What's your favourite muffler brand/model? (Poll included)

I'm just curious which mufflers people prefer for a performance sound, or for quieter cruising, and why?

Myself, for a performance sound, I prefer Sweet Thunder or Powerstick mufflers. They're inexpensive and have amazing rumble and bark, and are LOUD (outside), but due to the unique chambered design it actually has less interior drone than most traditional designs. So, it's sort of the best of both worlds.

Another one I really like the sound of is the Thrush Rattler. Not as many people use them or know their sound, but they should. They're also inexpensive and can sound downright killer with the right setup.

Also, while I'm generally not really a glasspack kind of guy, Purple Hornies header-mount mufflers can sound pretty awesome on some cars.

But as a Mopar guy, I also think the resonator-only sound from the 1965-'67 Barracuda Formula S/Dodge Dart GT (with the 273 Commando/Charger engine) has arguably one of the best factory sounds you'll ever hear. Magazines of the day absolutely raved about those cars' exhaust sound (particularly the 1965 models), and it was all due to the unique resonators they had. However, while the 273 was the smallest V8 that Mopar produced during the muscle car era, it had solid lifters which gave it an overall meaner sound and in combination with those resonators, it was downright vicious sounding.

For quieter cruising, but with still a bit of a performance note to it, the Pypes Turbo Pros are interesting. I'm not really a turbo muffler kind of guy either, but they're intriguing. Again, they seem very hushed and unobtrusive at speed, but have just enough of a performance sound to not sound stock. Anyone have any experience with them?

So? What are your favourites? Got any favourite lesser-known or otherwise obscure muffler brands/models you like? Feel free to share whichever mufflers you like the sound of best, and what mufflers you prefer for whatever application (performance, quieter cruising, etc.). Also, feel free to share video samples if you like.

Cheers.

 

For anyone interested to check it out, here's a video of the 1965-'67 Barracuda Formula S/Dodge Dart GT resonator sound. However, this video comes with one major caveat: the engine you hear in this guy's 1967 Barracuda is a 340, not a 273. As good as this sounds, a 273 with the same resonator sounds even meaner and more vicious. If you've ever been in the presence of a healthy 273, despite its smaller valves and smaller bores, they have this chesty punch that some small blocks just don't have. Along with their solid lifters, they're just a different animal and have a different sound than other Mopar small blocks.

The video is almost 47 minutes long and the first half is mostly the install, but the good stuff begins around the 22:07 mark when he puts a camera on the back of the car and drives it home. There's some good audio from that part onward, but the best part is from the 29:50 mark (read the text in the video) to about 30:35 where he accelerates from a stop to get onto the freeway. But if you're a Mopar guy you'll likely listen all the way through. But again, I can't stress enough, as good as this sounds, the 273 with the same resonator sounds even meaner. A video just doesn't do it justice. It's something you have to experience firsthand to fully appreciate. Regardless, this is a single exhaust sound to reckon with. At the very least, it's a good 20+ minutes of Mopar ear porn.

 

I'll likely go with Spintechs on my wagon:
SpinTech High Performance Mufflers and Exhaust Products (spintechmufflers.com)

 

Cool. It looks like they have quite a selection of mufflers. Which model do you use?

 

I''ll be running just a single muffler, probably a 3000XL. I'll check with the muffler shop before I pull the trigger though.

 

As of this posting, there have been 103 views of this thread so far, yet there's only been one other vote (other than mine)? C'mon, let's get the voting going! I'm interested to hear people's preferences and opinions!

 

Doesn't pertain to any of the cars on this forum but in my youth I put Abarth / Ansa's on both my 1970's Alfa Romeo's


Will always remember that sound, specially down shifting with the back pressure! True Love! when they work!

 

No, that's good! It really does depend on the application and what engine a car/truck has. Whether performance or stock, each engine size and manufacturer can sound very different, and even the combustion chamber design of different heads can make a difference. It also depends on its intended use as well, like louder mufflers for a street/strip car, or a quieter muffler for extended highway cruising, etc. With that said, muffler choice is as subjective as someone's favourite colour or food, which is why I asked the question because I'm interested to hear people's preferences. Thanks for your post!

 

I think that's one thing a lot of people overlook is not just how a muffler sounds during acceleration, but during deceleration as well. Some of the best muffler sounds also have a killer decelerating sound, which is why I love the 273 Barracuda S/Dart GT resonator sound so much, because it sounds killer during deceleration. Especially after a hard acceleration. A perfect example of that in the video I posted above is at the 28:08 mark and at 30:28. Love it.

 

I recently replaced the entire exhaust system with Headman Headers and two and one half inch stainless pipe with some Flowmaster clones...It turned out to be louder than I expected and I am now gonna take it back to have it toned down.

 

Cool. It looks like they're a copy of Flowmaster 40s, which are louder than average. Some Flowmaster clones can be a bit louder as well, but hopefully you find something that suits you a bit more! Do you know what you might go for next, or are you going to let the muffler shop help with your next move?

 

I agree that it depends on the application.
I love the sound of Flowmaster 40's. Currently I only have them on one of my vehicles, my 74 F-250 crew cab.
On the F-100 there is a "turbo" style muffler (think 1960's aftermarket Mustang here) and the Fury has an autoparts store cherry bomb that was welded in in place of the factory style muffler over 20 years ago. My 96 Powerstroke has a 4" exhaust from Magnaflow.
So it really all depends. I like a good exhaust note, but I also never want to feel like a poser, having my exhaust project a much more powerful drivetrain, than what actually exists.

 

Flowmaster 40s are one of the most popular mufflers out there for sure. For good reason too. They seem to be the go-to choice for people we want a deep rumble, especially at idle. Tons of Ford 5.0 guys use them around here. But that's cool you like different "flavours" for your vehicles. I'm not a one-muffler kind of guy either (as evidenced in my initial post). But yeah, it's all about application and having different sounds for different vehicles.

BTW, does your '96 Powerstroke have exhaust tips? That's a whole other topic of conversation. Even the size and style of tip can make a very noticeable change in the tone of the exhaust.

The factory 273ci Barracuda Formula S/Dart GT resonator I posted about is a one-piece resonator/tip design with a 2 1/4" inlet, and its overall sound is dictated by that size and design. Being that it's a single exhaust setup, I have often wondered what a 3", 3 1/2" or 4" resonator/tip for a hot small block or big block would sound like. I have a feeling it would sound Earth-endingly brutal with a really healthy big block roaring through it. The mind boggles...

 

My 60 Parkwood has the dreaded "X" frame...The Headman Headers come down from the side of the engine and then turn at a 45 degree angle to clear the frame. Interesting...