Best sounding mufflers on a SBC?

Its been about three months since Ive got this car running and driving with a fresh 350 chevy motor and trans.

When I had the local muffler shop do my exhaust they put Flowmasters on the car, and even though they make the car sound pretty tuff, I feel they are a little loud and not really suiting to the car. There is also a resonating sound that will be annoying on long road trips.
I would like more of a rumbling sound for a sled.

A friend and I will be notching the frame and re doing my airbags in the next month, and we will run the tail pipes out the back and would like to redo the exhaust and the same time. Perfect time to change out the mufflers...

So- whats the best mellow sounding mufflers for a SBC with a mild cam with 2 1/2 inch tubing?

 

Smithy's or Porter!

Running the pipes out from under the car will ditch that resonating sound in the car.

 

Smithys

 

smithys x3.

 

Smithys

 

Smithys are definatly traditional.i have glad packs on my 32 ,I think they sound too much like a boat .i never really liked the sound of any glass packs ,including smithys.but too each his own.tail pipes help you have any?

 

I had some no name glass paks put on my 35 Ford with a 283 small block.. sounds great....

 

Thanks guys....also, heres a stupid question...if I have 2 1/2 in tubing, what size inlet do I buy on a muffler? Ive never ordered any before?

Also, on other cars Ive owned Ive had chrome pencil tips...I like the look, but I would need smaller tubing at the tail pipe. You can buy mufflers with a different inlet and outlet size right?

 

Magnaflow has a nice neutral performance sound to me. They're basically a quality turbo muffler, right in between a glass pack and chamber muffler like a Flowmaster. I used to work a performance exhaust shop and installed a ton of them. Had a set on my mustang at the time. To make them a touch louder I would weld in a sleeve of exhaust pipe thats half the length of the muffler (center in/out muffler) and it'll somewhat bypass half of the muffler.

Other than that, Smithy's are nice. If that's the sound you're looking for.

 

2.5"

Mufflers are also configured by offset or center inlets and outlets. Unless you're ordering glass packs of course.

As far as different size inlet/outlets, I'm pretty sure they're available but the easiest thing to do is expand the smaller size tubing to fit the outlet or make an adapter in a similar fashion.

 

you need to grab a caliper to determine if your pipe is measured in I.D or O.D. inner or outer diameter to get your pipe size correct. although any muffler shop has the capability to expand or shrink the pipe or muffler ends to fit most applications. (they can even stretch a 2.5" to 3" and so on)

you are correct on being able to purchase mufflers with different size in and outlets on them.

 

Thanks KOTC- great car too!

 

Thrush turbo style muffler is an alternative to a glass pack for a reasonable price. Order a 2.5" inch muffler inlet.

 

36" Silver Streak Glass packs.


Tim

 

advance auto parts has a small flat muffler (14" turbo)?? 19.95 each - 2.5" - sounds great & not too loud

 

Try none first. You might like it. If not, try a few different end baffles.

Jack E/NJ

 

brockman mellowtones dude. youtube em. they sound pretty sick in my opinion. i would run 2" if you can

 

Mellow tones... They are steal packed not glass. They have a "crisp" sound. I have them on my sbc and love them. Type in mellow tones on goggle. I think they are made by porter muffler.... They have been around forever. Smithys and mellow tones are my favorite.


Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad

 

Your problem is not the mufflers. Your problem is where they exit.

Flowmasters are one of the best mufflers on the market but any muffler is going to sound loud and obnoxious when you exit the exhaust in front of the rear tire.

Keep what you have, change your tailpipes to exit out the back, problem solved on the cheap!

 

2 inch straight pipe and chrome pencil tips. Cheaper easier and sounds way better than mufflers!

 

The glass paks I installed on my chopped coupe in 1994 still sound good!

 

I can't wait to get rid of the 3chamber flowmasters on my 57. I have them all the way to the back, where the gas tank originally fits. They're still very noticeable. I did that to keep the exh gas temp up as it went over the rear end.

 

I ran 2 1/4" cherry bomb glass packs on my 58 Chevy in high school they had a great mellow tone but I was 18 and wanted a more aggressive tone and switched to 3" super 44s but there's nothing like that mellow glass pack tone

Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app

 

Agree that the flowmasters will some totally different after you put tail pipes on it. Glasspacks(Porter, Smitty, CHERRYBOMB, mellowtones etc) will give a more traditional hotrod sound. Look into the CHERRYBOMB VORTEX. It will give you a nice tone out the back with no cruising drone. You can barely here them inside the car. These are great for a car you are going to go on long trips with.

 

I suggest a balance tube ahead of the mufflers and extend the pipes either out the sides or the rear. any glass pack or hi-po mufflers will sound good...I prefer a longer size muffler for a little less volume.

 

thrush red bullet glass packs

 

OK first try to describe your " BEST" because I'll bet its different than mine or the other guys.
Some guys like glass packs & there are straight thru perforated or louvered ones.
Some guys like a turbo style muffler,
Some like a suit case chambered muffler or a tubular chambered pipe.
Some like a megaphone tip, some like a pencil tip.
Pipes out the back are different than out the side before the axle is different than after as well.

 

I have a pair of flowtech afterburner on my car with an X pipe and tail pipes over the rear end and dump down after the rear tires on the side. I think thay sound great. But thats my cup of tea and I think if you put flowmasters on it , it will sound like all the other mustangs and camaros running around. Not knocking flowmasters I think thay are good mufflers and can make alot of HP just not my cup of tea.

 

I second that. I've heard them in person and they sound awesome.

 

My 56 Chevy Bel Air 2 door post with a warmed over 350, M-22, fender well headers, H pipe, with Flowmaster 40 series mufflers has the best sounding pipes I've ever heard. I believe the H pipe makes the difference.