OK, it's been a while since I've checked in here, we moved to another house and I've been building a shop. Cars have kinda been on the back burner, but the shop is finished. Today I purchased a 1947 Lincoln Club Coupe with a V-12 flattie. Probably won't take possession of it until next week. It's a very nice older restoration, not hot-rodded, but that's OK, I have a couple of hotrods. I've just always admired the V-12 flatties but never owned one and thought I'd enjoy this one for a while. I'm probably going to change it to dual exhaust. I want something that sounds better than stock single muffler, but not obnoxiously loud, considering the car it'll be on. Any exhaust suggestions?
I don't think I have ever heard a hipo exhaust system on a V12. But I only live a mile or so from the local airport. Some years ago we had a guy who rebuilt War birds based there. Among his customer's planes was a Mustang P51, early models of which had an Allison V12, and the later ones were Rolls Royce Merlins by Packard, also V12s. He often flew these planes around for test flights over our house. My point is that these V12 Mustangs sounded like a pair of 6cyl racers racing side by side. Hard to describe, but you'll recognize the sound if you hear
...saw a Ford 8N tractor with a Lincoln V12 in it, it had dual strate pipes down and back out under the rear axle,...one of the nicest sounds I've ever heard from a flattie, not that loud;...I'd try that, then if it's too loud, just cut em and splice in some mufflers like Porters or a pair of 8N Ford tractor mufflers. Those pipes are only about an inch and a half in diameter.
I run walker mufflers on everything. Walker is the parent company of dynomax. Dynomax super turbo= loud, walker quiet flow= mellow. Not a fan of the rasp from glasspacks, let the flames begin. Either way, post up some video when you get the new exhaust on, I'd love to hear a v12 with some pipes.
Too classy a car to be loud, a long Porter or similar muffler would probably sound real nice with a sweet burble! KK
I agree, needs to be a "dignified burble" Straight pipes? "horrors!!!!!" But it's all relative and almost mystical to get "right". That P-51 Mustang was running 12 individual stacks, maybe 18 or so inches long. But it wasn't loud sounding to me, it was pure music. I think most of us can agree, even with straight stacks for each port, there is a clear different sound in the exhaust of 4cyl., 6cyl., and 8cyl engine exhaust. Is it safe to say that as a multiple of 6 might somewhat have the same sound?
Thanks for all of the responses and opinions, and............. MERRY CHRISTMAS to all!! I was probably getting ahead of myself posting about it before I even had the car in my possession, but I'm excited to have and drive a V-12 flattie! Once I get it home I'll do a few shakedown cruises and put it on a lift and check it out. I'm still working on getting it home, it may be first week of Jan before I can pull it all together. I'm really tempted to drive it home, but it's 650+ miles in a totally stock 68 yr old car that I don't know anything about. If I had already driven it several hundred miles and had a little experience with it, I'd strike out that far without any concerns. About all I know about it so far is it's a V-12 flattie, a 3 spd w/OD and 4.22 rear gears, but it weighs 4.000 lbs !! It won't be a hot rod in the performance dept but I'll have fun with it anyway! Whenever and whatever I do with the exhaust, I'll post it! Thanks again for your responses!
Driving it home could be a pleasant experience, or it could be the worst mistake you ever made if things go wrong. Do you have access to a trailer capable of handling the car and a truck capable of pulling the load?
I would try straight pipes if you want mellower you can add Porters. I've never heard Porters sound bad on anything.
Good to see somebody else appreciate the post war Lincolns! I have a 47 Club Coupe myself, although mine is SBC powered, put in before I got the car. Probably not much help as a SBC is totally different from a V12 Lincoln flattie, but my car has some kind of off brand Turbo or Flow Master style mufflers on it. It sounds pretty good, not too loud unless you mash on it. Mine is more sporty looking since I don't run the rear fender skirts, so I think it depends on the look you're after as to how much sound you can get away with. Running the skirts and going for a restored stock or mildly customized look I think you would want it quieter than one like mine with a little hot rodded look to it. Just my two cents worth, take it for what it's worth...
I totally agree on the above comment by dirty old man! I have a truck capable, and an enclosed trailer, but I don't think our trailer is big enough, or it would be too close/too tight/not fit. I've got an acquaintance with a 34 ft enclosed trailer, he does this for a living, I think I'm gonna use him. I'm appreciating and enjoying all the comments! I'm thinking of staying with stock look, being it's a nice restoration, and keeping the rear skirts (or seeing what it looks like w/o them?), maybe just changing the exhaust only. I'm leaning towards Porters right now, but Smitty's are still a possibility. If the V-12 was in anything else, you know I'd be looking at multiple carbs, etc. !! I'm able to resist the temptation of modifying this one, as I have a '55 Bel Air project that is a mild custom/hot rod, and a 99% stock 30 Model A coupe that may become an AV8 someday. Thanks again for all the comments and suggestions!
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