I just got done putting in my new Hooker cat-back. It replaced the 2.5 inch i-pipe with flowmaster 80 series. The install was pretty much straight foward and I had NO problems with clearance or hangers. Both the passenger side hanger and the drivers side over the axel hanger came with everything and fit fine. The only thing was I had to weld the I-pipe to the cat-delete pipe I have, but If I had a stock car this exhaust would have been even easier. As for the sound, it has a very throaty sound that I personally like better than my old Flowmaster. Even at idle my car rumbles and at WOT it is VERY loud, like the old chambered exhaust from the 67-69 Camaro. I had never seen 3 inch mandrel bent exhaust piping besides the one on my Hooker 2055 headers. I couldn't stop looking at it. It was HUGE compared to the old 2.5 inch I had. I like flowmaster but it is true that a lot of people have it, plus flows are loud at cruise and low speeds but sound like junk at WOT and the Hooker sound throaty all the time especially when you get on it. Only thing is the aerochamber muffler was a little heavier than the 80 series one. Overall a sweet exhaust for the price.

 

Glad it was a good purchase for ya!

 

i looked in my summit catalog and saw the hooker cat back yesterday, i was gonna post on it to see if any1 liked it. but now im glad that u posted so ill definently get that. i was looking for something other than flow master cause just about every mustang has one. and i like the deep throaty sound

thanks a ton man

 

I've honestly never been impressed with that system as I tend to like Flowmaster and similar sounding systems, but if you like it that's what matters. Thanks for the review and opinions.

 

You'll love it as time goes on. It slowly breaks in a bit and gets a little louder and deeper. It never drones at highway speeds or constant rpm and really howls without any rasp when you get on it. This goes for in and outside of the car.

 

Somtimes I can't decide if I would rather look at a 3 inch mandrel bent I-pipe, or a Maxim.
Hooker:hail:

 

a friend of mine put the hooker cat back on his '84 T/A. i love the way it sounds and want to get one, then he told me he had a little trouble with it hanger wise, and got lucky, finding a certain hanger that worked. that kinda scared me away from it, but after reading this post i'm gonna order it tommarow. thanks alot.

 

For those of you wondering, I ordered the 86-92 305 HO TPI kit pn 16823. I prolly could have gotten the one that cost $207 since I have no cat and the flange doesn't matter, but I was worried about the hangers fitting and I am glad I got the right one since I have a 1990( used to be TPI) car. The weird looking hanger on the driver side had me worried since it is only a plate with two bolts welded on, untill I found the little bag of hardware in the box which had the "hook" that bolts there and slides into the rubber mount on the car. It even made the install easier, cause I have installed a replacement I-pipe before that was solid from the cat all the way to the muffler with the hanger welded on and it was a pain!! I had to remove the panhard rod just to get it to fit. The hooker is two part so it went on Very easy. In fact the hardest part of the install(besides using a oxygen/acetaline welder to weld it where I have no cat) was getiing it to line up so I could tighten down the clamps, and that was cake too I just used some wire to hang the system from the body and loosely bolted it together then adjusted all clearances and tightened down the clamps. Don't get scared that the over-axel pipe has a very slight dimple in it cause you will need this to clear the bar that's right above the panhard bar since this 3inch pipe is HUGE. Hope this helps.

 

I had the Hooker system. I still can't figure out why they did that. I now have a 4" system, and it clears fine with no denting...