Chambered Exhaust...?

[MOPEkid]

Hey guys, I stumbled on this website called "Classic Chambered Exhaust". At first I thought it was just some wannabe exhaust company, but when I started reading some of their stuff it seemed to be pretty good. I also listened to the sound clips they had for a '73 340 Charger Rallye, it sounded MEAN! Even meaner than Flowmasters! I just want to know, is this a good exhaust performance-wise? I was going to go with a set of Turbo mufflers for my '70 318 Duster, but I really like the sound of these "powersticks" better. What do you guys think?

[ehostler]

They were brought up about 3 months ago, with no real discussion.

http://www.moparchat.com/forums/show...ght=powerstick

[wilks3]

Had a set of turbo tubes (old Thrush design) before and they sounded awesome. My Dynomax Superturbos are getting louder and I'm going to add a set of the powersticks where the stock resonators where.

[MOPEkid]

I was looking up noise regulations for my area, and the max allowed sound level in dB goes from 55 in residential areas to 80 in industrial areas. I've heard these mufflers are around 90 dB for a Shelby Cobra; if I get a set of the longest powersticks (one for each side), do you guys think that will be enough muffling?

[ehostler]

Maybe you should just stick to what your grand dad is wanting to do to the car. It is his car and as I recall, you aren't paying for anything...

[MOPEkid]

No, you must have me confused with someone else. My dad did buy me this car (for $3000, and I know that's a lot of money, especially for him), but after the initial purchase everything I want I have to get the money for myself. This is MY car, and my dad doesn't really care what I do to it, mostly because I'm the only car guy in my entire family and he definitely isn't one.

[aarracer]

Driven descretely, any exhaust works. We run 3 1/2 inch dynomax race shorties (about 18 " long) with 3 1/2 side dump pipes ahead of rear wheel and even beside coppers at lights they don't even notice lol. Open her up and it sets off vehicle alarms and attracts all the heat.

[ehostler]

Yep, I must have you confused with another new member.

Looking at their website, I don't know that I would buy them. The HP and torque comparisons are based against stock muffler, not a performance muffler. All testimonials only comment on the loud and not power gains.

I would stick with something like the Dynomax turbos or the dynomax race shorties (mentioned above).

[dodger1]

GM used a chambered exhaust (no distinct muffler) on 69 Camaro Z-28's (thats when the Z-28 was a real factory hot-rod) and I do recall they sounded awesome but not obnoxiously loud. Not too loud inside, as I recall. I sold GM stuff back then, and had a 69 Z in my custody for a week or so getting the local speed shop to fine-tune it for the rich kid I sold it to. Great fun!! Haven't heard any more about this design since, probably due to cats becoming necessary soon after.

[MOPEkid]

This type of chambered exhaust is supposed to be a better design than the old GM type. It doesn't taper down and restrict as much as the old design supposedly did. I absolutely LOVE the sound, I really want to try it out.

[dodger1]

Well, there comes a time when you need to make the choice between what pleases you, and what the rest of us tell you what to do. At my age, I tend mostly to do what pleases me unless someone convinces me I'm about to make a big mistake!! Can't see any big mistake about to be made with your choice of exhaust.

[ehostler]

I wish you luck. I just think that you are only going to get a sound difference and will have no increase in power, even though the butt dyno may try to tell you different. I would feel more confident, if they actually compared theirs to flowmaster or Dynomax, instead of stock.

[dodger1]

Well, we are talking about a '70 318 Duster, not a bracket racer here, so I can't see that the power difference is a great issue for mopekid, rather the sound is what he's after. Plus exactly how much of a power adder (or subtractor) is a muffler spec on a mild street motor anyway? I would think it ain't enough to affect the butt dyno. My 2 cents (Canadian)

[MOPEkid]

Thanks for the consideration guys. I really am thinking about what you guys are saying, and I'm doing all the research I can. But, so far I haven't read any "consumer report" stuff that says they are a bad muffler or a waste of money. I doubt they'll give me any less performance than some popular proven mufflers such as Dynomax Super Turbos or something of the like. All I really care about is upgrading from the stupid pitiful factory 1.5" single exhaust and having a nice sound to impress my friends and family, while still having a well-performing exhaust system (which is why I didn't go with glasspacks). It also seems like it's a fairly uncommon muffler, so I'll take some notes on it and maybe later down the road compare them to a popular muffler like a Flowmaster. This'll be my first real performance upgrade; after that it'll be a ThermoQuad+manifold, electronic ignition, and then maybe a cam (I'm thinking COMP XE262 with new lifters and springs). I'm open to suggestions, but so far there hasn't really been any convincing evidence telling me not to run these mufflers (no offense to anybody ). Besides, I can't refuse a challenge from my friend who's getting an Audi A4 6-speed in the next couple of months (don't worry, we won't be street racing or anything like that... ).

[451Mopar]

I haven't seen the mufflers, but sound is a personal taste. I have used loud mufflers, even the 3.5" Dynomax Race bullets mentioned, but even at idle I could set off car alarms. I tried the longer Dynomax welded race mufflers and they were still too loud. Finally I went with the TTI 3" exhaust with the Big Dynomax Hemi Surpo Turbo mufflers. The car was much quieter, although it din't sound as mean it was just as fast. I did not notice any power loss.

[PistolGrip440-6]

I thought I would put powersticks on my car too about a year ago. I finally got my car and, I dont know about you, but im going to be driving my car every day. I cant imagine we're too far off in age, so im sure we would like cars to be a bit more obnoxious than some older folk would. BUT, I got my car to run and its breathing through stock mufflers, and she makes a pretty nice amount of noise already (GTXs had no resonators) and sounds mean as hell. Could be due to the internal mods of the engine though. But I think im going to put a set of Dynomax Hemi Turbos on my GTX. I think they call them truck performance or something, but I think they sound great (BTW I thought that they used to be made by Walker, no?). Plus im going to be putting in a set of cutouts (operated by cable) that should be right around the end of my door. When I want it to be loud (I.E. under bridges, impressing the girlfriend, impressing friends, covering up the noise of the ricers) all I have to do is pull that cable and not much around is going to make more noise. When I want maximum performance I pull the cable, nothing is a more efficient muffler than no muffler at all.

Just my .02. Just think about how much noise its going to make. Our cars are going to go down the highway at 2500-3500 rpm (I dont know what you plan to use for gear, etc) but an engine can make enough noise to get annoying driving day after day after day. I love the noise too, but its nice to have an option.

[ehostler]

Originally Posted by PistolGrip440-6

im sure we would like cars to be a bit more obnoxious than some older folk would.

When I want maximum performance I pull the cable, nothing is a more efficient muffler than no muffler at all.

You are wrong on both statements. I loved the sound of 24" open pipes behind my headers. So what if it was against the law and would set off every car alarm within a mile. That car ended up with a set of 18" glass packs (I forget the brand, they were blue in color). SuperTrapps sound even better and can be adjusted.

Whoever told you that a street car gets more power with no mufflers is full of if and clearly has no numbers to back up the claim. The fact is, a street strip car produces more power with the back pressure of mufflers, than without the back pressure. The back pressure aids with scavenging and keeps cold air off of the exhaust valves. An X-pipe is an even greater aid to scavenging.

Back pressure will also allow you to lower idle RPM to reasonable and allow for proper jetting of the carb. When I ran open pipes, I couldn't idle the engine below 1,300 RPM. The Jetting was also all fouled up. Adding the back pressure of mufflers allowed the idle RPM to drop and allowed me to tune the carb with ease.

I don't think that I was much older than you, when I learned those lessons.

Now, if you are talking an all out strip car that has a cam profile that would never be usable on the street, then mufflers will kill power.

[OHD]

If you like sound and do not want the "JC Whitney" level of bargain basement mufflers listed in the above posts, look up Borla XR1s. If you have a 4 inch ex system I have a new set you can have for 2 bills.

PS Chambered mufflers were factory installed on the mid 60's Corvettes with the highest HP ratings....both big and small blocks....Chevy moved them to Camaros to attact those who could not afford a Vette...

[MOPEkid]

Originally Posted by PistolGrip440-6

I thought I would put powersticks on my car too about a year ago. I finally got my car and, I dont know about you, but im going to be driving my car every day. I cant imagine we're too far off in age, so im sure we would like cars to be a bit more obnoxious than some older folk would. BUT, I got my car to run and its breathing through stock mufflers, and she makes a pretty nice amount of noise already (GTXs had no resonators) and sounds mean as hell. Could be due to the internal mods of the engine though. But I think im going to put a set of Dynomax Hemi Turbos on my GTX. I think they call them truck performance or something, but I think they sound great (BTW I thought that they used to be made by Walker, no?). Plus im going to be putting in a set of cutouts (operated by cable) that should be right around the end of my door. When I want it to be loud (I.E. under bridges, impressing the girlfriend, impressing friends, covering up the noise of the ricers) all I have to do is pull that cable and not much around is going to make more noise. When I want maximum performance I pull the cable, nothing is a more efficient muffler than no muffler at all.

Just my .02. Just think about how much noise its going to make. Our cars are going to go down the highway at 2500-3500 rpm (I dont know what you plan to use for gear, etc) but an engine can make enough noise to get annoying driving day after day after day. I love the noise too, but its nice to have an option.

See, you've got a muscle car though. My Duster just has a pedestrian 318 in it, COMPLETELY stock. If I had a cammed, 4-bbl., etc. built 340 or 360 and the money for a nice full exhaust system, I probably would run Turbo mufflers and cable-operated cutouts. I still only have a 7-1/4 rear also, so I think my gearing is in the 2.76 range. I don't even have a tach, so I don't even know what my engine is turning at. Just wondering, how much did you spend on your GTX? And what year is it?

[hotrod7043]

My Duster ran just a fast With a dynomax 3/1/2 Bullet muffler as it did with owen headers, my buddy dart also the same way race tracks are reguiring muflers now, alttta guys use the Flowmasters and they work , some guys even picked up using mufflers.

[PistolGrip440-6]

Originally Posted by MOPEkid

See, you've got a muscle car though. My Duster just has a pedestrian 318 in it, COMPLETELY stock. If I had a cammed, 4-bbl., etc. built 340 or 360 and the money for a nice full exhaust system, I probably would run Turbo mufflers and cable-operated cutouts. I still only have a 7-1/4 rear also, so I think my gearing is in the 2.76 range. I don't even have a tach, so I don't even know what my engine is turning at. Just wondering, how much did you spend on your GTX? And what year is it?

I spent 1500 dollars on the GTX itself. Its a '67 and is actually my dream car ( but the dream car would have a Hemia nd four speed) Its the all original drivetrain. I took a huge risk though. I ut a 500 dollar downpayment and then travelled 8 hours each way to PA. The car didnt run. It had no brakes. It didnt come with anything except the shell of the car, the glass, some chrome, the doors, the hood, and the drivetrain. I took her home. I got it back home around mid September of this year. It hasnt been long. While prepping the engine for its first firing in a LONG time (it was parked in the early 80s and stripped of many parts, basically all, since then) I realized that it was pretty fresh. no sludge anywhere, no oil, grease. Took the dizzy out for priming the oil pump. Cam had hardly any wear on it, im damned if it was even broken in. And it was a purple shaft. :jackbox: I think it may be a .509. This is what it sounds like (it had a hole in the muffler in this clip but I patched it to keep the C0X out of the inside). This was maybe 2-3 weeks after having it home, having put the doors on, the trunk on, and the hood on (no they were on it when I got it, I bought the trunk fromt he people i bought the car from). http://youtube.com/watch?v=nKgeDQ81MEY

The reason im standing in the video is because there was no interior. Everyone wanted to know why I sold my beautiful '94 Firebird. Anyway, bought a '67 Satellite parts car. Im about 2 months in, maybe 4500 in, and she runs, drives, and spins tires. Looks like this. http://good-times.webshots.com/album/561255424VQZIOT

You have a nice starting platform. My car is solid and gorgeous from udnerneath, but I need quarter panel work and do have one hole very high in the toe board, its small and theres no rust around it, but its there. Anyway I dont want to steal your thread. BTW where do you live? I may have a line on a 340 Six Pack that I have absolutely NO MONEY for but if you live close I'd help you out at a nominal fee for a very, very desireable engine. I dont know how cheap I can get it though. Im in CT.

Ehostler, sorry for overgeneralizing about you old and bald folk. (haha just screwing with ya). But SOME older people do tend to have quieter cars in my experience just because theyve had the loud cars, now they just want to cruise with a nice exhaust tone and hear themseklves and the gran kids ect.

As for the exhaust thing, I DO know about backpressure and scavenging. I was more or less just over generalizing about the efficiency thing, (which is why i made my friend who lent me his Mustang air cleaner in the video put an exhaust back on his car). I was actually going to change it because I figured someone would call me out on it, but I didnt feel like it. Oh well. I guess i look like the idiot. I would gladly retract my statement. Although I would tend to wonder just how many mufflers could outperform straight pipes on a moderately modified engine like mine, which is really all from the cam. Some of these mufflers really do suck.

[MOPEkid]

I live way over in Monument, Colorado. Another member on here, TrashedCharger, said a little while ago that he had a bunch of parts he would be willing to sell, as well as a 360/727 combo for really cheap. He lives only about an hour from me, so I may go visit him sometime. Thanks for your consideration though. I would have loved to get a "skeleton" '70 RoadRunner or GTX and fix it up like you're doing, but I'm the only one in my family that knows anything about cars and we needed something that drove, so my dad got me the Duster. My mom drives it to work every morning, but I know she'd much rather take our '03 Town & Country just because she hasn't gotten used to the stumble/stall when accelerating off idle like I have (I wouldn't mind going anywhere in the state with it). I'm really trying to find a job now, since I need a new carb and REALLY want this new exhaust system.

[PistolGrip440-6]

Are you sure its in the carb and not timing or something simple in the carb, such s jetting? Do you have it idling too low? If it is the carb, maybe you can get a rebuild kit for it and rebuild it if youre inclined to do so. Its a little tougher if you dont have someone liek your dad who is mechanical to help fix something if you screw it up or help you figure out what you did wrong. If its in the carb its probably an accelerator pump problem, which may actually be able to be adjusted out.

[ehostler]

Here are some cool mufflers. They increase the scavenging while increasing exhaust flow. I'm thinking about one of these for my Cummins. If I like it, I may go with a pair for my Coronet.

http://www.aeroexhaust.com/aero_perf...e_exhaust.html

[MOPEkid]

I'm almost certain it's the carb. I can tell, even without a gauge, that the vacuum drops a TREMENDOUS amount when I open the throttle a bit past idle. No matter how fast or slow I open it, there is a huge drop in vacuum for a couple seconds and I have to hold it there until the engine "catches up". I think there is a huge leak around the throttle plates that only becomes evident when I open the throttle past idle. I've played around with the accelerator pump and it hasn't helped at all. I just need a new carb.

[PistolGrip440-6]

VERY interesting. I wonder how they sound. It looks like it uses some of the ideas that an expansion pipe is based off of as well.

[OriginalB1]

I really like the sound of these, and they flo very good numbers. Dont know how they would sound on that small of a motor, tho, think they are at their best on a 3 inch system.

http://www.flopro.com/FloPro.htm

heres a sound clip of a mustang 4.6 liter so i guess they sound ok ona smaller type motor..

http://datafordummies.com/muffler/98cobra.htm

I can attest, that is exactly how they sound...

[ehostler]

Originally Posted by PistolGrip440-6

VERY interesting. I wonder how they sound. It looks like it uses some of the ideas that an expansion pipe is based off of as well.

Sound bytes - http://www.aeroexhaust.com/seehear_page1.html

[PistolGrip440-6]

Sounded pretty good on the trucks. Too bad there werent any older V8s to hear them on, at least that I could find.

[MOPEkid]

That's what I hate, all the sound clips are of new cars with cats that make them sound like butter .