dual exhaust,mufflers or not, what say you all?

[johndee138]

Im am planning a few minor upgrades to my tired 21 stud powered coupe and was inquiring among the learned here as to whether I should muffle the duals I am planning to hook up to the 39 motor going back into the car. Motor is in stock specs with an early Rochester 4bbl carb added to it. I don't plan on any other hop up mods with the exception of a possible shave of the heads. I wouldn't mind a slight bit of rumble but don't need any extra attention.
Suggestions, opinions, y'all pile on and tell me what you would do.

[corvette8n]

My 41 has Red's headers and unknown mufflers(bullet shaped with some remnant of blue paint), it's loud inside the car but nice rumble behind the rear bumper.

[slowforty]

I would recommend stock cast iron manifolds with dual exhaust. Mufflers are an individual choice. I used steel pack Bullets about 24 inches long. They have been on my 40 for 25 years. By now there are no insides left so they are probably like straight pipes.
This probably the cheapest way to go.

[Talkwrench]

I ran mine without mufflers but it sounded like a little motor trying too hard, put some short straight through muffs on and I'm happier for it.

[Fibber Mcgee]

I just put straight pipes on my 49 a while back and I like them. It's not very much louder in the cab at all and while it's definitely louder at the back it's not obnoxious, at least not Harley Davidson obnoxious.

[Lawson Cox]

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My 2¢, gutted mufflers. Nice little ringing sound outside. Quiet inside. Drive up an alley, or between buildings, or through a wooded area and hear the echo. ALMOST HEAVEN. (but you don't have to be in West Virginia.)

[skidmarks]

Small pipes. Duals with stock size pipes .

[GB SISSON]

2" straight pipes sort of a cackle https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...Gk14vFjr87cDLA

[Drbrown]

HEADERS: Some say tests show no horse-power benefit with custom headers. Some say the exhaust sound is better with custom headers. MUFFLERS and PIPES: Like a piece of art or music, a personal judgement and choice. You could take a vote but still not be satisfied yourself.

I have '47 59AB with stock headers, ancient and empty Smities, and small pipes. To my personal taste, a little loud inside but nice sound out-back. I may put in Brockman's considering the age of the Smities.

[Alaska Jim]

I personally think that the best size exh. pipe from mufflers back is 1 3/4 inch. I like short turbo style mufflers. headers on a stock eng. will not show any noticeable performance increase, not even in the feel of the pants, but will give a different sound.
that all said, I have headers , short turbo style mufflers and 1 3/4 exh. pipes with chrome tips. fairly quiet in the car ( I can listen to the radio if I want to ), and it has a nice rumble at the rear of the car ( '51 Merc. ) just my 2 pennies worth

[big job]

And then just a showing my age. All these kids with new Dodge Diesel trucks 5 inch
fart tubes while I silently pass him with a flathead. Now who would want to put a
cow bell on a barn cat? you suppose ta laugh.....
already got cabin fever sp

[37 Coupe]

Originally Posted by Alaska Jim

I personally think that the best size exh. pipe from mufflers back is 1 3/4 inch. I like short turbo style mufflers. headers on a stock eng. will not show any noticeable performance increase, not even in the feel of the pants, but will give a different sound.
that all said, I have headers , short turbo style mufflers and 1 3/4 exh. pipes with chrome tips. fairly quiet in the car ( I can listen to the radio if I want to ), and it has a nice rumble at the rear of the car ( '51 Merc. ) just my 2 pennies worth

I agree with the size of the pipes but I just wish Brockman would make a muffler inlet and outlet to fit. I was told they will not make smaller than 2".

[Joe Immler]

I put Red's headers and dual exhaust with Smithys mufflers on my '41. I love the sound. The system has been on the car for 17 years with no rust etc. The mufflers still have about 90% of the paint still on.

[34fordy]

My bone-stock 34 had single exhaust with a new original type muffler and tail pipe when I got it--So quiet I could barely hear it--I removed the muffler and put a pipe in it's place--I believe it sounds very good and is not loud inside the car or outside--Just that beautiful, soft "Flattie rumble!!! I see no reason for dual exhaust on this car--

[Jakno]

If you were brought up in the 50's you remember the sound of Ford duals.

I have Red's Headers and 22" (?) Smithy Mufflers on my 35 with a 59AB engine. Perfect, Wouldn't trade it for anything else.

[SofaKing]

I have to ask; with open pipes, no mufflers, don't you tend to lose bottom end torque? I always did on my obnoxious Harleys so I tended to prefer mufflers or baffles of some variety. Also easier on the tinnitus, no fun when the ringing inside your head drowns out the voices there.

[blucar]

The controversary surrounding the different opinions that men have about exhaust systems is very similar to their opinions, likes and dislikes in women, all of which serve the same purpose, just some in different ways.
I have had a lot of experience with exhaust systems, not as much with women.. I ran a custom exhaust shop during the mid '50''s when flat-heads with dual exhausts and inline lines with split manifolds were the norm.
By the late '50's I got tired of the constant tickets for excessive noise and discomfort on my own car so I removed the Douglas steel packs, replacing them with stock type mufflers.. True, heads no longer turned when I went down the road, but the silence was golden.
The engine in my '36 is a well built 59AB, bored .60 1/4 stroke, Weber F1 cam, modified stock heads, (milled, domed, flycut) lightened flywheel, Offie Super dual manifold with 97's and a Harmon Collins ignition..
The exhaust system is stock '36 log manifolds, 2" pipes extending to the rear bumper with stock type chambered mufflers.
On an idle you can hear a little rumble and the cam over-lap, once the RPM's are brought up the silence is golden..
I have a brand new set of headers for my '36 that I bought in about 1954, never put them on because headers do absolutely nothing for a streetable car. Headers are meant to be used on an open exhaust system, generally they don't start to do their job until the RPM's get over 3,000.

[Fibber Mcgee]

Originally Posted by SofaKing

I have to ask; with open pipes, no mufflers, don't you tend to lose bottom end torque? I always did on my obnoxious Harleys so I tended to prefer mufflers or baffles of some variety. Also easier on the tinnitus, no fun when the ringing inside your head drowns out the voices there.

I'm not to worried about torque numbers, I have plenty of power for getting my F 1 around town and I would think between the stock manifolds and small pipes I've got plenty of backpressure.

[trevo]

Reds Headers twin pipes and reasonably quiet mufflers for me on 34 21studder

[FlatheadTed]

This 34 had these mufflers on I thought the exhausted note was real nice mellow /cackle ,Put on in the States. Not sure what they are someone may ID them. Ted