Muffler choices need advice

[rockytopmark]

I have read 20 or more posts tonight regarding which is the best muffler for a GT.

I have a Modified 1.9 (.030 over pistons, ported head, oversized cam), Sprint Exhaust Manifold, ported/torquered intake, Weber 32/36 carb.

I have seen the suggestion from RallyBob for 2" back to muffler out to 2.5" over axle and so forth, and I will be doing that, but I am unsure of the muffler. I have seen Flow-Through as the suggested type, but many have used Magnaflow 11365 which I do not believe is. Some have used Turbo-style, some have added a glasspack. Some use a resonator, some use just resonated tips.

Bottom-line is would love for best performance, but I really do not want LOUD... sporty but not intrusive to the community and to allow for conversation in car driving at speed. I would probably rank the sound as priority over HP. Best would be good balance of the two.

I know this topic has been covered a lot, but I am just as confused as before all my reading earlier.

Thanks in advance...

[opelwasp]

i ran a turbo muffler with 2" in/out to 2 1/4" pipe split to two Hooker 3 1/2" resoator tips. sounded very agressive but not too loud to piss off the neighbors. also using 14 gauge pipe helps to keep interior noise lower, and the exhaust not as tinny as 16 gauge tends to be.

[rockytopmark]

...before I head out to get estimates. I am probably leaning toward the commonly used Magnaflow 11365 with resonated tips, but would love to hear other opinions.

Thanks,

[hrcollinsjr]

...would love to hear other opinions.
Thanks,

This area is so subjective it isn't even funny. Some like the rice burner exhausts and other don't care what it does for performance as long as it is dualed. What is aggressive to one is too loud for others. I've also tried to make heads or tails of some of these descriptions myself. When I get far enough along to have an exhaust system made up I want to try one of the old style chambered mufflers that aren't much larger than the diameter of the pipe they are on and resonator tips at the back. I emailed one of the companies making the chambered mufflers and they couldn't tell me anything about how they would sound with a four cylinder.

Harold

[bosco]

Talk to them about installing a flexible section....I have WAY less vibration after having it installed and MUCH less movement of the tips at the rear of the car.

[rockytopmark]

Somewhat disillussioned by the 2 quotes I got for my exhaust.

- Cut down stock head pipe for fitment to 2" pipe back.
- Flex-Pipe between manifold and muffler
- Magnaflow 11365 or shorter version if necessary
- 2.5 " over the axle to Y split out 2 exhausts
- Resonated tips
- Labor

$475 and $487 (inc. tips), from 2 separate shops ($475 one didn't even include the tips, just installation)

Anybody know a good exhaust shop in Chicagoland suburbs? I am willing to keep shopping around, but I'd rather have a referral at this point.

I am also probably going to go the route of getting my own parts and finding a shop that'll do the installation, to save some $$$

Thanks,

[soybean]

Mark check out this site. http://www.autopn.com/store/pc/viewP...dproduct=15043
I think they were trying to overcharge you quite a bit on the tips by themselves. A complete system shouldn't be $475. Around $230-$250. That's what it cost me for mine. Jarrell

[calvin]

Let me just say the glasspack bullet is loud, very loud, In germany I just ran the resignator where the muffler would go on an ascona, also loud but not too bad.

what kind of nieghborhood do you live in? Are you going to bother people if it is loud? Where the Manta lives is next to a couple of guys who build dragster mustangs who work on them nightly so my Opel is not the most hated car on the block. Still everybody turns off the cars and coasts down the alley. I run the glasspack because it was cheap, and FITS as I have clearence problems.

Do you plan on listening to your stereo above 30 MPH? If so a glasspack may not be the best idea. Find a muffler that fits your style of driving...

Because I don't know any better and if money was an issue, if you look at most mufflers they are cans with pipes that come out of them with a baffle in the middle. I would find a round one fatter than a glasspack that wasn't too long in a junkyard knock the insides out with a broom and bolt it up. If you can afford a proper exhaust by all means get one just don't overpay.

I strongly second that front to rear compleate at 2 or 2 1/4 shouldn't cost more than 200-250

[rockytopmark]

But I went for more 2 more quotes today and found they were all about the same, upper $400's!!! It must be me! Anyway, I talked one of the shops down 15% and went with the work order. Obviously no starving shops in Chicagoland.

2" back from cutdown headpipe collector to flex section
2" from Flex Pipe to Magnaflow 11365
2.5" from Muffler over Axle
Split to two pipes and
Finished with 2 Jones Resonated Tips JCM212

Yeah, I feel like I am overpaying a bit, but I am spending too much time and gas money at this point to keep looking. That said, this exhaust better be done perfect or they'll be re-doing it.

Thanks for your input, gang.

[bosco]

Hopefully you're staying away from the Midas's of the world....they would probably charge that much.

[ephillippe]

I've had really good luck in the sound and power department just using a generic stainless turbo muffler, no resonator tips or other glasspacks. Also, like Bosco says, try to find a small muffler/welding shop to do the work, I was able to have mine setup for about $250 (That's In the Bay Area too!)

[joedeats]

Flowmaster 2 chamber series 50, cheap as chips awesome sound well made. 50 bucks of happiness my friend.

[coolchrisp]

i dunno if u read but i had a thread a month or so back on the same issue. i went to a top value shop and he did 2 1/4 from the end of the header to a thrush glasspack (my choice, and it is quite loud, then again, i hate my neighbors soo i dont care... but u might) and he jsut shot it streight back over the axle out the first exhause lump, then welded a pipe sideways out that to go out the other one. and it cost me just around $200 if i remember right.

trust us all, there are places u can get it much cheaper. it took me 5 places to find that. and it was worth the saved money. i was gettin estimates like yours. you jsut have to search. ya i drove around with an open header for a couple weeks but hey it was worth it!!

in this case time is money earned!!

[tonykim]

I've had good luck running short turbo mufflers, 2.25 in. with straight pipe from a long tube hedder back and then single pipe over the axle with y-split. I've used generic mufflers from a car parts store for a mid-70s Camaro or TA and they were cheap, quiet, and the car had a good balance of torque and power. Engine was a 0.040" over 1.9L with mildly ported head, solid lift cam, 32/36 Weber.

[tekenaar]

Search on "turbo muffler" yielded . . . everything you need to know about mufflers and pipes . . . post #23 for my take on muffler.

[rockytopmark]

Otto - Thanks, I did search and read more than 20 threads, which just got me confused, as I mentioned. I went with much advice from those threads with making my choice... Post #9 above.

Thanks to all for your advice and help.

Exhaust is in. I overpaid, but it is done, and is nice work. Its a little louder than I wanted, but I am going to learn to like the sound with time. Sounds good at speed, but getting there is a little too loud for my taste.

See my prior post for configuration. I will post pics. I feel beaten... Glad its over.