Just installed Hedman Elite Hedders (Summit #HED-68198) and Flowmaster American Thunder exhaust (FLO-17120) this weekend on my '70 Elky SS396 (auto on the column, AC). I was a little worried having read some guys problems with installing other brands, but the Hedman's went on really easy and without a hitch. I didn't have to jack up the motor or anything. I did move the steering shaft out of the way, but I'm not sure that was necessary - just looked easier. One other thing that probably made it easier was switching to a mini starter. It looked like it would have been a bear to get the original back in, but I was switching to a mini so I didn't try it.

The Flowmaster system went on equally well. The only slight hitch was the header collector and head pipe were the same size (no flare), so I had to make a quick run to Autozone for 2 1/2" to 2 1/2" adapters. I clamped it all up and took it to the nearest muffler shop and had it all welded up for another $30. (The headers and exhaust, with S&H, was $663.)

This mod really woke up the baby rat - it pulls much better throughout the rev range. The exhaust comes with 50-series mufflers which are a little on the loud side since this is my daily driver, but they sound so throaty and powerful, I can live with it!


I give both Hedman and Flowmaster an "A".

I have the Hedman Elite in my 69. I agree, header fit is incredible. I don't think these are a true equal length header though, but for street performance through an exhaust, they are great.

Did you install an H-Pipe with the FM exhaust?

Joe,the FM exhaust kit comes with the H pipe pre-intalled.
I might pick this system up myself..a good friend of mine has it on his 69 SS,and I was impressed with the fit and appearance of the system.
I've been debating about a 3" system,but the 2.5" is more in line for what I do with my car.Current system on my car is 2.5" but the leadpipes are crimp bends and I don't have a crossover.

Excellent! Good to hear you are satisfied.... and you should be. I installed the same flowmaster exhaust, and I clamped it up and had it welded as well. I paid $100 :eek: , I think you got a good deal for $30. smile.gif

chris

I just installed this same setup on my 69 last week also. It sounds great!! smile.gif

How can you tell whether the mufflers are 50 series or something else? I thought I read somewhere that the American Thunder kit came with 40's?? I dont know the difference looking at them.

At any rate, I think the system is quiter than I expected..but to me it is a good compromise between nice rumble at idle, with throaty sound when you mash it. Not too quiet, not too loud.

I ask because I have a true dual system (2-1/2" mandrel bent from Pypes), no crossover or H with Dynomax Hemi Turbos. My car is as quiet as could be - quiet enough to here the trans and every little bit of road noise on the highway. I have thought of swapping to FM's or Magnaflow with a cross over or H. The few FM systems that I know of have, I assume have the 40 series - they are loud.

No comparison on the Hedman Elite's though. THe heavy gauge tubing really deadens the sound under the hood. Not the lightest header, that's for sure.

Well, I should say that I may be a bad judge of sound right now..as I recently drove my car with open headers to check out the tranny, etc..WOW was that loud!! then I had a temporary setup..and the FM mufflers were right under my seat..also pretty loud. I also have no interior/floor padding, and a big hole in the floor for the shifter conversion! Now that the exhaust is exiting in the right location, it sounds really quiet to me.

But I would say that the Flowmaster system is quiter than many Dodge trucks I have heard with FM's installed.

The Flowmaster system comes with 30 series mufflers. I had to look them up, because I'd never heard of them and I wondered how they compared to the 40's.

The American Thunder system (17119) uses the 52533 mufflers. I looked them up on the flowmaster site, and they're 30 series mufflers for "High Performance Street / Strip Applications
, Late Model Trucks with Single Exhaust and Catalytic Converters, and Trucks with Dual Exhaust". Nice..... I bought a pair of truck mufflers for my hot-rod... :D

I noticed the price too... Flowmaster sells that kit for $480 :eek: and Summit sells the same flowmaster kit for $300. Why would anybody buy from FM directly with that kind of pricing??

chris

what's the difference?

Go here to compare them. Flowmaster muffler page (http://www.flowmastermufflers.com/cgi-bin/flowmaster/mufflers.html) . They have graphs to compare sound levels, and clips to listen to.

I think the 30's are a little bit quieter outside the car, compared to 40's. But the interior levels may not be quieter. I've never heard them back to back to really give a good comparison. I just wondered how my loud mufflers compared to the 40's that everyone seems to talk about.

It may be different for Chevelles, but the El Camino system (17120) comes with 50-series mufflers (#52558). Here's the description from the Flowmaster site:

50 Series SUV / Performance Muffler, 2.50" IN (O) / OUT (O): each. The SUV-Performance muffler is a larger version of Flowmaster's 50 Series muffler and is specially designed for trucks and SUVs. It is designed to be installed on vehicles with large displacement engines. This version of the 50 Series muffler features a special tuning chamber which reduces interior resonance and its larger 5" x 10" case for improved sound control and optimum exhaust flow.

70ElkySS, good point! I didn't realize that the elcamino system was different than the system I got for my 68 chevelle. I just assumed that they used the same system, being A-bodies and all.... Well, thats' what I get for assuming.... sorry for any confusion! smile.gif