Opinion on Dual Exhaust

[Feltman]

I will be removing the stock exhaust to install a dual without cat. Looking at Mid America Designs true dual exhaust. Questions for those that have installed it.

1. Does it hang lower than stock?

2. Did you install the heat shields left from the stock pipes.

3. Does it matter from a performance point of view, if you install stock mufflers or something else.

4. Related to question 4. I would like to change the exhaust sound from stock to something slightly above stock. Not looking for or the sound of Thrush or Cherry Bombs. To old for that now

I am about a third of the way completing the underbody of the car. I have the entire front end removed and now seems the right time to at least remove the exhaust system. Will install after I have the rear done.

Thanks in advance for answers!!

 

[Tom Bryant]

I think Bud has the Flowmaster Series 40s on his 4 speed '81. I have driven it and they are just right. I know that he likes them.

Tom

 

[GerryLP]

Yeah, that's right, Tom....Bud gave me a ride in his car, and the sound was great....Bud , is the sound of the Flowmaster's 40 has gotten louder or is it about the same.

Who has the 50 series?

 

[UKPaul]

Hi,

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1. Does it hang lower than stock?

2. Did you install the heat shields left from the stock pipes.

3. Does it matter from a performance point of view, if you install stock mufflers or something else.

4. Related to question 4. I would like to change the exhaust sound from stock to something slightly above stock. Not looking for or the sound of Thrush or Cherry Bombs. To old for that now
-------
I fitted the MA system and:

1. Mine fitted higher than the stock system (but I don't know if the stock system was fitted at the correct height).

2. No, it was too fiddly. I made some heatshields that fitted to the MA pipes where they passed under the rear composite spring. It was an easy job, just find some very thin aluminum sheet (I used printing plate stuff) & cut it out with some scissors, using the same fixing method as the stock heatshields. Due to less exhaust restriction I noticed that the interior was cooler with the MA system than it was with the stock system (even without all the heatshielding). Oh yes, st/st is a poor heat conductor compared to steel so that probably helped as well.

3. I initially fitted stock mufflers to the MA system & noticed a big improvement in performance. I later fitted aftermarket "mufflers" & didn't notive that much of a difference. The stock mufflers didn't sound bad on the unbalanced MA system. The "mufflers" I later fitted were Monzas. If you want a fairly quiet exhaust stay away from them, at WOT they are LOUD!!!

4. Try the stock mufflers & see what you think (it's a cheap test as well!).

One thing with the MA system was that I had to trim a small amount off of the rear of the p.side pipe as it was holding the muffler too far to the right. I haven't heard of this problem from anybody else. I've since made a custom exhaust, ith "H" pipe (them Monzas were far too loud ), & sold my MA system to another '81 owner who had no problems fitting it to his. He was also impressed with the performance & sound improvement.
Another point is that my stock system didn't have a cat fitted, just a length of pipe in it's place. I guess you'd notice even more of an improvement by ditching the cat.

 

[Feltman]

Awesome--Just the information I was looking for!

 

[vern]

when I installed the MA system on my 81 it toke a lot of time to get it to hang right.I really liked it I had the polished max flows and I loved the sound. Just give yourself plenty of time to install it.there are a lot of angles in the tail section that have to line up perfectly.
Vern