Hot Rods Open Headers on a 200 mile road trip - bad idea?

If you are refering to the muffler tests that frequently make the rounds of the magazines, usually with Kevin Mclleland in charge of the dyno testing, and always showing a minimal loss with mufflers or even a slight gain, I disagree.
Those are always collector length tests disguised as muffler tests.
Invariably, the test routine goes like this. They have a motor on the dyno, and they do a pull with open headers with no collector extension. Then they bolt a 16-18" long muffler onto the end of the bare collector flange, and make another pull, and they lose maybe 2-3 hp on top, and the mid-range torque comes up. So the gullible, magazine writer dutifully reports this. What the dyno guy (who is marketing mufflers) doesnt tell the gullible magazine writer is that if they had bolted on a collector extension and optimized the length, the motor would have picked up 15-20 hp.

 

Before you run your mouth, check the profile of the person you're talking to newbie. Ever heard of Patriot Headers? The dude builds headers for a living....think he knows what the fuck he's talking about?

 

First off... because Im new to this website that doesnt mean Im new around cars .The dude may know headers ,that doesnt mean he has to crap on other dudes that have a different idea on how to build a car. Besides I always thought checking a profile before adding to a thread is for pussies ! Im an old man that likes driving Loud CARS .MY LOUD PIPES HAVE SAVED MY LIFE! .

 

When I bought my 33 pu it was at 10 at night about 90 miles away. I knew it had fenderwell headers and so I took big earmuffs. It took the noise down a touch but it did not take the drone, rattle your ass to the core hurt your brain tone, away. On my A I stayed up till 1:30 am and built lake style headers and ran them open to billetproof the first year. Within 30 miles the cool factor went away. Later on I built baffles and it is better, then went a step further and have down pipes that come off and down and out under the car through glass packs. They are still uncapped but about half the exhaust is going out the rear. My ears always have a ringing to them sometimes it affects me more than others. Especially at night laying in bed. I am only 31 and years of using air tools with out plugs is what has done it. There is nothing that pisses me off more than having to say huh, huh, huh to my kids because of my own stupidity. PROTECT YOUR EARS

 

Nothing worse than hearing an open header car go "glug-glug-glug-glug" around town...

Sam

 

thanks and same to ya!!

 

You know what? Now that I think about it, you are right. Collector length is a huge factor in headder applications...

 

again I have learned something, open headers have something to do with my penis size, saving lives and the ringing in my ears.
I opened my headers at Bonneville and closed them after one trip through the pits because I thought I was being rude with the loud bastard.

 

What this video over on Bangshift.com
http://bangshift.com/blog/BangShift....Exhaust-Collector-Length-Testing-Part-1.html

Joe

 

I think that anyone that has LOUD pipes and wears hearing protection is somewhat of a hypocrite.

Sorry but if you dont want to hear your mechanical asshole go thru its motions why the hell do you think I want to hear it?

It doesnt matter if its a fart can, 6" chrome diesel douchebag stack, drag pipes on a wannabe's chumper or a loud booming system, I dont want to hear it.

Loud pipes dont save anything, they just mark you as a nuisance.

If I offended ya, to bad, your bullshit offends me everytime you go by.

 

"Loud pipes save lives"

What utter bull!@#. Driving aware saves lives, driving defensively saves lives, driving a machine that is in good repair saves lives. Loud pipes only impress the nutjob driving their car and mostly annoys the ever loving crap out of everybody else. I know I'm going to annoy a lot who read this but I frankly don't give a damn. If you don't have enough respect for your neighbors and the general population you are going to be treated the same way by the general populace, the police, etc.

 

I live to please.

Is everyone good now, I mean no one is going to have an anurism or anything?

I do have to say that the thread has been entertaining.

Listen while I got your attention, Loud Peddle I am trying to get an old Alfa from calif. it is a car with a little hisrtory and certainly not HAMB material. Anyway if I can get it to Salt Lake can it stay at your place for a bit?

 

No problem. Shoot me the details in a PM...

 

Will do thanks

 

LOOK, a decent guy WITH some Common Sense!!!!

 

Tell 'em Jay!

 

agreed

...and I appreciate every response... I mean even the gentleman that called me an idiot, I agree with him to a point, but I don't think it was a stupid question... and I'm still not sure what muffles are....

after weeding through everyone's opinions, it seems the fact is it won't hurt my motor.

anyway, the plan is to put the baffles on.. put earplugs in, and to do burnouts instead (to compensate for my tiny penis!), since the car will be slightly quieter

see you in Iowa, fuckers!

 

Funny story about that. When I first got on the HAMB I was driving a '65 Galaxie. I was at the bank one day and these kids in a second gen camero pulled in as I was getting ready to leave.

They were running open headers, the engine had mild valve train clatter and a little compression from the sound of it.

I was running duals with cheapo turbo mufflers. The pulled up next to me and shut theirs down. One of them shouted, "hey pops (I hate being called pops by the way) that old Ford sure sounds good." I said thanks yours doesn't sound too bad either.

The response from the kid driving was, " Naw mine sounds like a tractor, but my dad is getting me some exhaust put on this weekend."

 

I have been waiting for this post. I wanted to know what your decision would be after listening to all us junior high girls fight over what we think is right.

Have a safe trip, Amigo!

 

HaHa! Funny!!


A milquetoast is a weak, ineffectual or bland person. It is derived from the character Caspar Milquetoast from the 1924 comic strip The Timid Soul.

 

200 miles ain't a road trip.
2,000 miles maybe....

 

You posted that for the younger uninformed crowd? Just curious, as in george.

 

I see this done all the time in the Baja 500. I see Toyota's, Nissan's, Ford's, GM v-8's and others with open headers. Just watch your engine temperatures and oil pressure. If you are in a competition who cares how it sounds. The first to cross the finish line is what counts.
Normbc9

 

Probably not a good idea but, it is fun.

Wait, what did you say?

 

Milktoast and poop noodles....I miss u guys.

 

Diavolo- no offense intended but I can live with your comments. I aware that Im not going to please everyone with what Ive said on this subject . In fact I do drive very aware , very defensively , and safe. Maybe youll see for yourself.... Ill be moving to RIO RANCHO soon. On a final note- My cars probably sounds like a few of you guys out there did when you were young. I just never outgrew it . LET THE STONE THROWING BEGIN !

 

Actually, I have run some really loud exhaust systems on street cars, but I dont run those systems BECAUSE they are loud, I run them because the cars in question are raced regularly, and I have track tested other systems, and on a motor with big compression(11.5/1 and higher) and lots of cam (260@050 or bigger), I find that Dynomax Bullets are the only reasonably priced mufflers that dont hurt power too much at the 600hp and up level, and they are loud.
Thumpr' cams, driving your 300-400hp (And BOY, I am REALLY giving these guys the benefit of the doubt with THOSE numbers) street motor with open headers or zoomies is just posing. High school squirrel stuff. So, yes, I out grew THAT years ago.

 

So what's the verdict? Open or not? I also do agree with the comments about what the motor is. A bone stock small block really does sound a little lame burping around a parking lot. If ya got some compression and a healty cam, I still say go for it. Also, after reading a lot of the posts, I would avoid any retirement villages or homes. Sounds like a lot of the old folks on hear don't want none of those gosh darn whipper snappers makin none of that snap crackle pop noise with them hopped up go fast buggies!! Hey man, if your having fun and not robbin little old ladies, whatever makes ya smile is all we got these days.

 

The verdict is do what you want. If you want opinions,mine is loud pipes says I'm an outlaw,look at me,like owning a nasty looking dog.I prefer to creep through the dark back alleys.Stealth is better

 

Do what you want, use ear protection if you do it, just remember that
Barney does not like it and you will be a target. I remember a friend in
college getting a ticket for 56 in a 55 zone, as well as a bunch of equipment tickets for open headers on his 68 mustang( 11:1, big cam,
high 11 second car in 1972. Today he cannot enjoy most music because
his hearing has lost so much range. Enjoy your trip either way.

By the way- how do you hear an aproaching siren when you have ear
plugs and open exhaust? One more thing for Barney to get you on.