I was reading the responses to gigem's questions and saw a bunch of opinions regarding whether flowmasters are too loud, and this is an issue i've been pondering.

I have a flowmaster 2.5" exhaust w/ pipes all the way to back--using hedmaan headers. Not sure of which flowmaster muffler--but they are the "quietest" series offered.

Although I love the sound, they are a bit too loud--especially because i leave my house at 6:30 AM--and they are annoying to neighbors.

My motor is a chevy HO 330 hp crate motor--has a very mild cam and vortec heads--any opinions on how to get the thing to be fairly quiet (even if it looses some of the throaty quality)--I'd prefer to just change the mufflers--any ideas?

I had a set of Monroe Muffler's "loud" muffler that were too quiet for my tastes. I went out of my way to make my car as loud as posible, gear drive, 2 chambers, etc.

Try the local muffler shop. They have quieter mufflers.

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Rick Smith
72 Chevelle and a 70 Chevelle with a crushed roof, soon to be replaced.
ACES # 4051 MCC # 448
TC # 1549 81/70 Cruisers

[This message has been edited by Professor_SS (edited 01-02-2003).]

From what I've read on here, one of the quietest mufflers is the dynomax hemi super turbo mufflers. They run about 40 dollars each in Jegs.

I use Straightline Performance muffs. They are the quietest I've ever heard for a true race muffler. My friend has tried just about every muff under the sun for the quietest best muff. He turned me on to them. Ask KT at Hotrodsolutions.net
He is a dealer for them

I have Magnaflows with 2.5" to the Mufflers with an H pipe. After the mufflers it's 2.25". They told me that on a convertible, the smaller pipe would quiet it down some, but not hurt the performance that much. I love them. It sounds great. By comparison, when I got them done, an Impala was also there. He was running headers and 2.5 all the way, and it was pretty loud with the Magnaflows. Louder than I wanted. But he was having Flowmasters removed and said he was much happier with how much QUIETER the car was compared to before.

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my 67 droptop (http://www.mdesignstudio.com/chad/other/mychevelle2.jpg)

Interior (http://www.mdesignstudio.com/chad/other/interior.jpg)

big block (http://www.mdesignstudio.com/chad/other/motor.jpg)
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Dad's 67 droptop (http://www.mdesignstudio.com/chad/other/dads67.jpg)

DynoMax Super Turbo and h-pipe. I have these on my 454, 3" to the rear bumber. Real mellow at Idle and part throttle. But really rumble nice when you open up on them.

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Armando
San Gabriel, CA
66 Malibu,454,M22
57 Bel Air
95 Impala SS

[This message has been edited by Mondo454 (edited 01-02-2003).]

I was one of the critics of flows in gigems thread. I have been considering different mufflers too. The local guy that has done all my exhaust work recommends the dynomax super turbos also for a sound as mentioned above.
My 91 burb , an 87 shortbox 4x4, an 87 Monte and an 86 Monte have been done with those super turbo mufflers over the years by the local guy for me, but are not a fair comparison because those cars had cats and they do quite a bit of muffling themselves.

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Jeff Angerstein
ACES#841 TCG#158 CECCO #16
68 SS396(roller 454)
68 Pro Street 540/BDS 8-71
69 SSRS 396(427) 4spd
69 Camaro Coupe 383 Auto 3.73s
88 MC SS 29k original miles http://www.chevelles.com/forum/cool.gif
99 K2500 Burb 7.4L(454)AKA The Mangler

My Chevs (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/ACE841/rides.jpg)
OLD BLUE (12.27@109.9) (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/ACE841/jeffss2a.jpg)
(10 second motor in a 14 second chassis)



[This message has been edited by ACE841 (edited 01-02-2003).]

Maybe a simple fix would be to have a pair of Dynomax "bullets" installed in the tail pipes. They will take the edge off the sound of a Flowmaster. They are inexpensive.

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Wayne Scott

It's a BIGGER block!

Although I tout the use of Borla XR-1 sportsmans for all around deep mellow sound. I have had exp with numerous models of Flowmasters, if you want to stay with Flowmaster but want to take the raspy popping edge off. I'd suggest the Big block three chamber Muffler they offer for motor homes their big and quiet, almost too quiet http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif

I was going to get those 3 chamber big block series, but for half the price and half the size (lucky, didn't have the 22" req'd), I went with the Dynomax Turbos - Mellow sound while still being kinda loud at WOT.

Video with Sound (http://www.oharrow.net/Burnout_1.AVI)

click the link to hear

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Tommy B.
71-72 Malibu (http://www.geocities.com/beldarr/Chevelle.htm)
"I'm high all right, but on the real stuff
High octane gasoline
A clean windshield
And a shoe shine"

I used the flowmaster 2.5" kit and went with the Summit Turbos ($14ea). These are high quality Great sounding mufflers. Not too loud and a very nice sound on a daily driver. Heck for $30/pair if you dont like them you can re-sell them.

I have an older complete Flowmaster system and had the 2.5 inch FM mufflers (I think 3-chamber?).

I too was tired of the droning when cruising (much worse in my convertible).

I was not ready for a complete new exhaust, so I changed to the $14 Summit mufflers. Almost the same size (easy replacement), and it sounds quieter...

Not too quiet, because the wife and friends still think it sounds about the same. But I took a 3 hour road trip the week after the change... MUCH better...


I might eventually go with something else, but I plan on different headers too. Since my system is fine, it will wait...

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"Once you go RAT, you never go back..."
TC #1366
Tony
The Chevelle (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/1966_L78/ChevelleA.jpg)
Dual Quad 396 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/1966_L78/ChevelleC.jpg)
Side View (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/1966_L78/ChevelleD.jpg)

I have driven a truck with a mild 305(very mild cam) with california boss turbos these mufflers are way quieter than the flowmasters and sound a little louder than stock they will not make it loud inside your car and I think they only cost around 15-20 dollars.

I, for one, really like the sound of the 3 chambered flowmasters I got. Haven't ridden with the top down yet (too cold), but not too loud for me w/ top up.

Personally, I like the sound of a big block with a little "lump" in the cam.

Much quieter than the motorcycle I sold to raise money to buy this car...

If you got the same setup that I did (50 series deltaflows), wait 'til you drive under an underpass or thru a tunnel with the top down-it's real fun http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif Get's much louder.

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Sid Coleman, 71 Ragtop
TC (Gold) #174, MCC #347,
Aces #5457, N3JHV@bellatlantic.net

Sid,
I'm a member of the MCC too maybe we will meet at a meeting some time and you can take me for a ride and show me how loud your flowmasters are. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/wink.gif

[This message has been edited by BK72SS (edited 01-03-2003).]

Be glad to! Just waiting on my cash flow to pick up after Xmas so I can start fixing my brakes. Then it'll be on the road again http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

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Sid Coleman, 71 Ragtop
TC (Gold) #174, MCC #347,
Aces #5457, N3JHV@bellatlantic.net