Big Block Exhaust-What do you run?

I decided it was finally time to re-do the exhaust on the Riviera. The day I bought it I knew it was garbage because when it idled the pipes slapped the bumper and hit several other places in the car. Sounded like pennies in a tin can.

I cut that off at the center of the X on the X frame and tied it all together in November.

Fast forward to now, pipes have separated and the mufflers are literally falling off.

Took initiative and threw my old 18" Magnaflow glass packs on with about $120 of 2.25" tubing and clamps all the way out to dual side dumps before the rear axle. I almost have the alignment perfect, but I may accept it as "good enough" so I drive it and don't obsess.

When I have good service I'll post a video.

What does everyone else run? Looking to potentially start this thread so everyone can compare and critique their combos all in the search of the best BBB sound.
Thanks,
Costello

 

I have TA shorty headers with TA 3"collectors pipes into a 3" Pypes SS exhaust system with a X and street pro mufflers. It has a little drone around 45 mph. It is not quite but not obnoxiously loud either. The 455 is pretty stock Stage 1, non-ported iron heads and intake with a little stronger cam, a TA 284-88H I can not upload a file so you can hear it, sorry.
Jim

 

Gardener Upstate NY. Work of art.

 

Cast iron manifolds with 2 1/2" Torque Tech true duals & Dynomax Super Turbos...

 

On a muscle car that is done as a day 2, drag style, or stocker I like magnaflows if I want it loud and turbos if I want it mellower. I like the sound of chambered mufflers like flowmasters on something that is more "pro touring" and if I'm not particularly worried about getting every last horsepower. Magnaflows or the like are good on everything though.....

 

T/A shorty headers with 3" exhaust to the bumper. I got tired of not being able to carry on a conversation while cruising.

 

ttt. Doing complete exhaust from engine back, including headers. Please post some additional combo's...looking for some ideas. Thanks.

 

Poston long tube headers 3" inlet to 2.5" outs all aluminum through Flow master's.

 

T/A full length; T/A 2.5 pipes; Walker Super Turbos

 

LOL - Larry must be OLD - left turn signal stuck in the "I'm too old to remember where I'm going" mode.

 

TA headers, 3 inch with x pipe to the 3 inch cheap "can with baffles" muffler, mandrel bent 2 1/2 inch to the bumper. No reason to run 3 inch after the muffler as the muffler will not flow what the 2 1/2 in mandrel bent pipe will do.

 

I like mine loud. T/A headers gs club system 3 inch without crossover. Flowmaster 30 series with 3 inch tail pipes to the bumper.

 

Bill, I don't know but that looks like typical factory style press bending. Maybe my eyes are deceiving me.

Examples of 3" mandrel bent pipes:

http://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/3-pypes-mock-up.340405/

In the pic. of my exhaust system I even added the factory style extra rise going into the mufflers as your system has but it is mandrel bent or at least fabricated (by me) out of mandrel bends.

 

Thanks everyone for the responses. Lucas had previously mentioned about not being concerned about getting every last horsepower out of his setup. Does that mean that the system after the headers could have a significant impact on horsepower/performance as a result of being more or less restrictive?

 

I think that goes without saying. Imagine funneling all the exhaust through a single duck whistle. Definitely going to be more restrictive, but even mandrel bent 2.25" duals can handle up to 400 hp based on what I've read. The stock system is not mandrel bent and wouldn't do your engine justice if you let it breath through that

 

Thanks John, makes perfect sense. So, same applies to mufflers I suppose...is there any information posted that would detail which mufflers are more or less restrictive?

 

Flowmaster mufflers are chambered instead of straight through, which reduces flow but provides a nice sound.

It is difficult to make blanket statements, because someone can and will always disagree and have data as well.

However, straight through muffler designs almost always outflow chambered or turbo muffler designs.

The issue is this "What sound are you willing to live with?"

Straight through mufflers are almost always louder and flow the most. Turbo and chambered style mufflers can be made to flow nearly as much, but are generally calmer and less raspy than the straight through design.

Here's a mental list of muffler company's for each type: other can certainly chime in with better ideas...

Straight through-thrush, magnaflow/thrush glasspacks, dynomax race bullet

Turbo-the dynomax walker line, thrush turbos, American thunder

Chambered-basically the entire flowmaster line except for some specialty mufflers

 

Thanks John, good info, much appreciated.