I've recently decided to start upgrading my recently purchased 1997 Z28. My first upgrade is going to a full exhaust system. For headers I'm trying to decide between Hooker or Pacesetter. I'm leaning more towards Pacesetter strictly because of cost. If anyone can give me any insight on these two brands, it would be great. Then it's going to an off road x pipe from whichever brand. Then I was leaning towards the SLP Loudmouth muffler, but people have told me it would be to loud. Some have told me Flowmaster, others Magnaflow. Any suggestions here? Any help anyone can offer would be great. Thanks - Steve

 

I have pacesetters and i like them. They have more ground clearence then hookers.

If your planning on buying a catback system, you cant run an X pipe. You must run a Y pipe. If your looking to go the true dual route, you can run an x pipe. Many people have done it for cheap, but it will dump under the rear passenger seats and be very noisy.

 

Get the Pacesetter and either the Magnaflow or the Hooker catback. I have SLP's and Magnaflow combo. People always tell me they like the sound of my car.

 

I have the Pacesetter long tubes mated up to the Magnaflow catback. It is pretty quiet at idle and it roars when you hit the throttle. There is really no difference between the Hooker long tubes and the Pacesetters other then cost as you already noticed, and Pacesetter does have a little better ground clearance as noted above. Another plus for the Pacesetter long tubes is that they offer both "race" and "emissions" style headers.

 

Cant go wrong with magnaflow, ive heard sound clips with headers and its like music Do not get the loudmouth, they sound like crap with headers. Hooker sounds nice too but the magnaflow is stainless steel so it looks nicer.

 

Keep in touch with me and Ill let you know how the Pacesetter LT's, offroad Y, and SLP Loudmouth sound. Thats what I am running. After my tune and I start her up I can get some soundclips. Ive heard its going to be too loud and raspy but Ill find out myself. My car sounded nasty with SLP shorties, Random Tech Y with high flow cats and SLP Loudmouth. Also have a cam in it now so we will see how she sounds. I like loud cars so...

 

can you post up a link? im planning on doing LTs with a magnaflow catback but i can only go by word of mouth what it sounds like with long tubes, i havent heard or seen any clips or videos. a link would really help me out

 

go to ls1sounds.com they have alot of sound clips and vids for alot of different setups

 

Thanks for all the help guys. Have a feeling I'll be going with Pacesetter then. Even though my car is for the time being a daily driver, and must pass emissions, a speed shop I spoke with said I can have a full race exhaust and it wouldn't matter because they can change the computer to make it legal? They said cars 96 and newer are capable of this? Any insight? Thanks - Steve

 

Yeah, there are tuning methods that can get the car to pass a "plug-in" emissions test.

 

Found the thred http://64.65.63.61/forums/showthread.php?t=405960 (scroll down)

 

alot of people knock the loudmouth and headers. i disagree, it sounds awesome. i just installed my LT's, ORY and loudmouth catback. i rode around for a week on open headers and liked it too. now that's when you can say something is loud. the loudmouth to me is just the "little brother" to open headers.

 

lol thats a good way to put it. Pretty much saying its still loud as ****! Sounds good to me except that the cops hear ya from a mile away lol O well atleast it sounds badass