Exhaust choices help

by Hs1973 Mon Dec 11, 2017 4:49 am

I need some help here guys, since you have been helpful before i hope you can help me again.
I have a 1975 chevelle that is a weekend cruiser. I love this car it has been a light in Dark times, and has always made me smile when life was tough. But right now i need help with my exhaust. I startet out with original manifolds a a true dual 2 /14 setup with trush glasspacks. It had a crazy drone and was to loud. I liked the sound of it though. Next i put on some flowmaster hushpower 50s. They sounds ok and the drone was gone, but its to boring. It has a ok sound but not like a hotrod should sound in my opinion.

So i took it apart and put in a 2,5 system with xpipe and some red hots glasspacks. Its fully welded and sits Nice and tucked. However it sounds like crap,, what am i doing Wrong here. Its has a loud drone even in idle and sounds like a Big fart in an empty Coffee can.
I was hoping for a deep rumble and rapping when i stod on it, but it sounds all Wrong.

I have Explorered different sound clips on youtube and Found that the flowmaster 10 and 40 series is not for me. It sounds to empty can like. The 44 series is ok and the hushpower sounds ok to when you hear them on you tube, but when i get it home it sounds Way different. I tryed the borla Pro xs stainless mufflers, not near loud anough.

So what are you all running. I like the old School sound of the glasspacks, im looking for a deep low rumble at idle and a loud Ground shaking braapp when i get on it. Im going to remove the x pipe and put in a H pipe instead, but what Else do i try to get what im looking for. I know of course that taste is wery different but im getting tired of doing exhaust on my car over and over. So all input is welcome.
Regards from deep frozen Copenhagen.

by Hs1973 Mon Dec 11, 2017 6:02 am

Forgot to write that its a mild cammed 355 chevy still with Stock manifolds. Would like to upgrade to headders bit lack the funds right now.

by Joe73 Mon Dec 11, 2017 7:55 am

Stock manifolds will tone down the exhaust a bit as will an X pipe. Some people say you get a couple HP from an X pipe but it does tone down the exhaust hence the sound of the cam.

I'd have to recommend, and its what I'll be going with, Chris' Monte's exhaust. Its a Pypes exhaust, tucked up like stock, exits in stock location and the mufflers are tucked up where they're supposed to be. I've done a tone of research and the choices for me with nice sound and no drone are Pypes Race Pro and I believe the Dynomax muffler from walker.

Both sound great at idle, scream when you hit it and no drone. I'm going with the Race Pro in stainless. And no X pipe for me. I want to hear the cam hitting at idle.

Everything has to work together and one change will change how things sound. Manifolds vs. headers, X vs. no X, cam duration, etc.

I would not go any bigger than 2.5" pipes on the street. You will kill your low end. 2 1/4" would be even better for what your running.

by Mcarlo77 Mon Dec 11, 2017 12:27 pm

I installed Dynomax Super Turbos (#17747) on my Laguna and really like the sound. I just ran pipes straight back off the stock manifolds (no H or X pipe). What was frustrating when I was considering which way to go is that everyone has their own opinion on what they like in a sound. Plus, the YouTube videos are worthless because there are too many variables that will affect it. There was one common theme among most, though...people seemed to be tiring of the loud drone they once thought was so cool (age taking it's toll?). LOL!

by Hs1973 Mon Dec 11, 2017 12:45 pm

I startet out with a 2,25 system and Think im going to reverse back to that again, and try the hushpowers again. I Found a couple of clips on youtube where they sound like i would like. I know every car is different but i was just so disapointed when first the borlas sounded nothing like i thought they would. They sounded like a Stock V6 with a little growl. And when i put in the red hots and they sounded like a giant farting in a Coffee can, i was almost ready to drive it of a cliff. Im guessing it sounds bad cause of the xpipe and the 2,5 inch pipes. I has a drone the almost makes everything around the car wibrate. Its not especially loud but just sounds all Wrong.

So thinking about it im going back to basic. The rear part in 2,25 is ok an can be reused with a small effort. So im going to fix the front pipes and mufflers with new in 2,25 and put in the hushpowers again without the H pipeline see what that does. Since i live in Europe its a Challenge to get exhaust systems made. And if you need it shipped from us, its really expensive. So i need to make it myself and its a Challenge to Get it right, laying underneath welding. It takes a lot on my old body,so im not happy about doing it to Many times.

by Hawk03 Mon Dec 11, 2017 1:43 pm

I have the Magnaflow stainless system for the '70-'72 chevelles. It fits great and sounds good but its not loud, which is what I wanted. Impalamonte has the same system as well.

by thatfnthing Mon Dec 11, 2017 5:02 pm

Hawk03 wrote:I have the Magnaflow stainless system for the '70-'72 chevelles. It fits great and sounds good but its not loud, which is what I wanted. Impalamonte has the same system as well.

Me 3. Love it. Got a good performance sound, but not overbearing. Doesn't shake the car apart and the cops no longer escort me around town.

by S3SS Mon Dec 11, 2017 7:41 pm

In my humble opinion its not so much the muffler but the cam thats in the engine to get the right sound.. Stock mufflers even sound good with the right cam...

by fasrnur Mon Dec 11, 2017 8:39 pm

This is not what you're looking for sir? Headers and 2 1/2" pipes, Thrush welded mufflers with turn downs.

by JF74chevelle Tue Dec 12, 2017 1:05 am

I run longtube headers completely true dual to blackwidow widow maker 10 mufflers. It sounds beautiful but absolutely no drone what so ever and it's is loud though

by Hs1973 Tue Dec 12, 2017 12:01 pm

Im not fond of the exhaust ending under the backseat, i have driven a few with that setup and thats is not for me. I was not Aware of that the 70-72 chevelle system works for our models as Well. That makes the market a bit bigger. Ill look into the magnaflow system. But since cash is tight these days, i Might have to just weld up my old setup that was not that bad at all. It just did not have exactly what im looking for.
My wife thinks im nuts keeping on putting mufflers and exhaust on and taking it all apart again, but i wont stop til i hit it exactly right.

I know a large part of the sound is from the cam. But i know i can get this right if i just keep trying different things. Now i know the xpipe thing is Way off, back to H pipe. I like the trush glasspacks sound, but not the drone. I hear alot of flowmaster 40s around here and i dont like the empty can sound of them. Maybe ill try the Black widow this time around.

by Joe73 Tue Dec 12, 2017 12:09 pm

The H pipe also mellows out the cam sound. The X and H crossovers balance the pulses of each side of the exhaust. I say ditch the crossover pipe and let each side bark as much as it wants.

by Hs1973 Tue Dec 12, 2017 12:13 pm

Og and thanks fasrnur for the sound clip. Your car sounds Nice but not what im looking for, to much hollow can sound for me. Its more the fat oldschool sound im after. I know its hard to hear a sound i have in my head, but i helps alot to just share my frustration with guys that understand. You need to be a gearhead to get it i guess.

by Hs1973 Tue Dec 12, 2017 12:15 pm

Yeah i Think ill even try just without the H pipe first. I heard somewhere that you could ad the H or xpipe to take the worst drone out if you have a drone issue. So ill try without first. I can always ad the H later.

by Hawk03 Tue Dec 12, 2017 4:05 pm

Here's a thread with some pictures of different systems.

https://www.g3gm.com/t8837-stainless-steel-pipes

by Hs1973 Wed Dec 13, 2017 12:17 pm

I went shopping today, but im having a hard time finding 2 1/4 pipe anywhere here. If i want to buy a system in us and having it shipped here it is double the Price, the shipping cost is skyhigh. I can get all kinds of Bends and pipes, that is my only option but in 2" or 2,5" 3" but not 2,25. So is 2,5 to Big a pipe and i should stick with the 2" or is 2" to small in your opinion ?

by Joe73 Wed Dec 13, 2017 12:40 pm

You always want to match your combo. With your current combo I'd go with a 2 inch exhaust. The more you open up the exhaust the more you push your power band up the RPM range. But if you think more performance mods will be in the future like a bigger cam or heads, Etc. Then go to a 2.5 pipe.

by bracketchev1221 Wed Dec 13, 2017 1:47 pm

My header PRIMARY tubes are 2 1/4"!!!!!!!!!

by Joe73 Wed Dec 13, 2017 2:00 pm

http://www.exhaustvideos.com/faq/how-to-calculate-muffler-size-pipe-diameter/

by pila Wed Dec 13, 2017 8:36 pm

I have 2.5 inch pipes on my Elco, with an H pipe. Stock manifolds & stainless pipes that I fitted & welded together. It's not very loud, with Borla mufflers ( not the race types ). Since it's a 507 Caddy engine, ported & polished heads w/ bigger valves etc, with a fairly mild cam, its' a smooth idle etc. It does get loud with my foot in it, but not bad enough to be a cop caller.

Anyway, the Cadillac power guys told me that 2.5 inch pipes are just about right for my engine, and not to go with 3 inch...
So, it would seem that 2.0 inch or 2.25 inch would be OK for a 350 engine that's not much above stock..

by fasrnur Thu Dec 14, 2017 12:28 am

If I could have found them, I would have gone with the muffler that probably started all the performance mufflers other than the glasspack. That would be the Corvair "Turbo" muffler. 2 1/2" in and out. I use to sell the heck out of them back in the 70 and 80's. I still remember the Walker part number. #21348.

by Dead Man Thu Dec 14, 2017 9:06 am

fasrnur wrote:If I could have found them, I would have gone with the muffler that probably started all the performance mufflers other than the glasspack. That would be the Corvair "Turbo" muffler. 2 1/2" in and out. I use to sell the heck out of them back in the 70 and 80's. I still remember the Walker part number. #21348.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NORS-1962-1965-CHEVY-CORVAIR-TURBO-EXHAUST-MUFFLER-3858442-MONZA-SPYDER-NAPA/352085486411?hash=item51f9ee2b4b:g:Yq0AAOSwPWRZPijp&vxp=mtr

by Dead Man Thu Dec 14, 2017 9:20 am

I have always loved the way this one sounds im pretty sure its flo pro v power mufflers but thats all I know. wish I could find the specs on the exhaust setup to know for sure.

by Hs1973 Thu Dec 14, 2017 12:57 pm

I must give you that that sounds just wicked. Im going to have to go with the 2,5 " pipes for now since i cant get 2,25 " here. Ill leave the H pipe out and put the hushpower mufflers back on. I like the sound of the hushpowers just did not Think it was quite loud enough. Its a balance getting it just right. Im now Aware that the bigger the pipes arveandel if you ad a x or H pipe deal it mellows it all out. Im more into the oldschool sound wich is the opposite Way. If of work tomorrow and has the whole day to myself and the project, so off it comes. I have bought a shitload of different Bends and hope to get it Nice and tucked with clean welds. So wish me luck that i get it right this time, fourth time must be the one. Ill get back with an Update when its done.

by dhw3971 Fri Dec 15, 2017 3:42 pm

Here's my story:

I have Flo Pro mufflers ("original" model, I think), and an H-pipe on my station wagon, and while it sounds great at idle and when under acceleration, they create an awful, booming resonance at constant speeds. I need to wear ear plugs for highway driving and that still doesn't cut out all the low-frequency tones. I installed Dynamat on all of the floorboards and behind any plastic panel I could remove, and while it did quiet the ride, it did not dampen the noise (as much as I wanted) from the cargo area.

Had I done more research and not blindly gone with the recommendation of the sledgehammer mechanic who first installed them, I would have picked something else like the Flowmaster 50 series. I would like to replace the Flo Pros in 2018 and will choose something that is easier on my ears for daily driving.

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