Are Glasspacks really the sh*t?

[RKNRLR]

I've been refraining from posting on this one... But what the hell...

OK, what do you want? Noise or power?

If you are looking for the least amount of restriction, the glass pack isn't the way to go. It's been proven 40 years ago that they restricted flow and killed horsepower. It's old technology and laughable on a serious car.

Probably the best compromise on noise and power would be a Flowmaster. The 40 and 44 are supposed to be high flow with a lot of noise. I think the 10 is their race car muffler.

I have no idea what the laws are in Sydney ( I assume Australia and not Sydney, NY) so I can't address what level of noise you can "get away with". I assume you have to have something on there to drive on the road. Where I live, I have found the less amount of attention that I drew to myself, the more the cops left me alone. That means a quiet car etc. Quite frankly, the fastest street cars in my neck of the woods were always muffled down well. The obnoxiously loud cars were usually slow. Feel free to draw analogies to people here.

If you really want it "obnoxious and loud", why run mufflers in the first place? Or why not go to electric cutouts for the exhaust?

In my state, cars built before 1983 are permitted to emit 96db, later models 90db. Id like the exhaust to sound tough, loud, but still crisp, not like a sawn-off hack job. For me its all about the note, slightly less about the volume. As a person who drives his RR a few times a week, Id like to push the limits db-wise, but still ensure Im not getting pinged every time i take it around the block.
Some videos Ive watched have given me a good impression of glasspacks, others less so. Just trying to make my mind up on whether I like the sound or not, and whether they will take me past the db limit over here.

And if i wasn't into old technology, I wouldn't be driving no 440 cubic inch rubber-munching monster!

 

[quikbird]

cutouts are your answer. open them when johnie law is not around and close them when needed

 

[Big John]

In my state, cars built before 1983 are permitted to emit 96db, later models 90db. Id like the exhaust to sound tough, loud, but still crisp, not like a sawn-off hack job. For me its all about the note, slightly less about the volume. As a person who drives his RR a few times a week, Id like to push the limits db-wise, but still ensure Im not getting pinged every time i take it around the block.
Some videos Ive watched have given me a good impression of glasspacks, others less so. Just trying to make my mind up on whether I like the sound or not, and whether they will take me past the db limit over here.

And if i wasn't into old technology, I wouldn't be driving no 440 cubic inch rubber-munching monster!

Ahh...The "note" as you call it, is something that everybody is after. I like the traditional sound of the muscle cars, usually done with "turbo" mufflers (a copy of the turbocharged Corvair muffler) or the stock mufflers. The stock mufflers on the Hemi cars is about the best. My 300 has 2 1/2" pipes with Turbo mufflers.

With a 3" pipe, anything is going to be loud.

The glass pack has a different sound and to me, it's not a "crisp" sound. It always reminds me of a teenage kid with a beat up car.

But really... the cut-outs might be your best choice.

 

[Ranger]

I'm no expert, but I believe (as previously mentioned) that the sound of glass packs will change over time as the glass burns out.

 

[69hemibeep]

I like the tone of the 2 1/2" shorty turbos 14" on my 440 valiant, muscle car sound but not real loud

 

[droptop]

I don't mind a loud exhaust , I just can't stand the popping noise when you let off of it.

 

[Palmer Moe-par 68]

My dad has some glass packs on his truck and they don't seem very loud too me. They only get noisy in a tunnel and sound great. The flowmasters sound like they would fit your needs better.

 

[randy2red]

Hi, I have the hemi mufflers on my 68 383 ,loud but have lasted over 40 years

 

[69hemibeep]

I don't mind a loud exhaust , I just can't stand the popping noise when you let off of it.

The 20-30 year olds around here are going straight pipes on the 1990s and 2000s Mustangs and Camaro's, a bit to loud for me and they pop like crazy on deceleration

 

[Basketcase]

so turn you hearing aid off Bobby......

 

[69hemibeep]

so turn you hearing aid off Bobby......

What LOL

 

[quikbird]

Did you say something???

 

[Basketcase]

Thrush right behind the headers no tail pipes were cool

I was up at my late Uncle's yesterday helping my cousin go thru my Uncle's work shop some so my cousin could get around in it (he has MS) and buried in this pile on the workbench was three envelopes containing one each of these...one got put on the door of my garage, and the other two?

 

[RKNRLR]

Hey Thanks to everybody for the worldly advice!
After reading all the comments (many times over) I decided to do the smart thing and see an exhaust specialist.
He was able to come up with a design that idled at a reasonable level, but would really sparkle at open throttle - everyone's favourite kinda throttle!
They've been in the same location for about 40 years, and now actually manufacture and ceramic coat in-house, which means no Chinese knockoffs.
It also means it aint cheap either, especially after talking myself into some custom extractors, to finally eliminate all the rattles and knocks because of the current poorly-fitted Hooker headers.
She's booked in for the overhaul on the 18th, Ill keep you guys posted!

 

[RKNRLR]

I was up at my late Uncle's yesterday helping my cousin go thru my Uncle's work shop some so my cousin could get around in it (he has MS) and buried in this pile on the workbench was three envelopes containing one each of these...one got put on the door of my garage, and the other two?

View attachment 22484

Ill take one!

 

[69hemibeep]

Hear is a new option. SRT8 mufflers I got a pair from a muffler shop new car take offs 2 1/2 in and out straight through.

 

[Basketcase]

Ill take one!

send me a SSAE and one is yours.

 

[Rick t]

I have glass packs on my 1970 440 Roadrunner. I personally am not a fan of them. They are very load run thru headers and is not the sound I want for the car. I would like it a bit quieter. Any suggestions on what Flow Masters I should run?

 

[Terry Hauck]

Heard so much about em, but don't really know of anyone with em down under, so I've never heard em in the flesh. Do they really sound like Thunder? do they have that annoying drone?
I'm considering putting them on my freshly-tickled 440, with a full 3"system.
I'm all for loud, obnoxious, in-your-face, over-the-top exhaust sound, and have heard that these are the way to go.
any videos much appreciated!

You will set off alarms everywhere.

 

[Ranger]

I have glass packs on my 1970 440 Roadrunner. I personally am not a fan of them. They are very load run thru headers and is not the sound I want for the car. I would like it a bit quieter. Any suggestions on what Flow Masters I should run?

Rick, If you haven't already done so, check out the Flowmaster site. They have a pretty good description of each muffler and should help you narrow your search.
http://www.flowmastermufflers.com/street-mufflers/

Not sure what you consider "too loud" or are looking for, but I have what I believe are Flowmaster 40 series on my 383 (they where on the car when I bought it). They have a great rumble at idle and a bit on the loud side at cruise, but again, this is subjective. I thought they where too loud at first, but they have grown on me. The only thing I don't like (and I think Flowmaster addresses it) is the drone at 1800-2000 RPM. Supposedly it can be eliminated with a crossover pipe.