Would it make sense to buy the cheapest cat-back, then change the muffler out till you find the sound you want? Like a hooker catback with a borla muffler? Aside from the muffler, What are the differences with the 3" tubing?

 

If you are going to be changing mufflers that often, I would stay with the stock pipes. Why cut up an expensive catback? There is no real advantage to the 3 in pipe as you have 2.75 in pipe, until you start making some serious hp.

 

just save for a borla and then run it fully open. or you could be cheap like me and get a cutout.

 

What he said!

The power increase from a cat-back is all in the muffler.
The .25" larger pipe does nothing for a mild car, and when you get to the point where it would help, a 3.5" or 4" system would be better. 3" systems are a waste IMO.
Dave

 

So I know you can buy a magnaflow or flowmaster muffler individually, but what about corsa or borla? anyone know if these are available anywhere?

 

Did you think about a custom dynomouth (dynomax) setup??? If you can find a decent, reliable exhaust shop that you can trust, they should be able to fabricate a custom system from the cats back (including a y-pipe) that would be awesome. Usually, the custom dynomouth design has a bullet muffler at the end of the drive shaft and the rest is just straight piping. Saw it on my friends LT1 T/A and it looks & sounds awesome. Just my .02

http://www.cardomain.com/member_page...=215971&page=2

 

Alunamized doesn't rust out that quickly. My wife's car has ~113000 miles w/aluminized piping that is still solid. My 70 SS had aluminized pipes that looked like new even after 3 years. And yes, it was driven in snow and rain. You can put at least 2 aluminized systems on for the price of stainless.

 

Dave, you are completely right on the pipe subject!! I have posted in the past that 3" does nothing for a stock car, but other people have tried to argue that simple fact and say that 3" pipe will sound better and out flow... Well for one, I cannot see how .25" larger diameter is really going to outflow the stock pipe, it will but not much to say more HP involved... Personally, when I start doing more mods like H/C swap, LT, ORY, then I will upgrade my stock I-pipe to 3.5" - 4" depending on what heads and cam I go with... or maybe a true dual 3" setup!!! I agree that 3" is useless because the Stock I-Pipe flows well enough for a stock car and the Pipeing is not holding a car back, but the muffler is the restriction in the Stock Exhaust.. Replace it with either a Bullet or Magnaflow and you will be a lot happier and w/ more money in your pocket..

Again, I recommend the Dynomouth mod to everyone who asks about my car...

Charlie

 

Agreed. I'm running the stock I-pipe with a Magnaflow and I'm flowing real well. I doubt a 3" I-pipe would've given me anything more.