said they didnt lose any power stock by going to a y-pipe design. I bet if flows really good when open though. It is kinda pricey though. I put one of these on my ex g/f trans am and the quality is top notch and even comes jet hot coated. So after 10 months of it being on her car it still looks new (little duller thats all) and acts new. ...

 

Are these things legal in any State and has anyone been ticketed for them?

 

They are not legal in Virginia, never heard of anyone getting a ticket though. They state you can't dump exhaust, they consider that an exhaust leak. But I think if they were made where they just bypassed the mufflers and the exhaust still came out the back like normal then they would be legal. But the officer can still write you up for being too loud and around here they are starting to pick on the ricers with their fart can mufflers but the Harleys and the pickups are getting louder and louder.

 

We totally stand behind our product. Have over 10,000 out on the field. unlike others that dont even have 500 them out in the field. We stand behind our product and even supprt messages board like the Corvette Forum, LS1Tech, LS2.Com and CamaroZ28. Always trying to improve and build new products for the Late Model GM Community. And new products are coming this winter

 

Love my QTP's!!

 

Hey Greg,

Two questions for you:

1. I see we're neighbors (more or less) - where did you get your cutouts installed?

2. Where did you find those babes in your avatar?

 

Agreed. I also went with dual 2.5" from McCord. They are loud as hell when open. Nice and quiet when closed.

 

 

1. Rob that owns Florida Performance in Ft Lauderdale, Dixie and Commercial.

2. The one the right ( Nurse) is my GF, on the left is "our" friend

 

Cool! Thanks for the info.

Hope you can make the next Corvette Challenge at Moroso on November 5th!

 

Hmmm, the one on the left looks familiar. I think I have a picture of her somewhere!!