I was wondering if any of our vintage attendees have replaced their OEM exhaust system with an after-market setup. I think I would like a system with a more traditional sports car sound. I realize a person can listen to sound clips over the internet but there is no substitute to hearing the real thing. I would really appreciate a short 5 minute ride with anyone who has installed a replacement system that they like. If so, please reply. Thanks.

 

I have a Spugen single with round canisters. I think it has way too much resonance. I made a silencer for it and that really reduced the resonance. If it is on the car next weekend, you are free to listen to it. I may put the stock exhaust back on for the trip.

 

I have the Nuespeed installed, I like it most of the time, fairly deep note, but on long rides it can get a bit "droney", but you are welcome to go for a ride.

 

I have the fabled Invidia with nary a silencer! Also, any of you who want to see Rick's header, it'll be on my car. You can see that the oem heatshield bolts on perfectly. I'm debating whether or not to install the T1R testpipe for this meet.

 

My "baby" is totally stock (with the exception of a K&N air filter). Just yesterday while driving through an underground parking garage I was thinking about how that is the one thing that I do not like about the car with the stock exhaust.

In my opinion the Mustang GT or Cobra Mustangs have the best sounding stock exhaust of most any "real world" car . On the other hand the stock S exhaust around the 3-5 RPM range sounds like a sewing machine

I remember that last year that Matrix was not happy on his road trip to SF04 with his Invidia as it was too loud.

On the other hand, I have considered having a exhaust shop cut out the resonators and weld in a piece of straight pipe which I understand gives the exhaust a "raspier" sound.

I am also curious as to feed back about the relative merits of what is available out there?

 

There are websites where you can listen to the sounds of the different exhausts ... probably turbo_pwr (Dan) can help on this one ... or perhaps a search would find it.

 

I continue to hear good feedback on Mugen - but its really pricy. I drove the Elda engineering S2000 last July and he had an aftermarket (I don't recall the manufacturer) but it was way to boomy for me, even top down. He indicated he was buying a used Mugen to replace it.

I came up with following info which suggests that some of these systems are really LOUD.

Aftermarket Exhausts: BMI video "VTEC CLUB" features a scene called "S2000 Exhaust Catalogue". Using a db mic they get data on the exhaust notes. The dB readings are taken at 50cm away, 45 degrees to the right of the exhaust (or the centre of the car), and the "stationary" readings are taken at 6250rpm (as close to 70% of the 8900rpm rev range possible).

THE NUMBERS ARE: IDLE, STATIONARY, RACING:

STOCK: 64.8, 91.4, 98.6
ACCESS MODULO SPORTS: 62.1, 92.6, 99.8
MUGEN SPORTS: 64.5, 92.7, 102.8
FUJITSUBO LEGALIS-R: 65.8, 92.7, 104.2
BLITZ REALIZE TT-R: 65.5, 92.5, 100.5
ARC INTERNATIONAL TI: 68.3, 92.8, 103.2
5-ZIGEN INTERNATIONAL PRO RACER EX-III A-SPEC (single): 65.3, 93.3, 109.4
SPOON SPORTS N1 (single): 76.6, 105.3, 123.3
BACKYARD SPECIAL MAGNUM STREET: 67.7, 91.4, 109.2
POWERHOUSE AMUSE R1 TITAN EURO: 65.8, 88.0, 103.4
POWERHOUSE AMUSE R1 TITAN EURO single: 67.5, 90.7, 112.0
POWERHOUSE AMUSE R1 TITAN EXTRA: 68.2, 89.5, 103.0
POWERHOUSE AMUSE R1 TITAN single: 74.9, 99.5, 114.8
POWERHOUSE AMUSE R1000 (single): 77.4, 112.5, 125.2
J'S RACING CIRCUIT: 76.1, 113.3, 129.0

One owner posted,

 

I think Rick has the SuperSprint.....or he used to have it

 

Tom717 also has an after market exhaust....may also be the SuperSprint. He'll be attending the Saturday events. I've driven many happy miles behind him....but it may be loud for some folks.

 

The differences in exhaust system sounds is kinda amazing. What's noise to one person is music to another.

I was very fortunate to have picked up a new-old-stock MGA exhaust system quite some time after MG went out of business. On a whime I asked an old BL dealer if he had one and the parts guy said they did - up in the attic in the corner. Half a century after they were built I was one of the last people still drivng with an OEM exhaust on the MG. Every member of our MG club agreed that nothing today compared to it.