Technical Best sounding mufflers............

I'm getting ready to buy some new mufflers for a build and I was considering Magnaflow. Want a mellow sound at idle but good muffling when cruising. The stainless ones from magnaflow have packing in them. Does it last? Whats your favorite muffler and how does it sound and last?

 

I prefer a stainless oval muffler that looks like a OEM factory muffler. (Rolled seams not welded) In the old days I bought factory replacement mufflers for a turbocharged Corvair, they were small, low restriction, 2 1/2” in and out, and reasonably priced. Now a day the term “turbo” has been *******ized so bad that every muffler out there is called turbo.
After doing quite a bit of research and even listening to sound bite videos of different mufflers I settled on Vibrant brand stainless oval mufflers. Being that every engine sounds different even using the same mufflers I wanted to make sure that I did not have the “school bus” fart sound that some exhaust systems have so I also went with small stainless bottle shaped resonators. My system is 2 1/2” fabricated with mandrel bends and no clamps. I am very pleased with the results, the sound is throaty but not raspy, not loud, and no drone.

 

What engine are you running?

 

Brockman Mellowtones can make them specific to your taste right here in the USA.

 

I've used Flowmaster Hush Power II's on several of my cars. I use the 12 inch version. Compact and reasonably priced. I been getting them from Speedway. Nice mellow sound.

 

Hard question, I couldn't even start to answer. I have different mufflers on almost every car I own, my 55 has stock type dual exhaust because that was on it (new at the time) when I bought it and after driving it I decided I liked it. No drone on the freeway and just enough sound if you stand behind it you know its a V8. My F100 has gl***packs, were great for a few years but I guess the packing has blown out cause it is sounding ratty now. The Falcon has "turbo" mufflers (flow masters) I was talked into by the muffler shop but being a wagon there is a lot of drone inside, sounds great at idle or full throttle but ****s at cruise. Also keep in mind that the diameter of the pipe has a LOT to do with the sound a muffler makes, 2 inch will sound completely different than a 2 1/2 inch with the same model/make of muffler. Good Luck!

 

BEST SOUNDING MUFFLERS............ keep searching...

Hello,

A neighbor of ours used to have a sleek M3 coupe. It was cool looking and had the power/sound of an M3. But, over the past several years, he did not drive it much. Then one day I saw him driving a new (2020) Mustang. Yes, some people still think Mustangs are cool, despite the constant barrage of comments like “an idiot in a Mustang” referring to those who peel out of parking lots, rev their motors at stop lights and overall make a nuisance out of themselves. They have been known to shut down the popular cars and coffee events due to driver and car mistakes and embarr***ments.

So, this guy now leaves the neighborhood with his newish Mustang and accelerates to the stop sign. But, in slowing down, he lets off of the gas pedal and his exhaust starts making some popping sounds. I could not understand why anyone would want a fairly new car with different mufflers to increase the sound and get the popping noise to boot!

In the early days of hot rods and cruising, our 1958 Impala went through various stages. One stage was that our friend in Los Angeles gave us a pair of tubular Corvette mufflers that also had a truck muffler designation in some markets. The Corvette tubular mufflers were straight through with no criss-cross or curved tubes inside. So, the noise was a little louder and we could see no performance back pressure on acceleration.

But, as we were getting the Impala exhaust system custom made, we ran the sedan with just the tubular mufflers only and it was like living at Lion’s Dragstrip all day. Upon starting, it sounded like open exhaust pipes. The idle was very nice and powerful. Upon acceleration, the sound was like an altered coupe with a big hemi motor getting off of the line at Lion’s Dragstrip. it was loud and louder.

We even cruised around for a couple of weeks and it was not a calm cruise. The noise was obnoxious on the daily drive to school and on dates, the conversations were nil, since we had a hard time hearing each other. There was an rpm level point that the noise usually stopped or was minimized. But, it could not stay at that rpm all of the time.

We could not wait to get the full extension custom exhaust pipes out of the back under the bumper installed. We did try to make it less by welding on short side pipes and from our old over the hump pipes, cut them short to exit out, behind the wheel. Nothing was going to do it for less noise and smell. Upon getting the custom extension back to the rear bumper, the Impala was a pleasure to drive and accelerate at any time. Power, but no noise other than the sweet sound of a 300 hp motor in action.

Jnaki

The muffler exchange these days is base on the popularity of tv car shows telling everyone that Magnaflow mufflers were added. If any research on any websites or forums is done, one will find out that those different Magnaflow mufflers as well as they are made make a rapping sound and pop when letting off of the gas pedal. A sound like a untuned 6 cylinder Chevy motor on a low rider with side pipes.

Not a pleasant picture.

Well, this Mustang owner and plenty of other modern Mustang owners have changed the mufflers, as listening to cars approaching on the outside of our daily drivers with the windows up, the sound of popping is evident. My wife usually says, “Is that an idiot in a Mustang coming up on your side?” 90% of the time, it is true. The other 10% is a Camaro or a Chrysler. Ha!

Watch out for the conversion to a Magnaflow muffler unless you hear them on a similar sedan or coupe. It is too bad there is no try before you buy set up. YRMV

 

i remember way back a buddy had a 55 ford with the sweetest sounding mufflers , well the Ford caught on fire and parts out , i bought the mufflers and put on my Chevy , what big dis appointing results !!! agree with JNAKI .....

 

I use the generic aluminized gl*** packs my exhaust guy sells. 18" and 24". Got a good mellow tone but can bark when you get on it.

 

I can't talk about it here, but lets say its a descendant of a very well known and often used engine.
The exhaust has shorty headers into a 3" collector. Will have 3" pipe on back to the muffler, and probably 2 1/2" from the mufflers on back. Engine is rated for 480hp and with the headers I figure I should have a little more than that. So backpressure is also a concern.

 

@ekimneirbo do you like that sharp "tingy" sound or the throaty burble?

 

Best sounding mufflers?
Beauty is in the ears of the beholder.

My Fairlane has 3" shorty header gl***packs or 3" Summit turbo mufflers with turndowns just ahead of the axle. Both are quite in the car, both sound great and both set off car alarms.

 

Kabinenroller, that's about as nice of exhaust system I've seen. Mine will be similar-2 1/4 Borla Pro XS mufflers/w Borla's "bottle" resonators, all of which are stainless. I, too, will have mandrel-bent stainless pipes.

I chose the Borlas after considerable research, being that they are supposed to be quieter than the Magnaflows. I'm not familiar with Vibrant, so I'll check them out, after I look at your system again.

 

Dang, Kabinenroller, I thought I was looking at my car for a moment. I also have Traction Master bars, and my resonators will be located behind the mufflers, towards the back of the car. There is limited space on my 55 Tbird, do to the frame's X-member.

 

Man, the detail, fit and finish on @kabinenrollers' Comet is second to none.
That interior is outstanding too!

 

Thank you for the kind words. actually the traction bars are something I fabricated, they are basically like a Traction Master but with a few tweeks. They run parallel to the leafs and swing the same arc as the housing. Vibrant is a Canadian Company, they have a vast product line, I used their hangers also.

 

It’s in the ear of the person you are. I like the sound of my straight pipes on my flathead mercury. My olds with a sbc I think sounds good with thrush turbos. My model a I like the sound of the smithys. Lol

 

I think a lot of those Mustangs we hear have their exhaust cut-outs open.

 

Stop! Your making me blush!
Thank you!
(Sorry for hi jacking the thread)

 

What is the best sounding muffler depends on a lot of factors including the driver.

I recently changed the mufflers I had on my 64 Camino with 427 BBC. It has large diameter headers, 2" primaries, 3.5" collectors, cutouts, then necked down to 3" pipe back to the mufflers, then mandrel bent pipes over the axle and put to the rear bumper. 20 years ago I had out 2 chamber Flowmasters on it, before they had names, and never really cared for the sound. So I had my muffler shop replace them with Magnaflows about 6 months ago. Completely different design muffler. It still sounds essentially the same to my ears, although it is definitely quieter inside the house when I have it running in the garage. I think in order to get it mellowed out to where I'd like I need to downsize the whole system, starting with more typical 1-3/4 to 3" headers and smaller pipe back to the mufflers. What I have fits and works for now so I'm working on other things.

Devin

 

Cherry Bombs!... Disturbing the peace since 1968....

 

Biggest and quietest are best for me.

 

I really don't like any type of turbo muffler and hate Flowmasters............that's just me. Everything I have or ever had (except the stock cars with the stock mufflers intact) use gl*** packs/steel packs. I have to say either cheap no name gl*** packs or Porters if you want them to last, you want them quieter then go longer.

 

In a post a few days ago, I posted about me using "SpinTech" mufflers.
I don't have much room under the car from the floor pan to the bottom of the frame, and I don't care for **** hanging below the frame that's not supposed to be there.

SpinTech has a welded construction muffler that's only 2-1/4" thick (a**** others). Perfect with 2-1/4" tubing.

On other engines that I've heard them on, they are pretty mellow at lower rpms, and get a bit throatier as the rpm increases.
I have no clue how they'll sound on my car.

Mike

 

"Best sound" is in the ear of the beholder. Go to a few cruise-ins and wander around listening until you find what you like, the ask the owner(s). Any opinion you get here is worth exactly what you paid for it. In the end, its what YOU like, not us.

 

I don’t use mufflers on my 32 cabriolet. I used resonators(last chance to quiet the exhaust pulses) from a Nissan Nimso or Mismo??? That are short and made from stainless steel and the best part was the price: $20 for the pair—-not too loud and not too quiet but just right!!!

 

Burble...........