rmoths

I have a 72 Cutlass 350. I bought a set of Pypes mufflers from a friend who said they where not loud enough for him, So I put them on my car.
Now on my car they are very loud. I have a H pipe exhaust and he has a X pipe, From what I'm reading the X pipe mellows the sound not the popping sound which I don't like. So I thought I would ask if anyone knows if there is anything to this. I may put an X pipe on if I hear it does mellow the sound.
Thanks Ron&Barb.

coppercutlass

An x pipe will make it quieter to some extent but in the top end it will sound raspy kinda like modern cars do with aftermarket x pipe exhauts systems . I went with an x pipe for power gains . I did see gains and the car was a little quieter but to be honest not a whole bunch. Can you add resonators before the end of the tail pipes ?

oldcutlass

It's your mufflers that are going to effect the db level of your exhaust the most.

Allan R

I have an H setup on my car, with resonators after the mufflers. It's still a bit loud but really not that bad. I think this year I'm going to just run stock straight pipes back to the mufflers and no resonators. Eric is right about the quality of mufflers determining noise level.

redoldsman

Years ago I added an H pipe to my 72 Cutlass shortly after I put the twin turbos on it. It did not change the sound much but took the drone out.

ELY442

I changed my mufflers last week from Flowmasters to Dynomax super turbos and what a difference in noise. I missed that "BOOM" sound when i start her up but you cant resist the drone.

rmoths

Thanks for the information, I like the idea of resonators.
It's not so much the noise it's the rapping sound I don't care for.
OK thanks again, Resonators on the list.
Ron&Barb.

coppercutlass

You can do the sumit brand glass packs for resonators. They sell the shortest one I could find.

rmoths

I looked them up and there only 12" long, Just right.
Thanks! You saved me a lot of time.
Barb.

RetroRanger

IMO adding another muffler to muffle your muffler is putting on a bandaid ....and adding uneccesary weight, expense and joints

dynomax turbos or super turbos have a nice sound are not raspy they dont drone and arent annoyingly loud.

coppercutlass

Changing mufflers would be more work and cost more to be honest. Adding resonators is not a band aid its common practice . I had a 95 caprice and it had mufflers and reasonators behind the tail pipes.

rmoths

Sounds like a resonator on a muffler is just kind of weird to most.
I'm begining to believe I should just live with it or take off the mufflers.
I think I'll have to live with it for now.
Thanks all. R&B.

RetroRanger

I had a VW like that as well ( muffler and resonator) when the stock system went I replaced it w a single muffler system that sounded better and had less BS.

I'm just thinking here that the first guy didn't like the muffs the second people don't like the muffs....maybe it's the muffs???

R&b copper offered what has worked for him, it may work for you as well IDK, but if it were me, I would just swap the muffler to something you like.

redoldsman

If it is too loud, mufflers are your problem. I have some generic turbos on my 72 Cutlass with a 350 with an H pipe and they are not loud at all. They just sound kind of like an original muscle car. I don't remember seeing resonators for a long time.

s i 442

I had and "X" pipe on a 68 442 with Flowmaster mufflers to the rear end and it sounded like a 73 Caprice with a hole in the muffler.
Now I have two individual pipes and mufflers to the rear end on a car and it sounds good.

rmoths

I think for now I'll just stay with the pypes mufflers ( Street Pro).
Like I said it's not that it's to loud, It's the rapping or cracking sound under mid to hard throttle I don't like. I'm starting to think it's my engine and nothing I do will change it. Ron.

ziff396

I am running Pypes race pro mufflers on mine. From what I here, they are quieter than the street pro's. I an running an H pipe and opted for the 18" case one's. Sort of quiet while cruising. No drone, and can here my stereo. Stomp on her and she really comes to life! Perfect for me after going through true duels ( to much popping.) x pipe (Hated the sound. to ricey.) I also ran the 12" glasspack resonators but they ruined the tone. 2.5 " and headers. 455. Anyways, everyones taste is different. You just have to find your own. I went through at least 4 sets of mufflers, pipes, and $ to find what I like. However, it still isn't perfect. I would like a deeper tone but that would mean 3". Not going to happen, and my setup really doesn't need it. Maybe I'm to picky with my tastes! JMO

rmoths

Thanks, I'm starting to think I'm to picky. I do like the idea of a deeper tone, but if it takes 3" exhaust I can't go that far either. Under full throttle my car sounds like a series of fire crackers going off. If you ever find that nice deep tone let me know I'll try that to. Barb.

holiday88

I would install the H pipe. I did the same thing to my truck a few years ago. The tone at idle and low speed was good, but much quieter when I put my foot into it or at highway speeds. Low cost solution imo. I wouldn't install a dual exhaust without it now after going from straight duals. Summit sells a kit for this.

http://www.summitracing.com/int/sear...e-style/h-pipe

I should have read the first post, you do have an H pipe. I would change the mufflers if it was too loud. Do you have headers on?

s i 442

Comparing apples to oranges.

chadman

I have the 2-1/2" Street Pro Pypes mufflers on my '68. The rappy sound you are talking about is because they are a chambered muffler and not a packed muffler. This car has a stock 325 hp 400 G in it with manifolds and it's too loud for my taste. My '65 is putting out about 500 hp and it has a full 3" exhaust with H-pipe and Dynomax Super Turbo mufflers. It is actually much quieter than the '68 and has a better sounding and much deeper tone. I personaly don't like the sound of X-pipes. They sound too modern and European for my taste.

coppercutlass

Si the caprice is kind of comparable it had a v8 and I eventually put the loudest exhaust I could put on it so flowmasters and no tail pipes to annoy the nighbors adding tail pipes made it quiet. Resonators serve a purpose. Short of getting new mufflers trying resonators will cost less. Depending on which turbo mufflers you are talking about. I have thrush turbos and my dads pontiac and it sounds like a stock muscle car a little rumble nothing annoying. ON my 72 I have an x pipe and hooker aero chamber mufflers along with headers. You can here me coming from 3 blocks away. Its loud but its not open manifolds in sounds. It actually sounds really good and when I'm on it it sounds unlike any other olds. Most guys run flowmasters or magnaflows or pypes. The aero chambers add a unique tone to an already unique olds tone.

ziff396

I did run a set of aero chambers on mine also. Nice sound, but after some hard launches etc. they started to rattle from the inside and sounded like crap at idle. I also heard that a few years ago on this forum and thought that maybe he just received a bad one. Well, I had 2 of them! They are still on my shelf if anyone wants them.

Doc350s

I've got an x pipe on mine. Hooker super comps up front (1.75" primaries to 3" collector) 2-1/2" to the mufflers (GT exhaust - essentially the exhaust shops company muffler, polished stainless) 2-1/2" back to 3" tubes under the bumper. Sounds really good at idle and slightly higher, good bass note. No drone at cruise. Didn't want excessive noise from mine so went this route.

Allan R

Ron, since the concept of resonators seems to be creating a lot of -/+ discussion, here's another option. Don't know if you remember these, but they used to be a standard on big car production back in the day. They'll take up less room than a stock muffler but I don't know about the sound quality. IIRC these were also used on the Starfires? I forgot I had this link saved till I was reviewing your thread again.

Chambered Exhausts

rcrac3r

We just installed a 2-1/2" Magnaflow X-pipe cat-back system on our '72. Pretty happy with the sound at idle & cruising. Really nice when giving it the gas from a stop.

redoldsman

Cat-back on a 72? Really?

rcrac3r

Thats only what the kit was listed as on the Magnaflow site. It comes with straight pipes that you trim to connect to the headers.

jag1886

I did this same thing on my last summer those I change from Magnadrones to Dynomax Super turbos they are nice.