I have smithy's on my 47 ford. It had cherry bombs when I bought the car. I know a lot of guys here want a really loud exhaust, but Im going for a true early 50's custom. I like the soft burble sound of the Smithy's, and thats what every eary custom veteran ive talked to remembers. Performance wise, I think the cherry bombs were a bit better, but mine were pretty worn in when I had them.
Smitty's are OK if you got a flatty or other mill that is somewhat displacement challenged. But they'll choke a mill that puts out much volumn. You're limited to bore size on them. But they do sound better than the Cherry Bomb. The cherry bomb where it lacks the '50s steel pack sound is a better choice for a higher volumn mill as you can get 'em huge. I like 'em both depending on the given application.
i personally like the sound of the cherry bombs. i'd tell you what i have them on but i'd get made fun of.
I like the sound of Smittys but being made with joints on the ends they rust out too quickly for my money. I prefer a bullet style muffler, they have lasted longer for me. As for brands I've had Cherry Bombs, Walkers, and some no names. I couldn't tell much difference between any of them. Size of the thru pipe, tail pipe diameters and length of the tail pipes seemed to affect the sound more than anything else.
I agree. The Smithys have a rust problem. If ya' run them make sure ya' drill a drain hole in them to let the condensation out.
I have some no-name "spiral core" glasspacks on my truck... 14" long with a VERY thick case. I got them in trade for some TIG work on a manifold. Sounds right to me!
Smitty's sound better as they age, Cherry Bombs get too clapped out sounding as they age. Run staight pipes all the way to the back, on the flathead powered roadster. Can't beat the sound.
Mufflers??? we don't need no stinkin' mufflers. I owned a muffler shop when I bought my repro Smittys...just because. I didn't like them at all. Too quiet. I've heard all the old stories about burning them out with kerosene before installation, but I just run without any. A hot rod is supposed to make noise! IMHO
Cherry bombs on my coupe 2.5 all the way from the collector out the back and dumped before the axle with 18in bombs and turndowns. Got cut outs up front and don't really need em it is loud but don't loud pipes save lives?
I used to work at a Muffler shop in town so I always tried to see what different things sounded like, and on my 322 in my buick, I found that 20 inch "blue streak" glasspacks worked well, I have had them on for about 4 years now and it sounds awesome! But I don't think you could ever beat the quality of a true smitthy, sounds so crisp and clean!
Actually, I think the greatest sounding mufflers were the original Porter Mufflers! Unfortunately, they are no longer available! Wolfie
I have Smithy's in my '54 truck... they're obnoxiously loud. 2-1/4 pipe, muffs are about 22" long or so, "warm" sbc.. they're louder than the 10" stainless steel race mufflers they replaced. seems like they should be quieter, but they're not.
If you have issues with Cherry bomb's sound and want it mellowed an X pipe or crossover smoothes thing out a bit. Of course I can't say if any of you would do that since it would be questionably period correct.
i always wondered just how long they last since they are only made out of 20guage, from what ive read. thats way too thin for any exhuast part. i dont really see the point of purposely burning out th epacking in a muffler. save the money and dont run any.
Weren't smitthys made out of old drive shafts? I seem to recall guys making them by drilling holes along a section of 2" stainless, putting the 24" driveshaft 'sleeve' over that and capping the ends with homemade 'washers'. From there the exhaust went where-ever you wanted.
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