Customs How to make a Y-Block LOAD!!!!

So, I have a 1956 Ford with a 272 Y-Block and T-Bird exhaust manifolds. It was already converted to dual exhaust by the previous owner. Although I am not to happy with the mufflers that are on it now though. The car is not load enough for me. I was contemplating straight piping it, but was worried about ruining my exhaust valves. Would that be an issue? My motor is mint and don't want to wreck it. My other choice is to get some Cherry Bomb Glasspacks or even Porters or Smithys. Not sure what to do?

-Straight pipes?
-Cherry Bombs?
-Smithys?
-Porters?

What do you guys run to make your Y-Block sound like a bat out of hell?

I am more of a cruising guy so performance is not really something I care about.

Tell me what you guys have had success with.

 

fat daddy cam, open headers with cutouts, kevlar clutch & a top loader. Works for my buddy.

 

I thought about cutouts, but just want something simple. Also don't want to run a cam as the motor is so reliable now and my motor runs like a top and I don't want to mess with it. I like my stock motor, but some nice sounding mufflers would make a big difference

 

The '56 F100 that is my avatar at first had a '57 292 with headers and Cherry Bombs. That motor sounded sweet! Lotsa people commented on how good the engine sounded, and it was stock other than a .060 overbore. Headers and Cherry Bombs is my vote.

 

Thanks!

 

You bet. Do a YouTube video so we can hear how the car sounds after you make your decision. Love them little Y-blocks! Been thinking about yanking the sbc in my '51 F1 and dropping in a Y-block.

 

if ya run cut outs behind the front tires....its loud

 

I was thinking about it at one point, but kind of changed my mind. Just want either the mufflers above or straight pipes.

 

Any car I put new exhaust on from now on will have Porters. They are built solid in USA and sound great. Plus, Clark Babler is good people.

 

ive got a straight pipe that ends right behind the cab. it loud when you womp on it.

 

Brockman Mellowtone Steelpacks rule.

 

Porters.

Been there, got them. Similar issue re: exhaust systems has been discussed here before.

Link: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=565100&highlight=porter

 

I have a '59 Fairlane and it has a 352 Y Block- ran cherry bombs on it for 2 years but got a set of headers made for it with straight pipes dumped right before the rear axle - it's pretty loud now. It just depends what you're looking for as far as sound/tone go. Straight pipes you can't go wrong!

 

I loved the sound that I got from this bone stock 292 3sp edition. I mounted flowmaster clones in the stock 57 location...way up front under your feet. and ran 2 1/4" pipe all the way to the bumper corners. It did not sound like a 5.0 Mustang. I'm doing my current 56 the same way but with an FE. and cut outs under the front fenders for fun time. It's not loud like obnoxious but you know it's louder than most and you can make it "talk" if you want to.

Exhaust sounds are very personal. Everybody has their own personal favorite and usually can't be convinced to use anything else but their personal favorite.

 

I put Brockman Mellowtones on all my customs. Haven't had one that didn't sound great!

 

I wonder if your Flowmaster "clones" sounded different then Flowmasters.
My 57 Ranchero had a set of Flowmaster run to the back bumper with 2 1/4 pipe and a crosssover, installed by the previous owner. I hated them, I would have guys ask me at the stop lights if I had a "5.0" in it. That was when it still had the stock 292 in it. Sounded completely different when I put a built 292 with a preety nasty cam, same pipes but didn't sound like a Mustang any more!
If I was doing it I would of used glasspacks, Just couldn't justify cutting off the pipes I had, it was too nice a job.

 

I've been using Cherry Bombs for a while now and have been very happy. If you're looking for the tone and not just the volume, you need a short muffler mounted close to the engine. If you mount the muffler in the back it will kill the sound. I cut my Cherry Bombs down to about 12", then weld them back together, and mount them about where my feet/legs are. With the Y block, run dual 1 7/8" or 2" pipes, and it will give you that awesome "brappp-rap-rap-rap" that you're looking for

 

My 55 has a complete 2 1/4 inch exhaust system from Waldron Exhaust with thier mufflers. Its quiet on the highway, but still has a cool rumble when driven slow. It runs Christensen headers with 2 1/2 inch dumps straight down.

 

Good straight through glass packs or straight pipes clear out the back, with the original 56 fairlane dual manifolds. Done them both and like them both. Used 36 inch chrome uncapped side pipes back in the 60s ,but i can't find the short ones now.

 

You pretty much described what I was looking for. Can I still get the rapping with 1 7/8" or 2" mounted at the back? Or would they have to mounted near my legs/feet?

 

The further back you mount the mufflers, the less rap you're going to hear. You want the exhaust to hit the mufflers with as much velocity as possible, so keeping the mufflers closer to the engine is key.

Also, and it goes along with the above, narrower pipes will crackle and rap louder than larger diameter pipes, which sound deeper. On a Y block, you can get away with dual 1 7/8" pipes, which will be a nice mild performance upgrade over single exhaust and give you the right sound.

FYI, an H pipe or X pipe will also kill the rapping. Just in case you were considering one of those

Straight pipes will definitely crackle and pop, but to my ears they sound too loud and harsh. Using a short muffler, of any of these makes, will still be loud when you jump on it or rev it, but be nice and mellow at idle. There is a difference between loud and loud with tone. A small muffler still give you volume, but refines the noise

 

I never use an H pipe or an X pipe. That alone will affect the sounds. I want sounds more than a few horse power numbers that I will never use. Mustangs have them. Everyone has their own opinion. That is the problem. My 56 has a healthy cam in it so I am eager to hear it run.

 

I voted for the Original Hot Rod muffler ~ Smithy's
But to answer your question, if you run smallish diameter straight pipes to the back of the car you will NOT hurt the exhaust valves. That is one of the worst of the Hot Rod Old Wives Tales.

 

Wow, you pretty much just 100% cleared up everything I wanted to know!

 

Good to know about the straight pipes!

 

we put porter mufflers on a couple cars at the shop, they sure sound bitchin. deep tone

 

On my 56 I had short thrush mufflers right under the front seat with no pipes,just dumping them under the car.Sounded tough to me.Totally different than later when I ran some generic glass packs same location but pipes all the way out back under the bumper.That gave me the rapping sound when you wind out to 60 in first gear and then let the engine brake you down to the red light.If you are running an automatic I don't think you will get the great sound that a y-block makes when you are shifting gears.

 

straight pipes will NOT burn valves if the pipes are long enough, and with your car, they would be long enough not to burn.

my question is, if you just want to cruise, why make it obnoxious as hell to those cruising with you, and to those around the car? you arent at a drag race when cruising.

remember, load pipes saves hearing

 

running straight pipes on my coupe, yblocks just sound great!

 

Put it in a dump truck if ya' wanna load it.

Bob