Tom400CFI

Where did I say any of the above??? I DO know that $1200+ headers won't fix the problem, because I've heard plenty of C5's and C6's w/headers. Same character and quality of sound...just louder. As for if it's "fixable" or not, for the reading impaired, here is what I DID say in post number 81:

blu00rdstr

I love experiments. I've learned to watch others experiment though.

Can't wait to see the results!

TTRotary

So you spent $50K on the car but you're gonna fab up some monstrosity in your garage with sloppy welds and bolt it on, so you don't have to spend the $1,200 on the exhaust, only to fiund out it looks like crap and sounds worse than the headers from companies that have spent over a $million in research to develop.

Who's the redneck now?

Tom400CFI

Well, I haven't met you, but if there is a "redneck" in this conversation, I know that I'm not that person. As for your ignorant post:

*Show me a company that spent "over a $million in research" to develope a MUFFLER.
*Is my design going to be a "monstrosity"? (No.)
*Do you know anything about my fabrication skills? (No.)
*Does spending $1200 on exhaust HELP the current situation? (No.) -and I know, because I've done it twice
*Would it matter if it DID "look like crap", being out of sight under the car...if it DOES work?? (No.)
*Though it won't look like crap, and my welds, of course won't be sloppy.

Basically, you don't know WTF you're talking about, and if you don't like what I'm doing, you don't need to do it, buy it...OR read this thread. If you're car sounds good to you, then this whole thread doesn't apply to you, so get out. I'm not sure what your problem is, but if I had to guess, I'd guess that your problem is that YOU think the only way to change anything on a Corvette is to do it by spending the most money you can, to accomlish the goal. If doing things by hand = "Crap" and "monstrosity" to you....well that tells me a lot about your fabrication skills.

You need not bag on me because I have the skills and motivation to to pursue this.

TTRotary

Just getting your dander up Tom (and it worked). Remember I said I was proud to be a redneck. That's because rednecks are smart enough to try soething their way if they think they can do it better. So it was a compliment.

I do take offense to your assumption that I equate $$$ with price. I am totally the reverse and in fact a cheap bastard. I foungth headers for 3 years.

As for my skills...what fab skills? I am a good carpenter, however.

Good luck with your project.

B84RADR

Hi Tom, good to see you up here still fighting the good exhaust battle LOL.

I doubt it will help much but I took some video of my C6 with the stock mufflers and H pipe removed. That's the 1st vid. For sound comparison, I also took video of the stock C6 setup before removing the mufflers (2nd vid)

I now have the NPP's and I REALLY like them. I'm not completely satisfied with the sound, but at least my C6 doesn't sound like a minivan in heat anymore. I have some popping a gurgling going on but it doesn't bother me. I also have PipeDreams NPP in a Box installed so with the press of a button, I sound like a minivan again haha. Nice for completely eliminating freeway drone 100% and for coming home at 2:00am (and not announcing it to the entire neighborhood).

I will take more footage with the NPP's and post that soon too. Not to convince anyone my setup is great but just to add to this discussion about what is good and what is bad. If you want, you could come hear them in person. I'd like to hear whatever you have fabricated as well, so get your butt in gear and get that done ahead of time. We're having a meet and greet/Park City cruise on Saturday the 29th and are expecting between 25 and 50 vettes. Not bad for Utah in March huh? The post to follow for that is here:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1965171

Stock C6 mufflers and H pipe removed


Stock C6

Tom400CFI

Well in that case I wish you lived closer so that I could trade some fab work for some wood work. I CAN do carpentry, but I STRUGGLE with it. Frustration rules my wood working projects.

TTRotary

Well I could use your welding talents, given I nearly burned myself and the house down last time I borrowed a friend's buzzbox to "self-learn" - NOT.

I don't know what you do for a living, but I am a white collar professional and I find tangible outcomes from my woodwork to be immensely satisfying, though occasionally frustrating. I have saved a lot of money doing this, and I completed my kitchen remodel far ahead of my colleague who paid $40K and got a mediocre outcome.

Regarding exhaust, I have often thought resonators under the car, along with a magnaflow-type straight-through muffler catback, would produce a nice deep sound. Back in my RX-7 days, it took me 4 tries and lots of $$$ at the local muffler shop before I had an exhaust I was happy with. I got lucky in liking the Kooks setup I have, but the rest of the car needs work to be satisfying - especially seats, suspension, balance, etc. It is getting there slowly.

Keep us posted on how your project turns out.

Tom400CFI

That was cool to read and I can relate. I don't consider myself "white collar"; my job is both hands on and managerial -I guess because I make it that way. I'm the Director of Vehicle Maintenance, Trails, and Grooming at the largest ski resort in Utah. I come from the vehicle shop as my background, (which is why I can do some cool things w/metal), and only took over trails and grooming 3 years ago. Although I think I do a fair job of running both departments, I get no greater personal satifaction than when I do either one of the two things under me; wrenching or grooming. Both have very tangable out comes, and when done right, the outcome is rewarding and the journey, efficient. This morning I helped one of my techs on one of our winch cats, then this afternoon, I had to run a snow cat for the first 3 hours of the shift to cover for one of my operators who was late. The runs I groomed came out buff, and it was gratifying work; I did it and no one else.

So I totally feel what you're saying. I'm envious that you can and did do your kitchen. My kitchen needs some of that...and I'll do it. But I will not be fun to be around as I struggle through it w/my Snap-On tools.

blu00rdstr

It's good to see you guys make nice.
I've thought the same thing, the old Datsun Z's sounded best with a glasspack in the middle and a turbo muffler at the end.

skeller

Me too! Let's see what happens!





_____________________________
Perfect trucks, perfect truck parts.

doje

I had a 1998 Z28 Camaro with a Borla exhaust. I couldn't go anywhere without turning heads, and I couldn't stop anywhere without being asked what I had done to the car. It just sounded mean.

My '04 & '97 Vettes have had stock, stock ti, Borla, Corsa, and Magnaflow. I have NEVER been asked about what I did to make my Vette sound good. The Vette just doesn't have it when it comes to sound.

XvettemanX

Bassani cat back and headers aren't too shabby. just my .02

drfeelgood

My 2005 C6 has LG headers, hiflow cats, Xpipe and quad round Bullets.
It sounds pretty darned good, I must say.
Flooring it in the midrange brings on a NASCAR-like, old-school "4 barrel sucking your hood in" sort of sound.
I've had numerous people, including police!, follow me and tell me how good the car sounds.
OK, its loud and there is occasional drone, but I don't care. This is the car I have fun in.

DrivnXcitment

Tom is 100% right. The firing order is making a bigger difference for our exhaust than the exhasut piping or headers. As much as I hate to admit it the blue oval guys got it right on the new mustangs. That is a mean sound coming from a stock not so powerful car.

Oli1313

Kooks + Bullets = Sound of Power

Tom400CFI

You must not have read this thread very well. Re-read post number 28, 43, and 70 where I said:
ONCE AGAIN, IT'S NOT THE FIRING ORDER! Listen closely. This is a LS2 engine in a GTO. Same engine, same cam, same heads, same intake...SAME FIRING ORDER. Sounds NOTHING like a C6. Sounds a LOT like a Mustang...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07jWp...eature=related

Enjoy.

Tom400CFI

Well, prototype number one was a failure, IMO. This was the large common chamber that starts about 8" aft of the front H-pipe flange and runs to where the H-pipe splits off in different directions to accommodate the trans housing. I simply cut out the middle (including the "H") and capped the front, rear, and then top and bottom so I ended up w/a chamber about 3' long, 2.5" tall (dia of the pipe), and about 6" wide (original width of the pipes). Anyway, there IS a notable difference in the sound, but I don't think it's any better character or quality. See for yourself:

This one is my box stock C6 w/GHL mufflers ONLY.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ3ysO38qoM

And here is the same car, an hour later, w/prototype number 1 H-pipe, and the same GHL muffs...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1-eAPrWrbM

In fact, the modified H-pipe w/the GHL's reminds me of he stock set up with Corsa's that I had before. Yuck.
Just to remind everyone, below are the links to two beautiful sounding '05 LS2 GTO's, as a bench mark.

Back to the fabrication bay.

B84RADR

LOL I watched the vid. So much work, so little payoff!

You'll get there Tom. Keep it up!

Shayne

blu00rdstr

Thanks Tom! Makes me wonder what replacing the H-pipe with a single fat pipe would sound like.