With all the "new" technology around, and most of it I can't comprehend!!! I spend a lot of time on --You Tube-- mostly because of the postings of videos from peoples 50's, 60's & 70's home movies at dragstrips. But to ME and maybe it is ---->JUST ME!!!! But the sounds of the motors "back then" just seem to sound??? , how do I explain it... DEEPER, THROATIER, HARSHER, more ROBUST, --->>>>JUST PLAIN KOOLER, than the open headers of "TODAYS" times?!?!?!?!? Is it just ME or does anyone else feel this way??? I have 2 cars with huge "lumpy" cams, -semi- high compression and I am just dissapointed with the "sound" !! AGAIN it may just be me, but when listening to the "glorious" days of the "early" years on -you tube- even my dinky *** computer speakers give me MORE goose-bumps than the motors in my cars...Ken
They changed the composition of metal a few years back. It's harder and has different harmonics. Hows that for a SWAG
Id say its a combination on things: 1. gas sure isnt what it was 2. parts such as cams are more "friendly" yet able to make the power due to a better understanding of profiles and seperations and the like that comes with all the new technology of today 3. you can never get a good understanding of what something sounds like unless your there in person to hear it anyways even with todays AV equipment As for your rides, what motors, pipe size are you using?
My rides, '49 Fleetline, 350, 11:1 pistons, 276 cam "camel hump" heads edelbrock intake/carb, fenderwell heders "open", turbo 350 ****** w/vega converter. next '79 Monte, 350 10.5:1 pistons, HUGE cam (don't remember the size 544 intake or something like that) barely runs, but I like that lump sound "what little it has", ported & exhaust polished heads and swirl polished valves, headers w/2.5 pipe & turbo mufflers to the rear, edelbrock intake/carb "built" turbo 350 w/stall. Like I said maybe it is "just me" but they just don't seem like ---back then--.....Ken
My experience in the 60's was with 292 and 301 cu in small blocks with lots of compression, roller cams, Hilborn injection and 4 speeds in C/Gas cars. Nothing nowdays sounds like those small inch high revving small blocks.
Well I have to dissagree. I definitly think its the other way around. Just about everything available now in the aftermarket is better now. Especially Top Fuel motors. Theres no comparison between 1200 HP and 8000 HP. Pro stock motors of today make the power of an old blown 392 of the 60s. The pistons are lighter-cranks are lighter - rods are lighter - cams are better - heads are better - complete fuel systems are better. How can the motors of today not sound better. Bad exhaust or poor tuning? I dont know? -- FEDER
The thing the makes the sound is the exhaust system...............and when I mean system, I mean equal length tuned headers with proper lenght collectors going into a good exhaust. At least for me, drag racing in SS cl***es during the 70's/80's, we used to do a lot of experimenting with headers, length of primary and sometimes secondary tubes, length of collector, size and shape, using 180 degree headers on a 427 Ford..........even some experimenting with 1/4 speed cams. But when it comes down to sound, the headers make the difference. Seems everyone today is running "shorty", block hugers or non-equal lenght headers..............etc. The sound of these certainly isn't the same as good set of full length or tuned headers. When we experimented with different length collectors, we used to spray the collector with VHT white header paint.....go out an make a couple of p***es then come back and look to see where the paint had burned off.............this was the optimum length for the header............a little back yard engineering. My 48 Chev had a full house 327/375hp with roller cam and I used Chevy II fenderwell headers.........extended them 14" so they came down the back of the fender behind the front tires. It took me three minutes to uncork then and get ready for some serious street racing. Since I am around road track racing now, I can tell you that some of these cars, GT-1/Gt-2 small blocks make a beautiful sound just like the old days, and they have to comply to 103db levels at Laguna Seca, Infineon(Sears Point), and Thunderhill Racesways. Also, some of the "vintage NASCARS" with their 600/700hp small blocks make some very nice music.......also at 103db. Cams haven't changed that much..............really. But, I have to agree.................they don't sound like the good ole days. IMHO
I could here everything better in the '60s. I think things tasted better then too. I was a lot faster then.
Yea... I think it's just you. I mean... c'mon... you're comparing the sound of engines based on you-tube clips? Hahahahahahaha!! Been to the drag strip lately? "high revving" 301's and 283's? I got a 383 that will out rev and make my vintage 292 sound like some antiquated POS... AND it makes more power AND it sounds better than that vintage ****. Ok, ok, ok... enough rambling. My opinion for "BEST" sounding motor... based on actually hearing a lot of motors run with upen headers and screaming to 5000, 6000, 7000... ****, 10,000rpm. The Best: 440 Mopar, 12.5:1, 2 1/4" primary tube headers and a Mopar "purple" solid cam. The worst? well, I'd have to say ANYTHING Pontiac... they just have a "glug, glug, glug" sound to them... that I don't really care for. Sam.
Remember, anything seems better when it's surrounded by pretty women in push-up bras. Dave http://www.roadsters.com/
I prefer the sound of the pontiac v-8 more than other period engines. I think a lot of it is mufflers... personally, I can't stand flowmasters, they make the car sound like rattling ****. Turbo mufflers sound pretty good, but long gl***packs sound the best to me.
I have a couple old LPs with sounds of the drags fun to listen to in the garage when I'm working on old **** descriptions like '47 Crosley with a '54 Olds engine '24 Ford with '57 Chrysler '59 Devin with '58 Lincoln '30 Austin with '57 Chevy dragster with '53 Buick '32 Ford with a '57 Ford dragster with '59 Chevy (and also, in the background, one of the Allisons warming up) yeah they sound a little different
A set of tri-Y headers sound very diffrent than todays. The cars 'back in the day" ran way more compression-11-12:1. and the old 4 speed cars ran lightweight flywheels,so they sounded' like they revved quicker"('the quick lick")Leaded gas ran better in everything too,and you could get away with more advance. A sharp tuner(then) could Almost tune the engine, like a computer can(nowdays) now, that we take for granted.
Could I send you some blank tapes for you to record them for me?? I am in Spokane, NOT TO far away??? Or I could send you a few cash notes and you get some tapes and record them for me, IF you would, what ever is EASIER FOR YOU!! I had a couple of those about 15 years ago and the EX threw them away (along with the old 60's/70's **** collection) yeah the days of "hair down there" anaways I have not seen nor heard those in that long of a time! I would gladly pay for your time?!?!?!? Please.....Ken
Like Sam, I don't know how you can critique the sound based on a Youtube video...or any recording really. But I do kinda understand what you mean. If you haven't seen "Seven Second Love Affair", then you should buy it...excellent sounds in that one. Anyway, I know for a fact that the sound of the early Hemi in my Model A cannot be recorded accurately. It's just too damn loud for the mic to pick up without distortion. I had a guy come up to me at the Roundup and ask me how I got my car to sound like it does. After I gave him a brief answer he said that the only way he could get his to sound like that "back in the day" was to run a little nitro.....I thought that was pretty neat. I am however getting tired of having to wear ear plugs and setting off every car alarm in a hundred yard radius, so a full exhaust (that can be uncorked) is in the works for the near future.
I recorded this at Amocat last year not a high rev recording, just a bit more than idle and yeah it's impossible to get the same feel as reality in a youtube clip but it does provide a glimpse of that reality, and if you have ever actually experienced the sounds, smells and vibrations, it can be a strong reminder for those memories
The Jalopy Journal
