Technical What Mufflers Do You Run On Your Hot Street Car?

Hi all,

Sometime tomorrow during the cyber Monday sales I'm going to purchase a set of mufflers for my 56 Chevy project. It's a Big Block Chevy, 10.2:1 Compression, XE274H Comp Cam, and the fenderwell headers have 3" collectors so I plan on 3" pipes. I'll have them dump out in about the same spot as the two lane blacktop 55, between the back of the door and the beginning of the rear fenderwell. I'm looking for something with a sound that fits within the mid 1960s to 1970 time period. I also should mention that this car will see a lot of street miles, as I'm planning to use it as a driver. So I'm searching for something that sounds tough, but also something that's not going to wake up the neighbors while rolling in the driveway late at night. I'm kind of torn between the Cherry Bombs and the Dynomax Bullets at the moment.

So, what mufflers do you run? Opinions on past setups, or what you'd like to do in the future? It would be neat to hear your car too, so if you have a video go ahead and post a link!

 

Well they didn't even have "turbo" mufflers until Corvairs cam out with them on the turbo cars in 65 and 66 so that blows the "Hamb Friendly" on them from the get go. That pretty well leaves glass packs or a handful of early 60's performance mufflers.

 

Looking for the sound of the 60's? May I suggest an "oldies" radio station on your AM dial.

 

Let's see, big block, high compression, a high lift cam, fender well headers and 3" pipes running a very short exhaust system with practically no bends.

I see a few things happening, first of all waking everyone in the neighborhood regardless of the time of day and regardless of what you choose for mufflers.
Especially with the 2 mufflers you have in mind.

The next thing I see in your future is hearing loss unless you are fond of wearing ear plugs all the time you are behind the wheel.

If you're building a driver, tone down the exhaust with smaller diameter pipes with some bends, and decent mufflers running out to the back of the car.

 

With the exhaust system he's describing he wouldn't even be able to hear the radio.

 

I run 3" pipes from the exhaust manifolds to 3" NAPA glass pacs and then out before rear tires . This is why I'm going deaf , after driving over 14 hours to shows like Nats in Louisville I couldn't hear a thing !

 

Walker Continentals glass packs sound mellow turbos just loud.

 

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/wlk-17197/overview/

and I take them off when I go racing.

Tailpipes are good, if you plan to put a lot of miles on the car. They really cut down on exhaust noise.

 

I run reproduction Chrysler Hemi turbo mufflers by Walker.
Very hard to find however. I had to expand the inlet and outlet to fit my 3” system
Mellow with a sweet tone.
My other big block car runs Summit Turbo muffler, also mellow but a bit louder.
The 3 inch exhaust system is very tough to control sound.

 

Trying to figure out what mufflers to use on my Poncho Bubbletop. Currently has new stock mufflers that are way too quiet. Need something without the "highway drone" yet have some tone. First car I've had in a while without FlowMaster 40's. On my 63 BelAir 2 door posr car tried Magnaflows which were too loud and drew too much attention. The problem with mufflers is you never really know how they will sound until after they are installed.
Gary

 

I dont have anything big block anymore, the olds i run porters on and my flathead merc is straight pipes the model a isn’t to that point yet but I’m thinking walkers on it. I have to agree with the guys on this though 3 inch pipes no bends and big block you will be deaf in no time.

 

Had Flomaster 40s on a Dodge PU. Way too much highway drone for me. Running Smithy glass on the Buick. 26 inch, I believe. May be quieter than you want. But agree, out the back if you do not want to harm those ears.

Ben

 

They didn't have big block Chevies till then either, so .......

 

I used magnaflow on my 392 hemi in my 40 ford and exited the exhaust just in front of the rear tires. Less drone and a little quitter than flowmasters.

 

If trying to stick with a late 60's era performance sound you really only have 2 choices for "type" of muffler, either glass packs or turbos. But with 3" exhausts that's gonna limit availability of either type. I'd suggest reducing down to 2 1/2" pipes from the collectors back and go with 2 1/2" in/out mufflers. Than it's your choice between the 2 types, my preference would be turbos for sure. A BBC thru a pair of turbo mufflers is a sweet sound to my ears.

Or, if you want to stick with the 3" exhaust, I'd suggest you try a pair of these: https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Spee...wILawCtt2UIdkx_wCxUdIEnPmoYSwuNxoCOYIQAvD_BwE


These will bring the volume level down about 10db's (roughly half), which is just about right IMO, and sound great under acceleration, a far better exhaust note than glass packs for sure. Louder, not as mellow as turbo's.

 

Had 2 chamber noise masters on my Stude...way too loud, switched to magnaflows still fairly loud but tolerable for me. Car has fenderwell headers and 3"exhaust.

 

Tail pipes to the rear of the car are wonderful things.

 

Put Porter steel packs on the 1939 Ford Coupe - 327 and 30/30 solid lift cam and 2.5 Ram-heads - mandral bend 2.5 system. Really sounds nice - cool sound and still can hear.

 

Ran these on a original mild 396/325hp in my '68 Chevelle that was insulated. Sounded great outside, 2.5" stock cast iron manifolds to tailpipes to the back bumpers. No drone & could hear the radio - I wear hearing aids!

Summit Racing SUM-638222 - Summit Racing® 2-Chamber Performance Mufflers

 

My advice, if you want to drive it lots, run pipes out the back regardless of what mufflers you use. If you want it louder for short runs you could have a set of dumps closer to the front you can uncap.

 

Walker 21348 (# now defunct) now reverted to their Dyno-Max line. Walkers version of the Corvair turbo muffler ('65 makes it Hamb friendly BTW, if anybody gives a shit ). 2 1/2" in & out. Ran many, still use a set. None of that tinny, rap-rap, blap-blap bullshit....

 

No need for 3" exhaust unless you are in the 800hp range... 2.5" will support anything and everything up to that point.

I agree, glasspacks is where you will be. I just pulled the flowmasters off my truck in the avatar, put on some glasspacks... they are getting broken in pretty well and have a nice ring to em. not too loud but enough to let people know its not grandpa coming through.

 

So whats a 409 or Z11 ?

 

I had glass packs on my blown 427 for a little while. With full tailpipes it was tolerable in the car...but really loud for the folks following me. And I did get complaints.

 

Smoothy,
I've been using Cherry Bomb glass packs for 40+ years, the key is to use the longest one that you can make fit, then add the tail pipe out to your exit location.
Here is a link to look at: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/imm-87516cb/overview/

Glenn

 

Porter mufflers on the old beater, Flowmasters on the boss ladys wagon. HRP

 

When I had the chassis built for my roadster I completely forgot to figure in space for the mufflers around the tube structures and ladder bars, the plan was Flowmaster 40 series mufflers, didn't happen so ended up having to use a bullet style, mine are SS, made by Stainless Specialties.

 

Dynomax Super Turbo Mufflers #17749.. They will sound very quiet when first installed but as you use them they get such a nice tone to them.. I think the sound deadener gets covered with soot. The Dynomax mufflers are different then the other Turbos. They have directional channels in them that give them a distinct sound and they flow well..

 

@Smoothy - What did you end up with?

 

My 56 BelAir with a warmed over 327, fenderwell headers, "X" pipe, Flowmaster 40's and 2 1/2" pipes out below the rear bumper sounds as good as any car I've heard. I believe the "X" pipe makes the difference.