So I've been driving around with uncorked headers since I acquired my '30 Ford pickup Since I got it last summer, since that's the way it came. And it's been fun to blast around in, but in all honesty it's just a bit too much volume. I didn't want to install a full exhaust system, as I kinda like being a bit of a hooligan with the loud lakes pipes, but I did want to tone it down a bit. So I looked around for baffles to install, and after considering a few options, including making my own or even buying some glass pack mufflers and robbing the guts out of them to stuff into the headers, I finally settled on these auger style baffles from Speedway: http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedway-Auger-Style-Muffler,1736.html So last Sunday I started the installation. Here's what I started with. I started making the cut with the header still mounted, since it was at a nice working level, but I soon realized that wasn't going to work, so off they came. I made my marks to line the turnout back up before I started cutting, but after grinding down the welds there wasn't much of a mark left. On the second pipe I got smart and ground the welds down first, before cutting the turnout off, which worked much better. Once I got the turnouts off I cleaned up the insides of the collector, then I had to grind the baffles down to fit. The collectors are tapered from about 3" to 4" at the end, the baffles are 3 1/2", so the first spiral piece had to be ground down quite a bit and just a little removed off the center spiral, and they ended up fitting about like this: All I have for welding these days is a stick welder, and I didn't want to use that on these, so the next day I took these down to a local muffler shop who does a lot of work on rods and muscle cars, and had them tack weld the baffles in place, then reweld the turnouts back on, They used a mig welder on the turnouts, and the welds turned out much nicer than the original welds, but still not as nice as I would've liked them to be. Oh well, still much better than I would've done with the stick welder. After I got them back from the muffler shop I stripped the old paint off using a chemical stripper, then sanded them down to get all the old paint and rust off them. I used a medium grit sanding disc on my 4" air grinder, then followed that up with course twist lock scotchbrite pads. After that I wiped them down a couple of times with Tar & Wax remover, then hung them up and sprayed them with VHT high temp header paint. Ranger helped. After they dried I got them installed and went through the recommended process to cure the paint on the engine. Anyway, what about the baffles? They work very well, they reduced the volume level of the exhaust by about 8 - 10 decibels, measured with an analog db meter I have. I set the meter up and recorded it with a video recorder, and compared the "before" and "after" videos, both outside the cab (about 26" away from the turnout) and inside, and the volume at idle is about 8 db's quieter, and overall it averages about 8 - 10 db's over the range from idle to several thousand rpm's. If 8 - 10 db's doesn't sound like much, believe me, it's pretty significant. (for any musicians out there, this is about the difference in volume between a 10 watt guitar amp and an 80 watt amp). It's still loud enough to grab your attention, but it doesn't rattle your ears. And in a way, it actually sounds better, less harsh. Seat of the pants dyno results say there isn't much, if any, loss of performance. And I'm not missing the extra noise at all. In fact, I was so pleased with the sound while driving around, I found it difficult to keep my foot out of the throttle, it just sounds so good you want to hear it. So I'm very happy with the result and would definitely recommend these baffles. Fitting them into the tapered collector was not difficult at all, they do not appear to be overly restrictive, and they definitely bring the volume down, just where I want it.
Looks like a nice fix. Good job Thanks for the post & info. I don't have open pipes on my 32, but the mufflers are pretty loud. I like the sound also. Jim
Thanks for your great review. Im building an 8ba flathead and intend to use Lakes style pipes with baffles. Just answered one of my questions!
I have those same baffles in the side pipes on the t-bucket. Love the sound. Loud enough to get your attention. Sharper exhaust note than the old blown out glass packs that I took out. Nice install, by the way.
Roughly ~ 98 db at cruise to pushing 108 accelerating at ~3k - 4k rpm. Prior to the baffles that was up around 108 to 118, that's pretty loud. It's still loud, but much easier on the ears.
$15 all day long through Speedway. I still prefer the wrapped baffles, especially when I take the wrapping off.
Thanks for the write up, currently have the Sprint Roadster Headers and have been looking at switching over to the Lake Style Headers. Have to remember about the auger inserts...
Off subject. The 2 two barrels look great on the 2-4 manifold. Are u running them progressive? Hard to tell when I enlarge the photo of the rear carbs arm. Thanks PS: Speedway and others sell a perforated cone to lower decibels also. We use them on our dirt car.
At those db levels you should wear hearing protection when driving around. You will be damaging your hearing over the long term. You will not be able to hear your grandchildren if you have some.
Hey tfeverfred... I like how ya think....but up here noisy cars/bikes take heat from the fuzz depending on where and time of the day your mashing on the pedal. Anyways I'm wondering based off of this conversation who is running the perforated baffles without the s/s wrap and who is running either style auger baffle with full wrap and is there a considerable noticeable difference in real world terms..?? I will be running lakes on my Eh-Bone with a warmed 354 hemi. I DO believe hotrods should go fast, sound mean, scare women and kids. I have some of my own and like Blueone said I want to hear them most of the time-lol. Any feedback is appreciated!
Jimmy Six, how much sound reduction do you get with the perforated cones from Speedway? I have a hiboy "A" with a stout sbc and Patriot "Roadster" headers and collector/turnouts. Using the patented "Spiral Turbo Baffles" and really like the tone of the sound out of those 3.5" collector/turnouts. But as the inventor/seller predicted, with the large 3.5" dia, they are a little louder than I'd like in decibel level. Most cops see me in the car, and smile and wave, but sure as hell, one of these days I'm gonna encounter one in a bad mood and if he's local, I'm gonna have a problem over and above the fine! They'll then force me to quieten it down a lot more than if I do it first is what I'm thinking. Don't want to contend with packing always blowing out, and I've been wondering about those cones in the round track Speedway catalog. I could pull the collector/turnouts off and put the cones ahead of the baffles in the section that is part of the header itself OK I think, as the baffles are down inside the removable part. Are they worth the effort?
Hey, hot rods are supposed to be dangerous! But to be serious for a moment, I've ridden motorcycles for over 40 years, and I've played electric guitar for just about as long, as well as worked in industry that involved lot's of big hammers striking large metal objects. My ears have been subjected to a lot of abuse over the years, this is comparatively fairly mild. The noise of the wind rushing in the side windows and through the open roof are just about as loud as the exhaust, if not louder, at 70 mph. If I take it on a long drive I'll wear ear plugs, just as I would if I was taking the bike on a couple hundred mile ride, or when the volume from the guitar amps, drums and Pa get too loud in a bar room. So, when you get that RPU out on the road you keep it in mind. You may have run your exhaust out to the rear end, but that doesn't help the wind noise, and you're gonna have enough of that to do damage too.
As a professional tradesman in the industrial construction industry and an instructor, I know well the dangers of noise exposure. I know lots of friends and co workers who are now getting fitted for hearing aids. Had my hearing checked last week and being careful about protecting my ears has paid off. I also rode motorcycles and still do. I always wear my ear plugs, even on a ride down the street to the store. Hearing protection is a standard practice, I don't swing a leg over the bike or pick up a power tool in the garage without the ear plugs. Mowing the lawn included. Riding in the RPU will be no different. I teach industrial trades safety so I'm well aware of the issue. Just like to pass it along as a lot of people don't realize what's happening till it's too late.
I need to post a follow up to this thread. The baffles sounded real nice after the install, but some time afterward they developed a rattle. It wasn't bad at first, just bothersome, but it got worse and worse to the point it was becoming embarrassing to drive. I considered my options, including replacing these baffles with something else, but before I did that I tried a quick and easy solution. The baffles were originally straight, and I had to taper them to fit them into the megaphone portion of the headers. Well, I had them tack welded at the one end closest to the 4" outlet, but that left the end towards the head pipes lose in the megaphone, and that is what was rattling. The drivers side was worse than the passenger side, just because it was a little loose fit I suppose. Anyway, to correct it I dug through my screw drawers and found a couple of sheet metal screws that looked about the right size. Then I pulled the headers off and made some measurements, then drilled a hole through the megaphone and into the center tube of the baffle. I just took it nice and slow, especially when going through the tube of the baffle, since I had to drill it blind. Then I installed the screws and tightened them up to secure the lose end. Reinstalled them and fired it up, oilla! No more rattle! Sweeet! I'll have to keep an eye on them and I assume due to vibration they're going to want to back out, so I'll have to tighten them back up every once in awhile. But the screws tightened down pretty good, so maybe they'll stay put OK. Anyway, so the rattle is gone and I'm digging the sound of these baffles once again.
The Jalopy Journal
