Back in the 60's and 70's many builders would install glasspacks as the muffler of choice. It gave a great sound, especially the gurgles and pops when you let off the gas. They were used in various lengths, the longer the length the mellower the sound. Now, virtually no one uses glasspacks anymore. Any reason why?
You need to stop reading "Street Rodder" and get out into the real world of traditional hot rods a little more often, Don.
had them on my chopped '54 - the filler had been blown out long ago - nick name was LaBomba Sent from my SM-G930V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Actually air before the muffler will make them pop and gurgle. We used to take a stock exhaust on "Moms" sedan and drill a 1/8 hole right in front of the muffler didn't change a thing with the gas on but when you let off it was like rice crispys on steroids. I still run glass packs. Actually about anyone with a late model pickup around here runs one with a split behind the muffler. They call them turbo torpedoes.
Back in the 70's and 80's they were popular in my area due to being cheap, and if you were a kid that wanted to tick -off the old folks, you wanted to make noise! The local auto parts stores used to have a metal trash can by the front door, filled with "Cherry Bombs", because they sold so many! They went away as cars introduced more techno-crap, and 4-6 cylinder engines took over. Now the "Old" car owners are also getting "Old", and most around my area want a more quiet rumble (as do their wives) when they cruise. I am still young enough I don't mind some noise!
I took a pair of Summit glass packs off my Ford last year and went to something quieter. BLAAAATTTTT... The old days, Lemon Peelers were another brand. I do wish the old Thrush round cans were around, those had a better sound to them than the 'packs.
Running long pipes helps. Gets the noise away from the cockpit. LOL The raven and I were talking about the exhaust on my new project and I had said that I plan to run glass packs and pipes all the way out the back. He said I should just run the headers open like we do on the roadster. I pointed out to him that a sedan/coupe is like riding inside a speaker cabinet and you want the noise as far away as possible.
The glass packed turn outs mounted to sprint headers on my '33 Vicky came out near the side windows. They sounded great at idle, but when I romped on it, you'd go deaf from the roar, and that echo effect you mention inside the old car bodies! Long trips on the highway had you saying, "What?" a lot when you got where you were going!
I've got 24" Walker glasspacks on 2 of my cars. Exhaust exits behind the rear bumper though, and the car is pretty quiet inside. The folks I travel with do say it's pretty loud if I pass them at WOT though. There are so many choices for exhaust these days, not everyone is going to want to use glasspacks (They're illegal where I live by the way. I haven't been bothered about them since I was 18, so nearly 50 years.) There are still lots of people that want and use glasspacks these days.
This topic brings back many fond memories of my formative years fooling around with cars. Back in the day it was either Cherry Bombs or the Thrush glass packs that have already been talked about. They had a great sound that sounded "right" when we were cruising down the long main street in Rice Lake, Wisconsin...
i have two 20" long Porter 2.5" Steel packs in a sbc truck with the exhaust stopping under the bed right before the axle. Sort of loud, a little spendy, but a great sound, and great quality. when cruising along, they are noticeable but not obnoxious in the cab, unless your constantly stomping on it. i'll be buying another one for the straight 8 buick when I get to that point.
Two things come to mind with glass packs. First, they burn out the fiberglass packing in a couple of years and then they're just straight through LOUD. Second, with the advent of the small turbo mufflers originally on turbo Corvairs you got a small size, free flow, and really cool sound. After they came in during the 70s the 'packs were pretty well old news. My .02 cents anyway.
Running something similar on the '31. Kook's 2-1/2" race mufflers with an X pipe. A lot quieter than you'd think.
Turbos rule. BUT... currently running custom shorty (14") straight-through (echo can) Brockman steel packs , AND motorcycle baffles, AND fiberglass wrapping.
Sure wish Walker still made the Continentals they had a great sound for a glass pack. I have 36 year old 30" Cherry Bombs on my '57 they still sound pretty good! KK
For awhile, I couldn't find good glasspaks or steel packed mufflers that had the straight through internal pipe. I found that although the exterior looked the same, there were baffles inside the muffler, so there was probably as much, or more, back pressure than a stock muffler. I switched to the Turbo mufflers, and even though they are a little louder, they do have a nice sound. Bob
I'm running two 36" long Cherry Bombs on my small block Chevy daily driver, they pop and cackle when you let off the gas. I had a Purple Hornie on another truck. The Purple Hornies are louder than the Cherry Bombs.
My 1960 Chevy Impala, 283/power glide has dual glass packs. It sounds almost as good as my 1955 Chevy with Cherry Bombs did in 1965. Old school still rules. I just need cut outs, again!! Or 68, just thought it was 65, lost a few years in smoke.
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