OK, I went ahead and put a split manifold (split 4-2) on the powerhouse 170 six popper in el Ranchito, I ran 1 3/4" straight pipes back just over the rear axle. Now the quandry......IF i were to put mufflers on the thing, the only place they would fit is right behind the axle, (where my pipes end now). I would rather just run pipe out the back. The question is....What effect will another 30" of pipe have on the sound? It's a tad bit loud right now, If adding a little bit of pipe will quiet it a few DB's, that's perfect. I understand it's gonna cackle real hard when I open it up, I'm just worried about sound at cruise...If I run muffs at all, they're gonna have to be short packs, that's all that's gonna fit. Opinions?
1 3/4" is a popular size for harley mufflers and baffles,strangely enough,some guys will give away perfectly good brand new mufflers...
How much is the sound going to differ with the muffler so close to the end of the pipe? Will it make much of a difference? I guess even if it doesn't quiet it much, at least I'll be able to honestly tell the cop "geez I put mufflers on it..."
If they go over the bcak axle they aren't straight at all. Why do they call 'em straight pipes anyway? Get a couple of cheap resonators (like real short glass packs) and put them in between the axle and whatever, then run your pipes out past the bumper just like you want to. It won't be much quieter but it should take the harsh out of them.
The sound will differ in tone a little. A little more mellow to me. Be aware though, muffs clear out at the end burn out fairly fast. Specially if you do short trips. Sweetie's 67 Barracuda coupe with factory muff near the end of the pipe burned a muff up every year with her two mile trips to school and back.
Shouldn't be a problem, I drive this thing 29 miles each way to work every day. I just want to make sure it's gonna make a difference, pipes cheaper than mufflers....
I didn't explain that well. The tone is a little mellower with the muff near the back as compared to what it would be with the muff up near the engine. I kinda like it and the glass packed Turbo Muffs I ran on the 32 a couple of years back were very close to the rear axle - in front - and the taipipes were very short. It had a good sound, but it was missing something. I have FM's on it now and they sound ok, but it's still not quite right. I think what it needs is a resonater type muff that doubles as a fat chrome tip to bring the sound down DB wise and improve the tone. I've got some ideas on building one of those that will be somewhat burnout proof, but it'll have to wait until after I move.
Hey Scott, I tinkered with my exhaust on the truck all last summer. I just went out and got lots of different lengths of pipe with a shit load of hose clamps. At first i had cats right after the headers, then about a foot 1/2 of pipe, flowmaster dual chambers, over the axle and out the sides, behind the rears. I cut them back and had them dump straight down, before the axle, immidiatly after the flowie. it changed the bass at speed. turned the dumps so they were pointing out to the side. now, no bass at idle. recently, I cut off the cats, removed the foot 1/2 section and have the headers go into a foot of pipe, hit the flowies, and then the dumps are at a 45 degree, poiting out to the sides and down 45. I tried tons of other stuff too, but it was all just a learning experience. I would just clamp them on enough to where I'd still own them when I returned from a block test run, and see how they sound. Now i have vibrating bass at idle and nice noticable bass at driving speeds. and if im ever in a parking garage, or under an over-pass, the sound and bass reverbs off the ground, off the flat bed of the truck and the ceiling and shakes the truck so bad you think the windows will pop out! hahahahaa. Its all just exhust man, youll get different results with the smallest adjustments. I have them where i like them now, but im going to wait to have it welded, cause i need to run DEQ here soon and need the cats back on. But thats what I would do. just try out some different positions of pipe and clamp em down and go for a short spin and see what they do for ya! Want me to drive it up and down the street so you can hear it?? haha!
Having someone else drive it for me would be a great idea. Mrs. Eye doesn't want to drive it, don't know why. Being able to listen to it from the curb would help a lot....
Well, once you get your mufflers you've decide on, call me up and we'll put em on and see what it sounds like! You say youd like to tone it down a bit, so right now what does it sound like? A sling-shot dragster, or just a raspy loud rumbling noise? wait... whats the difference? haha
I did the same thing but with a `57 V-8 ranchero with putting the pipes just over the axel. I found that the resonation of the sound under it sucked. I then lenthend the pipes to 1" past the bumper, then it sounded really good. no more "dragster" drone, but it was plenty loud at WOT.
mufflers!!!! Mufflers are over rated. I am just running straight pipes 1 3/4" on my panel and love the sound. At cruising speed it is pretty mellow but really raps when I punch it.HEHEHEHE
MOFO, that's what I wanted to hear. I guess what's bugging me is the sound inside the car. I think the thing sounds like a goddamn tractor the way it is. Sounds cool when you lay into it, but its just too loud and "flat" at idle. I think I'll try pipes out the back and see what it sounds like....
The Jalopy Journal
