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Blasphmey? A quiet muffler?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by gimpyshotrods, Jun 9, 2009.

  1. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 23,264

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    My '29A CC pickup project is coming along nicely. It is right about time to think about where to put the exhaust, and what to put there.

    Sure lakesters and zoomies are cool, but I'd like to be able to drive the thing without going deaf, or gettin' dead.

    Anybody have any experience with a relatively quiet muffler, or two?

    I am running a stock SBC 305, circa 1989, and cruise RPM should be about 2250.

    Suggestions? Am I going to get kicked out for this?:eek:
     
    TCATTC likes this.
  2. Run a pair of the Long Smithy's and it will be pretty quiet with a bit of deep tone.
    Chrysler Imperial mufflers used to be used by the street racer crowd that want to be "Stealthy"
     
  3. pasadenahotrod
    Joined: Feb 13, 2007
    Posts: 11,775

    pasadenahotrod
    Member
    from Texas

    Hell, my friend Burl built his 32 3W his way, glass body (he's 78 and steel is a little too real, repair wise), original frame, crate 350, Heidt's up front, 8" Ford rear on Posie's dual spring setup, full-fendered, A/C, and yeah buddy, single exhaust with the biggest muffler they could fit inside the X-member. All he wants to hear is the gravel crunching as the tires roll over, and he does.
    His Track Car has a 350 with headers and 3" glass packs 40" long, a little louder than the 32!
     
    thintin and TCATTC like this.
  4. You may have room for a pair of the fabled "Hemi Mufflers."

    They're pretty quiet, but do have a tone that indicates to an experienced person that there's something serious under the hood.
     
    TCATTC likes this.

  5. sawzall
    Joined: Jul 15, 2002
    Posts: 4,721

    sawzall
    Member

    when the local exhaust genius put pipes on my car he used 29.99 hollow cans whose tone was akin to a stihl chainsaw.. (at wide open throttle)

    I posted this
    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=186324&highlight=exhaust+theory

    and decided that bigger was better..

    on my 47 chevy coupe.. I found that 57 chevy mufflers made the car really quiet..

    they were available from my local napa.

    think big.. as more volume seems to = less noise..
     
    TCATTC likes this.
  6. gnichols
    Joined: Mar 6, 2008
    Posts: 11,345

    gnichols
    Member
    from Tampa, FL

    I vote for quiet too. Old cars on the freeway make enough tire and wind noise as it is. Besides, how cool would an all black, stealth (ie nearly no noise) hot rod be - the cops don't see you coming, or hear you leaving. On my current build, I'm putting on a quiet muffler (I hope) along with one of those electric dumps, so I can make noise just when I need it! Gary
     
    Truckdoctor Andy and TCATTC like this.
  7. Dynaflash_8
    Joined: Sep 24, 2008
    Posts: 3,038

    Dynaflash_8
    Member
    from Auburn WA

    Loud pipes save lives!

    Thats my theory.

    Thats why i have straight fender wall headers =D
     
    Jibs and 46international like this.
  8. hemi
    Joined: Jul 11, 2001
    Posts: 1,959

    hemi
    Member

    Yeah.. but how is that going to sound with a bone-stock 305?? ;)

    Get something quiet unless it has a cam and some compression.
     
  9. I use 24 inch Smittys on my Roadster. At 6 Grand it is Orgasmic !!!!!!
    Fuzzy
     
    fauj likes this.
  10. keeffer
    Joined: Jan 25, 2008
    Posts: 111

    keeffer
    Member

    autozone glasspacks 29.00 sound great
     
  11. Truckedup
    Joined: Jul 25, 2006
    Posts: 4,661

    Truckedup
    Member

    A 305 sounds the same as any Chevy V-8,more or less.My 64 El Camino has a slightly built 305,two into one 3 inch short glass pack,then 3 inch back to a Magnaflow muffler,3 inch exit behind the rear tire.It's pretty loud,sounds more powerful than it is.But not so loud as to draw unwanted attention.
    Dual glass packs will certainly give a traditional sound
     
  12. GreaserTats
    Joined: Jul 28, 2008
    Posts: 21

    GreaserTats
    Member

    I had a stock muffler on my 49 flathead 218, but gotta admit I love my Smithy's on it now.
     
  13. Ayers Garage
    Joined: Nov 28, 2002
    Posts: 1,382

    Ayers Garage
    Member

    I ran 30 inch Smittys on my last car with a stock SBC. It was in no way loud. Even after 20k miles, the mufflers were still quiet.
     
  14. jb2wheeler
    Joined: Nov 5, 2008
    Posts: 46

    jb2wheeler
    Member

    I heard Magnaflows were pretty quiet, so I put a couple on my Elky with a 540 Dart Big M. It was way too loud at 70 MPH, so I put a couple of resonators on the end of the tailpipe and now you can talk at 70 MPH and only have to holler just a little to be heard. JB
     
  15. Al Napier
    Joined: Feb 6, 2007
    Posts: 400

    Al Napier
    Member
    from Central CT

    A pair of generic Walker (NAPA, Advance, etc) turbo mufflers should fit the bill nicely. Not too loud but still with a little tone to know it isn't stock and fairly low restriction to boot.

    Add in a balance tube (H-pipe) and you'll probably be happy.

    IF you could score an old pair of AP/Merit/Goerelich (sp?) real live Corvair turbo mufflers, old part number was M1365, I guar-an-tee fulfillment.......

    Al in CT
     
    Chavezk21 likes this.
  16. tommy
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 14,757

    tommy
    Member Emeritus

    My 34 P/U has zero mufflers, nothing, nada. Believe it or not it is not deafening or even objectionable. No cruising droan that gets annoying quickly. I believe that being a P/U helps some also. It's only running 1 3/4" pipes and nothing else. Forget about the baloney cut 3" echo cans. My point is not to convince you to run without mufflers but more about thinking more about the whole system and not just the brand of the muffler.

    I like to put the muffler in the middle allowing for a reasonable tail pipe. Putting it up front with a long tail pipe can lead to what I call the school bus effect. A stock school bus will rap like hell decelerating down a long hill. Great for split manifold stovebolts that like that stuff but not too cool for mellow tones. A muffler far back with nothing but a turn down will be loud and contribute to the cruising droan especially in a sedan or coupe with the muffler still under the passenger compartment. Turnouts in front of the rear wheels puts the sounds right below your ears.

    If you are like me you will want it to have some sounds cruising the parking lot but not objectionable on the highway. Don't over do the size of the pipe and locate whatever muffler you choose allowing for a true tail pipe and you probably won't even notice the sounds at cruising speeds.
     
  17. ruquik
    Joined: Jul 19, 2006
    Posts: 88

    ruquik
    Member

    Walker Turbo II's or Cherry Bomb Turbos (same thing). You can get them in almost any combination of offset and diameters.


    OR....

    You could run the lakester headers with some Car Chemistry inserts.

    -Brad
     
    Chavezk21 likes this.
  18. hillbilly4008
    Joined: Feb 13, 2009
    Posts: 2,924

    hillbilly4008
    Member
    from Rome NY

    Just throwing this out there. Has anyone ever used tractor mufflers? I've always been curious of how they would sound.
     

  19. Just tell everyone that you built a sleeper motor.:cool:


    Kinda what I did with my 462" Buick.
    Lotta stuff done to it and the cam is very mild.
    Puts out a lot of that "torque" stuff....:D
     
  20. ruquik
    Joined: Jul 19, 2006
    Posts: 88

    ruquik
    Member

    Awesome idea!!

    And they usually have turn-outs already.
     
  21. atomickustom
    Joined: Aug 30, 2005
    Posts: 3,409

    atomickustom
    Member

    I have the "turbo" mufflers on my '53 Chevy with a stock 350, 2 1/4" pipes, and a crossover. It is whisper quiet over 2,000rpm, but it booms too loudly from around 1,500 to around 1,950. Idle is not bad. Likewise, my Dad put turbo mufflers on a 383 Charger and it was also loud in the low/mid RPM range.
    Next car ('51 Chevy, mildly worked 350) is going to get some sort of big mufflers. I want to whisper, too.
    I had a 1976 Mercury Marquis with a 460 and dual exhaust with a crossover (all factory, except the "missing" catalytic converters) and it sounded really nice AND it was quiet. I suppose a fella could just buy mufflers for a '76 Marquis w/460 and put them on any car. I'm sure they flow plenty for a 305 or 350.
     
  22. Gahrajmahal
    Joined: Oct 14, 2008
    Posts: 493

    Gahrajmahal
    Member

    I too was in search of a quiet muffler for my 440 powered ride. I bought a new 2-1/2" mandrel bent exhaust system with H pipe for the car. It came with Dynomax turbo mufflers. This is the same muffler that came with the cat-back exhaust on my late model V6 ford pickup which is nice and quiet, so I was optimistic. The 440 was loud and obnoxious especially at 30-50 mph. I was not convinced that resonators would do the trick so I opted for stock mufflers. As I talked with more people the noise comes from how much more air a 440 V8 moves -vs- a little V6. I would lean towards advise from 305 V8 owners. You will end up spending less $$ that way.
     
  23. marks914
    Joined: Feb 20, 2009
    Posts: 330

    marks914
    Alliance Vendor

    Although i am not old by any means, I have been putting quieter exhaust systems on my cars. I like to drive my cars when they are done, and a nice mellow, not loud tone maks a long trip easier. Easier to talk in the car too. I know what the car can do, no need to advertize, or over-advertize with the sound.

    I have been using cheapo turbo mufflers, and then a resonator or resonator tips. The tips help, but the more bends in, the quiter. Smaller diameter tubing is better fopr sound, but who wants to do that.

    Just my $.02

    Mark
     
    Truckdoctor Andy likes this.
  24. I vote for quiet also. My F-1 will have quiet mufflers with old style "Dumps" just in case. I've told my grandkids to invest in hearing aid, vision and cosmetic stocks. I think when the ipod/big amp/computer screen/tatoo generation gets to be my age there will definitly be a demand. (Ask me how I know, lol)
     
    TCATTC likes this.
  25. shpotty
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 247

    shpotty
    Member
    from New Jersey

    Walker Dynomax Super Turbo mufflers are quite but flow as good or better than most "performance" mufflers. Why leave horsepower on the table just because you want the car to be quiet.

    I've used them on several different cars and trucks and have never been disappointed. Jim Hand tested them along with a ton of other mufflers and they did more than hold their own against bigger name mufflers from a performance standpoint and they are still nice and quiet.
     
    Chavezk21 likes this.
  26. CJ Steak
    Joined: Sep 23, 2008
    Posts: 1,377

    CJ Steak
    Member
    from Texas


    My Willys pickup has a Massey Ferguson muffler on it from Tractor Supply. I wanted that old timey sound that the round coffee can looking mufflers from back in the day had. This muffler sounds soooo much better than that. It doesn't buzz, it makes the engine growl like an industrial piece of machinery, or a really old semi from the 40's-50's. It's not ear splitting loud. Even with a side exit pipe I can't hear it over 35 mph. I need to post up a video of it, it actually sounds pretty nasty for a flat 6. It doesn't sound like a V8 but it doesn't sounds like a buzzy six... ala "235 Chevy blowing through a glasspack".

    They're cheap... I think I paid 25 bucks for this one, and they're made out of thick steel. I bumped it off a rock when I was going through a creek bed and it didn't do anything but scratch it. The dimensions on mine are 24 inches long and probably about 8" across. If you have tight clearances under your car, they have other mufflers you can try. They'd probably be comparable to a Smithy in sound.

    Good luck with your car.

    -Chris
     
  27. mj40's
    Joined: Dec 11, 2008
    Posts: 3,303

    mj40's
    Member

    Test drive these- http://www.dynomax.com/sounds/flash/sounds.html


     
  28. Kustomkarma
    Joined: Mar 31, 2007
    Posts: 898

    Kustomkarma

    I also vote for no noise. I'm building a cruiser with a stock 200 cid Ford six. Anyone got any suggestions as to what muffler would work well on a 1964 Mercury Comet? I'm looking for silent and no drone.
     
  29. onlychevrolets
    Joined: Jan 23, 2006
    Posts: 2,307

    onlychevrolets
    Member


    This man is correct, long Smittys will do what you want. They are NOT loud, look do what you want to but I've been getting burnt welding mufflers of cars since 1977 and I think I know what I'm talking about. Now when I say Smittys I mean the name brand Smitty NOT a freeking glass pack that dummys call smittys...
     
  30. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 23,264

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Thanks for all of the input! I am pleased to know that I am not the only one seeking some quiet.:D
     

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