Sidepipes are loud!

[sagnoff]

Just traded in my small block on a 427/390 4 speed w/factory sides pipes. I'm a little nervous on what my wife and neighbors will say when I wake them up going to the gym in the morning. Is there a way to reduce the noise level a little? I was thinking about addiding some small mufflers in front of the sidepipes or seeing if there is an "quieter" aftermarket chambered inner tube available.

 

[67HEAVEN]

Just traded in my small block on a 427/390 4 speed w/factory sides pipes. I'm a little nervous on what my wife and neighbors will say when I wake them up going to the gym in the morning. Is there a way to reduce the noise level a little? I was thinking about addiding some small mufflers in front of the sidepipes or seeing if there is an "quieter" aftermarket chambered inner tube available.

On these sorts of issues, I always ask myself, "WWZD?"





















What Would Zora Do?

 

[FX GS]

My vote is to leave it alone. It's a good kinda loud!!!!

 

[BarryK]

sagnoff

yes, they are kind of loud but I think it loud in a sexy way! I have sidepipes on my '65 coupe and with the 4.11 rear I'm pushing over 4000rpm cruising down the hwy. With the enclosed coupe, forget about the radio, the wife talking, anything! After a 2 hour drive I'll get out and my ears are ringing a bit.
Even so, I'll NEVER get rid of the pipes. I love the sound and I love the looks.


As for leaving early in the mornings, there is no way you are going to sneak out of the house without the wife and family hearing you, and close neighbors, but what I do is click off the choke as soon as I can to reduce the idle (and therefore the volume), than back out of the garage and drive up the street as slowly as possible and shift into as high of a gear as soon as I can to keep the RPM's and volume down. I've asked my neighbors if the volume of the car bothers them and they all said it was no problem - it wasn't too loud or anything.
Actually, being inside the car seems to make it seem louder than it is outside the car. Of course yours is a converible so you don't have that particular issue.

If the noise really bothers you maybe you can do what my friend is considering. He loves the looks of his pipes but does want it quieter so he is considering a way to keep the pipes mounted on the car but running the actual exhust underneath with muffers like a stock system.

 

[IH2LOSE]

On these sorts of issues, I always ask myself,

"WWZD?"

What Would Zora Do

 

[IH2LOSE]

Congrats on the trade.I was going to drop you an email to see what happened.So beside the sides pipes what do you think of the car.


Have you put your foot into it yet?

I have a 425 and can sneek in and out of any place quietly if I want to.Youll see they drive like kitten at lower rpm.

Youll find a nice rpm that keeps her quiet

 

[dennisinmaryland]

side exhaust

Remember when they used to say.."if the music's too loud, you're too damn old?"
Same thing applies here. Besides, there is no better sound than BB side exhaust. The neighbors will get used to it.

Barry, what kinda sacrilege is your friend preaching?? Side exhaust fakes with under the car exhaust too? Get ready to duck, all you Corvette purists cause a lightning bolt has just gotta land somewhere.:BOW

 

[BarryK]

Dennis

he doesn't want to do it but it may become necessary for him. He refuses to remove the pipes because he prefers the looks of them but the noise is a definate issue problem for him.
His family owns a bakery and he lives in an apt. above it and parks the car inside the bakery in the loading dock area. The bakery opens at 5:30am but he doesn't leave for work until 7 or 8am. He hates starting the car inside the bakery with customers there because of the noise (not to mention the exhust smell) so it creates a lot of problems for him. Also, once he drives the car inside to park it he drives it down a ramp to the parking spot so he can't push it up and outside first to start it because the ramp is too steep.
Believe me, he KNOWS it's a bubba solution but he can't think of another.
He's starting to look for a house to buy and if he gets one it will solve his problem and he won't have to do it since the car will be out of the bakery.

 

[dennisinmaryland]

Dennis

he doesn't want to do it but it may become necessary for him. He refuses to remove the pipes because he prefers the looks of them but the noise is a definate issue problem for him.
His family owns a bakery and he lives in an apt. above it and parks the car inside the bakery in the loading dock area. The bakery opens at 5:30am but he doesn't leave for work until 7 or 8am. He hates starting the car inside the bakery with customers there because of the noise (not to mention the exhust smell) so it creates a lot of problems for him. Also, once he drives the car inside to park it he drives it down a ramp to the parking spot so he can't push it up and outside first to start it because the ramp is too steep.
Believe me, he KNOWS it's a bubba solution but he can't think of another.
He's starting to look for a house to buy and if he gets one it will solve his problem and he won't have to do it since the car will be out of the bakery.

Buying a house to accomodate the Vette..lol, he wouldn't be the first but it is a good solution! Lord knows, I'm building a barn to house my other vehicles and tractor so my Babies can stay in the garage attached to the house.

 

[vette66]

I just made my 66 Coupe a pipe car. Changed out the rear panel. Always wanted it this way since I bought it in 1972. It is loud AND I LOVE IT AND SO DOES MY NEIGHBORHOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[66427-450]

..... I'm a little nervous on what my wife and neighbors will say......

Dude, tell us you're not serious......

No, really, a 390 shouldn't be that bad. But call stainlessworks, they claim to be able to make a milder pipe for those that want that...... but understand it'll cost you back pressure/power.

 

[BarryK]

BTW
have you actually HEARD a sidepipe midyear car?
The sound is really more like a low, deep rumble and not that bad - unless you plan on really high-revving it in your driveway.
If your concern is that pipes will make it sound like an open header drag car don't be - it's really not!

Barry

 

[sagnoff]

I drove the car for about 30 minutes earlier in the week at County Corvette. The car was started in the showroom and then it was wet out so we drove with the top up. I remeber having a headache afterwards. Might be because of the negotiation though. I'm getting the car on Monday and wil give you a full report and post pictures.

 

[vett67]

Don't be overly concerned with the sound.
It's a lot louder inside than it is to anyone outside.
Also it can't be as annoying as the "ricers" with the coffee can tailpipes.
I've driven mid-year cars with factory side exhausts for probably twenty years and it's the only way to go.
"SAVE THE WAVE"
Woodie

 

[BarryK]

Sagnoff

are you driving the car back to NC or trailering it?
Just so you know, they are currently calling for thunderstorms most of the day here around County Corvette.
It would be a shame to drive a nice clean car home to NC through thunderstorms!
Geez, even trailering it through the storms will get it real dirty.

Oh well, that's what hoses, buckets, and rags were made for
LOL

 

[IH2LOSE]

I remeber having a headache afterwards. Might be because of the negotiation though

I normally encounter the same headache when spending over $10,000.00 and I am sure you spent way over my head ache threshold

Good luck with your car

 

[sagnoff]

I'mup in the rain in Long Island now. They are going to trailor it down for me and pick up my small block. Hopefully, a little dirt will be the worst of it.

 

[sagnoff]

You guy's were right. The sidepipes sound sweet, not as loud as I thought during my test drive. Car's here, look's great, and I'll post pictures soon.

 

[Sting Ray]

Glad you like the sound, soon you will think that the undercar is not loud enough for your tastes, I think it would be real hard for you to ever go back now.


Congrats on the new car,

Tom

 

[ctjackster]

Funny thing about this topic ("are sidepipes too loud?") since my father was visiting me this weekend and I was really excited to show him my 65 SB (L76) vert which has the sidepipes (a must-have criteria item for me) - my father, after all, is the guy who instilled the love of cars in me, has always had a cool car, can swap out an engine and has done so on more than a few of the cars, etc. So I Zaino the 65, make sure it is home for the weekend (have been keeping it at the parking garage at work due to a large construction project at home) and the day (Sunday) is beautiful, top-down kinda day.

I say to him "c'mon, let's take a ride in the vette" and we head out, car is running sweet these days, I look over and give him the "so what do ya think?" look and all he has to say is:

"Boy this thing sure is loud!" followed by "that is just way too loud for me"
:duh

This from a certifiable car guy? Not "beautiful car" not "wow I am suprised how quick these older cars are" but "oh this is just too loud for me"!

ahh well, he is getting kinda soft car-wise these days, mostly drives around in a 500-series Benz (also has a cute little vert Benz in Fla), has sold off all of his cars that don't have air bags (meaning all of his cool older cars, like the 70 MG, the 39 Ford convertible, the 78 Pace Car with 43 miles on the clock and the window sticker still on, the VW Bug - Woodie wagon conversion he did himself . . . )

And to be honest, the 65 wakes up my 3 1/2 year old if I leave in the morning before he wakes up, even trying to "sneak it" out.

So I now believe that some folks might just find the side pipes too loud, on a SB even, on a vert even, if they have grown accustomed to today's refined, all senses moderated, cars. Just like my former car nut dad.

But I would not have one any other way . . . .