I have a handshake deal on 98 Z28 (LS1/M6) that is bone stock.

One of the first mods will be a cat-back system. I'd be interested in hearing about people's experience with the various systems available, including:
1) Pricing
2) Difficulty of installation
3) Sound levels
4) Butt-dyno horsepower/torque gains

Note that I plan to drive this car in the winter and plan to keep it for at least 5 years.

 

Price $300 - $500

Get a muffler shop to do it - 1 hour

Sound will vary, but always louder. I like the SLP 2 on the left, nice sound.

I did not notice any power gain over bone stock on an LT-1.

Hope that helps

LWM

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95 A4, SLP catback, KBDD sfc, airfoil, Vortech S-trim, 30# SVO injectors, Autometer electric FP guage, boost guage, Hotchkis STB, AS&M headers, AFPR, Vortech Aftercooler, 3.125" blower pulley, 7" crank pulley, Vigilante 2,800 stall, MSD 6 BTM, SLP 35mm front bar, SLP 21mm rear bar, LT-1 editor ... , 437hp at the wheels. --- members.shaw.ca/mackenzl/LWMsZ-28/LWMsZ-28.html ... 01 vert in the making ...

 

Price $300 - $500

Get a muffler shop to do it - 1 hour

Sound will vary, but always louder. I like the SLP 2 on the left, nice sound.

I did not notice any power gain over bone stock on an LT-1.

Hope that helps

LWM

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95 A4, SLP catback, KBDD sfc, airfoil, Vortech S-trim, 30# SVO injectors, Autometer electric FP guage, boost guage, Hotchkis STB, AS&M headers, AFPR, Vortech Aftercooler, 3.125" blower pulley, 7" crank pulley, Vigilante 2,800 stall, MSD 6 BTM, SLP 35mm front bar, SLP 21mm rear bar, LT-1 editor ... , 437hp at the wheels. --- members.shaw.ca/mackenzl/LWMsZ-28/LWMsZ-28.html ... 01 vert in the making ...

 

I have owned the following LS1 cat backs.

Stock: Having had both a stock Z28 and T/A, I think the Z28 sounded better stock, possibly due to the tips. The T/A could barely be heard stock.

SLP takeoff SS/WS6: Good price, might have made a couple more hp. Sounded better than stock but is heavy.

SLP 2OTL: Great catback, very reasonably priced for stainless. Sounded nice. Quiet at idle, nice restrained roar at WOT.

SLP dual/dual: heavy, too quiet and no noticeable performance improvement. Overpriced new, but there is usually a used one for sale at a good price if you want the quietest.

SLP LoudMouth (Resonator): Cheap, lightweight and all stainless. Sounds awesome, but is loud at idle and very loud at WOT. Great choice regardless. Noticeable performance improvement. Tom Byrne has a GP on this for $265!!! You simply cannot beat the performance for the $$$. This is what I have on the Z28 and have no plans to change it (not a daily driver).

Hooker: Best sounding catback I have heard on an LS1. Quiet at idle, but nice rumbly roar at WOT. A little heavy (especially when compared to the LM), but the muffler and tailpipes can easily be dropped for track use as there is a header type flange just before the muffler. This is what I have on my daily driver and I have no interest in changing. The Hooker is very reasonably priced. Only downside is that it is not stainless. Rust is not a big problem in Texas.

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98 Z28 1LE M6 | Autox/RR toy
01 Trans Am M6 | Daily driver, some mods
1LE.net

 

Looks like the SLP LoudMouth is the one for me. This car will be autocrossed, "open track"-ed and be my daily driver. I like to hear my cars. Stainless to boot. Sounds good to me. Thanks.

 

Please stay away from flowmaster, its heavy, plain, and not really loud at all.

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Arctic White 1998 Z28 Camaro LS1 A4 3.42s
Lid, Exhaust, Gears/HPP3.
5% tint, black outs, BowTie Grille

301.3rwhp
311.0torque

 

Flowmaster not loud???? When I had the flowmaster on my car it was pretty loud especially at WOT. Just as loud as anything but the SLP loudmouth.

 

DO NOT buy this exhaust system from BORLA through RKSport! Part number - 010911435 - Camaro/Firebird V8 Borla Dual Rear Section Exhaust, 1993-2000. First of all, I ordered the exhaust system in the last week of May - RKSport started a 10% off sale on June 1st. They didn't tell me of the upcoming sale, and they wouldn't adjust the price - basically, I was SOL! Secondly, the input port of the muffler is 2 1/2 inches - the pipe on my 99 Z28 is 3 inches, requiring a reduction fitting. This caused the whole system to be off-center, to the left! Very dissatisfied with product and RKSport customer relations.