I have used the search function and in particular the stickies to try and identify the best catback option for a 305 TBI car. Flowmaster is deep and loud, but also drones and costs power. Dynomax is basically the same as stock. Etc... Currently the exhaust is 100% stock. I'm looking for louder at all RPM's and deep but I don't want to sacrifice any power and would like to keep the budget under $400. Also tried soundclips but most are for 350's and modded motors or cars with headers as well. Can someone point me to a system or two if they exist, that provide what I'm looking for without having to go custom? It would be even better if the catback would bolt to a future header and y pipe setup as well. Thanks for any help folks.

I have a mild 350 carbed motor, and I run the factory I-Pipe with a Hooker Aerochamber muffler and I have no flow issues, a decent sound without being gawdy. Since the Y-pipe and headers connect in front of the cat, cat-back makes no difference as far as connectability is concerned. Also, all aftermarket cats are hi-flo anymore these days, so no need in the future for any special expensive cat either.

The hooker Aerochamber does have a great sound. To me, the Flowmasters "drone" too much for everyday cruising where as the Aerochambers are quieter but really roar when you get on it. As for $400 for a catback, I wish you luck finding one. Maybe if you do it yourself otherwise the labor cost will put you over that number. .

Your best bet would be the tsp rumbler cat-back. it's like 300 bucks and the muffler shop would charge about 100 to 150 bucks to put it on. It's not stainless steel but it is mandrel bent piping. The sound could be toned down by using the z-28 square tips. It has to flow excellent because it just has the dynomax race muffler. Some one on the board added a sound clip a few weeks age, but I think his car had a L98 engine. If you get this exhaust keep the cat on.

Holy Cow you guys like to spend money!

I see $300, $400, etc. Why does everyone want to swap out their stock I-Pipe? Unless you've got $6k invested in some wild@ss motor, there's no way your ever going to outperform your stock I-pipe. Your restrictions are in the heads, within the stock exhaust manifolds, in a clogged cat, and with mufflers made for quiet instead of flow.

Like I said, I have original cat, original I-Pipe - all I did was buy the Hooker Aerochamber for under $100 shipped, $15 worth of clamps, my trusty jack, and I was done in 1 hour!

And it's plenty of flow for a mild 350 - will be more than enough for a 305!

Save your buck for another mod!

Do you have to weld the Aerochamber to the I-pipe? How would you describe the sound from the Aerochamber as compared to the stock muffler? At idle, under load, higher rpm's?

When you start the car with an Aerochamber muffler do you know it's not factory or is hard to tell until you really get on it? With the exception of welding I can do most of my own work. I have a lift and tools.

So are you saying that it's very loud? Any drone? Bolt on or weld on? Did a search for the TSP rumbler and I couldn't find it for 3rd gen applications. Onlt 4th gens.

I tend to agree with you about the lack of restriction in the intermediate pipe on a car putting out a measly 160 HP. With headers and a better y pipe going to a larger I pipe begins to make sense only because the Y pipe would have a larger diameter and would fit a larger I pipe better.

So the factory muffler is bolted in place? I haven't looked at it yet so I assumed it was welded on.

i cant say much for the the rest of the US but taking apart a 15+ year old exhaust in Ct is a pain. you should do a cat back if your in a area with alot of rust and if its in your budget. cant say to much for this place i just ordered my cat from them was 93.25 free shipping for magnaflow. they gave me a price of 320 and free shipping for this: http://banditexhaust.com/catalog/pro...roducts_id=450

The tsp rumber catback is for 4th gen, but you can make it fit a thirdgen.
their are so many options for you. The aerochamber will sound louder than the magnaflow imo. You also could try spintech. You could just keep your I pipe and get a muffler shop to fab you up a exhaust like the tsp rumbler, if you are trying to keep the cost down.

I have an Edelbrock cat-back on my car. I bought it probably 6 or 7 years ago. I think they go for about 340 now. 3" I pipe and 2 1/2" out the muffler. No drone whatsoever, quiet but healthy at idle. I let a friend get on it from a stop while I was behind the car and it sounds very nice, not stock sounding at all. Gave me a seat of the pants feel of a few horsepower. Has nice clean, hot rod type of sound to it. Sounds a bit meaner from the passenger side. Best way I can describe it is healthy, but not obnoxious on my LB9. I don't have a sound clip but to me it seems perfectly balanced between the sound you want and the sound don't want. I highly recommend it and plan to use Edelbrock mufflers in the future on any other vehichle I put exhaust on whether its a V6 or a V8. But if you're looking for attention from your exhaust note without using a high-flow cat or headers, then you might want to pick something a little more aggressive.

Car is very clean with no rust for 18 years old, yet I'm sure the exhaust has welded itself together over those years. Doing a complete cat back is fine. Just adding a muffler is fine also. What I'm after is a louder deeper sound without drone. Price on the link you sent me is $433. Did you talk them down?

Does making it fit require moving hangers welding? The amount of options is almost the problem. Knowing just which system is the right one seems almost like shooting in the dark without being able to hear them first hand. Cost is a consideration but what works works for what I have budgeted. If I go over a little no biggie. If I spend half, again no problem. I'm interested in the sound of the finished product.

Do you have a model # for the Edelbrock system you have? Is it single out of the muffler or dual. One thing I'm not interested in is chrome tips other straight or slash cut. I prefer the simple turned down factory setup.

Thanks for the info guys. It's helping!!

we do it cause we like to.
i wanted to put headers on and go to a 3 inch - but i have a 31 inch chamber exhaust i use for the med pipe and that is it - ok there is a cat too.

but its fun.

that is why.

at the bottom where it says add to cart or make offer. i offered 300 he sent me a counter of little under 320.

Kinda depends on whether the cat was replaced or not - as the stock cat is going to be a smaller size in & out (matches the stock Y pipe in and the stock I Pipe out). My Hedmann headers/Y pipe had to be reduced to fit my stock cat. But even so, like I said, I'm having no flow problems with the setup in my sig - never been dyno'd, but it's ALOT more than the stock 305 was.

My setup. Quiet at idle, screaming at WOT. Very low if any drone. (Not from experience, but from video and other member experiences)

Hooker 2055 Headers (Gellner Engineering Extreme Sterling 1700* Coated)
Hooker 2055 Y-Pipe (Gellner Engineering Extreme Sterling 1700* Coated)
Magnaflow 13" High Flow 3" In/Out Catalytic Converter
Magnaflow 16829 Cat-Back Stainless Steel Mandrel Bent 3" system.

Exactly what I wanted.

Check out some sound clips in the exhaust section. There are many, also check YouTube for some, which also has many many different versions of exhausts on our cars.

-Take care

Cat is still stock. Probably all plugged up for all I know. Maybe I'll just punch the thing out.

Checked out all the sound clips but most are on 350 motors or have headers, etc..... I'll try YouTube when I get home.

Look up Jamie Schott or scott or jamey or something like that, he has a stock 305 TBI with magnaflow 16829 cat back and spun metallic cat, sounds real awesome. His car is blue and IIRC a 91 Z28.

Found em. Name was jamieschott...1 word.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjrgbadwhfA

Just listened to every YouTube vid i could find for 305 TBI cars. Didn't find many but I noted some things. Flowmaster is loud but I do hear a rasp.

Heard a couple of clips that simply had the factory muffler removed but still had the cat. Sounded pretty good. I actually run an SLP Loudmouth on my 01 SS. Wonder if it's available for the 3rd gen? Maybe I can just have a shop cut off the mufler and weld in a piece of pipe?

Well, 4th gen exhausts fit with minor hanger modification.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-5672/

They don't come with tips, it is actually very close to stock appearing. It is a single 3" in/ dual 2 1/2" out muffler. Tail pipes have a turn down at the end with a slash cut. You really don't see anything below the bumper like with most systems, it stops right at the bumper and the slash cut kinda hides the pipes a little.

im running the 3 inch flowmaster cat back,dont remember what muffler thou,i think 50, but to me sounds good in a idle and great while on it,the drone isnt as back as u would think on my car, here's a couple vids showing it in a idle and moving also mine is tpi

idle with rev's
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyXPwwzzOG4

moving in driveway.....lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMKZf...eature=channel

Might need a shop to do something like this since I'm not equipped to weld.

From your description of the sound and the look of the kit this may be it. If it's not loud enough installed I could always punch the cat out and probably pick up a little more volume.

Still wish there were more 3rd gens around here that I could check out and listen to their setups.

I really like how your car sounds at start up and idle. Very healthy.

thank you, 305 rebuilt to almost stock spec

Is there anything more American than white-smoking the tires in your driveway with some Heavy Metal thumping the background?

Another 2 thumbs up for the Aerochamber. I've got about $275 in my whole catback but I also have a full exhaust setup too. Nice and mellow just cruising but SCREAMS at WOT. I love it.

Looks like I'm down to an Aerochamber muffler, Edelbrock cat back or maybe a flow.