ADVICE ON EXHAUST SYSTEMS??

[Mr. Chevy]

Anyone have advice on what type of exhaust system to run on a stock L78 396 solid lifter cam, 11:01 compression motor in a 70 Nova SS with factory stock exhaust manifolds & smog system?? I am thinking of changing mine. Currently I have true dual exhaust running thru 2 1/2 diameter aluminized, mandrel bent pipes with mufflers similar to a Flowmaster but an off brand called Shuttleworths. I have the factory correct bends on the tailpipes exiting where they should behind the rear tires. I "jumped" on the car last night coming home from a cruise and discovered that my left side tailpipe about a foot from the outlet was getting weak in one area and "blew" out a hole about the size of a quarter, now creating a slight exhaust leak. My buddy has a 1968 Chevelle SS 396 car and the same thing just happened to him, how ironic!! My system has been on the car for about 7 years. I only drive the car on nice, dry summer days and go to and from cruise inns and local shows.

I have a friend that owns a Midas shop in my area. He suggested I keep the same set up I have now but replace the mufflers and tailpipes. He suggested I use Raven brand mufflers that Midas carries. He stated that they have excellent flow characteristics much better than a Flowmaster and have a very healthy, deep, loud rumble to them. I do want something I can hear the compression and cam through nicely. I have entertained the thought of putting a factory style Gardner Exhaust system on the car, but I am not sure. For performance and sound I would like to keep it the way it is with true duals thu 2 mufflers. I think the Gardner system may quiet the car up even from what it is now.. I know Gardner systems are very good however. Anyone have any suggestions on mufflers?? Has anyone had any experience with Raven mufflers?? Any opinions on Flowmaster, Dynomax or any other nice sounding performance mufflers?? I have went to the different websites for Flowmaster, Dynomax and Gardner and listened to the "test sound clips." I do not like the old glass pack sounding mufflers.. Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated... Thanks Rich

[budnate]

go check out the Pypes ex site, I like there stuff and you dont get the drone with there mufflers and they have lots of cool kits....a X pype kit with Violator mufflers is thing I like most these days...listen to there sound clips.

[BUIZILLA]

FWIW, I researched the hell out of this for 2 cars of mine, an L78 Camaro and my 69 Nova... on my L78 Camaro I used the Flowmaster 2.5 kit with balance pipe and crossover muffler behind the axle, dumps behind rear tires like original, GREAT setup, quiet with some nice tone, verry efficient... you'll be very happy... on the Nova I bought the same Fmaster front pipes, but used dual 2.5 stainless steel Magnaflow mufflers, an x- pipe in front, and Fmaster tail pipes over the axle exiting behind the rear tires, this sytem has a sound that must be heard to be believed at 7400 rpm with a small block.... but it's nice and quiet...

[1968 nova ss]

Mr.Chevy,I have an original 68/ 396 nova ss/ when i purchased the car 7 years ago .It still had the original exhaust and tailpipes.I replaced it with a gardner exhaust ,the exhaust fit is very close to the original .I have spoke to eric gardner;of Gardner exhaustand the muffler has had alittle work done to it;so it has a nice rumble.I wanted to have a little fun in the pure stock drag class.So i installed a mandrel bent 2 and half system with same looks as original with a x pipe and magnaflow tranverse muffler.It has a nice tone / when cruising ;but really only make some noise when you are up on the rpm.But I am very happy withthe magna flowmuffler they say the dynomax is the best from the pure stock drag guys.If you decide to go the Gardner way;I may sell my Gardner exhaust ;it was only on the car for a year .Chris Teed

[@wot]

I used a complete system from Gardner exhaust. Great product, and really good people.

[427king]

Try Allens Stainless.

[Andy]

I have experience with three different types of flowmaster mufflers.

1. The regular 40 series 2 chamber muffler. This is a good all around muffler, "the original flowmaster sound", and puts out a decent exhaust note on most any car. I have a set of 2 1/4" 40 series on my 67 camaro and they are dumped at the rear. I don't have any drone with these mufflers, and they aren't that loud in the car. Here is a sound clip. http://people.clemson.edu/~jaander/videos/100_2556.mov
2. Flowmaster Super 40 mufflers. I was after a more agressive/deep sound with my 'Cuda, and these mufflers definately delivered. I have a 3" setup on this car, and they are also dumped at the rear. The car has a pretty souped up 340 in it and the mufflers make the big cam sound even better sound clip of these http://media.putfile.com/cudasuper40driveby
3. Flowmaster one chamber race mufflers. I have these on my 99 Camaro SS with a 2.5" size pipe, but I put an x-pipe on this exhaust. It also has a very deep sound, and it screams at w.o.t. However, they do drone some in the car, but it doesn't really bother me that much. Here is a sound clip of it. http://people.clemson.edu/~jaander/videos/100_1945.mov
I hope these help you out some. If I were redoing the exhaust on your car, I would probably choose the super 40s. They are the most refined out of the three mufflers listed here, and have all of the great sound, without the drone.

[Chevy454]

Here's the skinny on what *I* just went through...if you want a truly correct exhaust, then go Gardner or go home, there is no other place to go for the correct exhaust stuff. But, if you want more performance as well as a correct looking transverse muffler system, then try Pypes. A Nova/Camaro doesn't look right without a transverse/crossflow muffler. Anyway, I recently put their 2.5" w/pipe system on our Camaro, and am pleased...tucked up *really* nice underneath and is head and shoulders performance-wise above the Flowmaster system I previously had on the car. Sounds good and is quiet at idle and when cruising, but I had a few folks come up this weekend and ask what system I was running, as they said it sounded like a race car when under power...

[Mr. Chevy]

Thanks Guys for all your suggestions and comments!! I greatly appreciate it.... RICH

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Stock = Gardner
Stock appearing = Pypes

http://www.pypesexhaust.com/gallery88.html