Why do mustangs sound so good? My neighbor has a 2004 Mustang GT with a stock exhaust and the thing sounds great. It drives me crazy! My Formula can eat his lunch but everyone on the block thinks he has the faster car just because it sounds meaner. Any thoughts to this?

 

real dual exhaust is why the ford sounds better.

 

Exactly. True dual exhaust with a crossover pipe.

At least the 99-04s are hideous from any angle.

 

its a hard sound to match,I have had a few mustangs in the past and they have a sound all of there own,I'm gonna run flowmaster on my formula to get close to the same sound,but a mustang doesn't vibrate the floor inside the house when idling in the driveway like a 3rd gen.

 

It also has to do with the firing order.

edit: I should say it mostly has to do.

 

I am generally speaking a chev guy,but I've owned a few 5.0's,and I would say thats got something to do with it,any ford I ever heard with duals sounds good,same with dodge.

 

Why would a cross-pipe help it sound better? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of having a dual exhaust?

 

no a crossover pipe doesn't defeat the purpose of duals.

 

crossover balances the pressure and creates an even sound out both, past that why a ford with crossover true-dual and a gm with crossover true-dual are different is beyond me. Prob some of the reasons above.

 

i get a woody everytime i hear a mustang...

 

the last one I had I put 40 series flowmaster 2.5 inch,home made x-pipe and hooker super comp headers,had a set of afr's and holley systemax top and a x303 bored .030..I pitched wood every time it started it.theres no sound like them.there a fun car to pound the a$$ of at the drag strip cause they come factory with a rear end that can take the punishment and a tranny that will take some if you can shift,but there rough,rattly little turds to drive and don't handle anywhere near as nice as a 3rd gen.but as far as sound goes you can't beat one.

 

too much info! lol

 

Ive wondered this on more than one occasion. Its particularly th 5.0 FI versions 89? and later. The carbed versions dont have the same sound, and the 96 and later 4.6 dont have that magic sound either.

I think it something to do with the cubes. Ever notice a 305 sound deeper and louder than a 350? Something about the 5.0L, but maybe something about the firing order as well.

Someone who specializes in fabricating headers could probably tell you. I think its something to do with the sound of each cylinder coming out.

Its a very nice sound for sure, and id have to say unique, probably the only one i can guess if i heard it with my eyes closed.

 

Naw, the subies are more distinctive.

 

F I R I N G

O R D E R



They are different.

 

subies?

I forgot to say one more thing, i think it has something to do with the mustang intake and cam as well. The F-150s with 5.0 of same era dont sound the same as a mustang.

 

your right there,a 5.0 in a truck and one in a car are vary different,firing order on an HO engine is different and so is the intake plenum.and headers and such make a differance too.you can make a 3rd gen sounds pretty damn good too I think.or at least I'm gonna try.mine has the factory chocker manifolds and a rhyno cat back and it sounds ok.will be upgrading all that soon.

 

You have do the same on the chevy firing order.. When I went to crower and purchased my blower cam. I had the lobes swapped so now my firing order is 1-8-7-3-6-5-4-2.. Supposed to cut down on crank deflection or so I have been told.. It sounds just like it did before. So, I put the hooker 2210 super comps on with a mufflex y pipe and a 4 inch exhaust from mufflex into a spintech exhaust with 3 1/2 dual tips. Sounds like it is ready for the track now and mustangs can't compair.

 

I bet that does sound good,good looking car.

 

Both the SBC and SBF V8s are cross-plane V-engines but their different firing orders give them different sounds, as stated. Still, put a y-pipe into a single intermediate pipe like on the FBody and the Mustang wouldn't sound like it does-- but still not like a SBC. (Captain Obvious?)

Listen to a flat-plane V8 like the TVR Cerbera, etc at WOT and tell me that doesn't sound badass.

 

"Why do mustangs sound so good? "

They don't

 

Why is it all the exotic carmakers go with flat-plane V8s instead of cross-plane?

And for the record, I much prefer the bleating of an idling sbc to a sbf any day. The only exceptions are the DOHC 'Stang Cobras I see every so often around here... that thing sounds GOOOD....

 

It has nothing to do with firing order or true duals,they only sound good when they're powered by gm drivetrains!LOL!

 

Order two mufflers from here classicchambered.com get the short one like 16". Listen the the sound files on sights and sounds of them white trans am, black camaro, and GTO once you hear these you will wet you pants and know that this is what will make your neighbors pony cry.

 

Because, they are all talk and no walk.

 

thats too funny,wish I had a pic of eeyore to post





right here! LOL!

 

Yeah, that is true.. my neighbor hates the fact his car can’t keep up or corner as good as mine, even though my car sounds like a pickup compared to his.

 

What does eeyore have to do with anything??

 

I have a story! Driving down the road pull up too a mustang and im like DAMN wut sounds so freaking hot mustang pulls away sound is still there..... ohh ya thats right i remeber wut that sound is its my GM powered CHEVY!!!!!

 

It means eeyore=slow donkey! Kinda like a pony! I'm kinda surprised this thread is still alive.My thread was closed about a mustang with an LS1 drivetrain,(THAT CAR SOUNDED REAL GOOD).Anyway,thats all I got on that subject.

 

Mustangs come stock with an H pipe.I own an 88 iroc-z with 3 inch with a dyno max super turbo muffler mine sounds better then my uncles 86 and my bros 03 gt's. and fords suck

 

Sorry man. I didn't make the connection.

 

I think some sound ok, but some with the x pipes just sound like crap. Id have my thirdgen over that sound anyday

 

I'd buy a Mustang for their sound. My car is pretty loud and sounds awesome but I'll never hate on a Mustang for how they sound. Get the thumbs up in my books.

 

I agree! I would've gotten one if i hadn't heard so much bad crap about them. But yes i can tell if its a subie automaticaly if i hear one.

 

gmmg chambered catback on A 89 formula. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QwasPy-h_I
If you got the cash,I think its what your lookin for.

 

I think the new mustangs sound pritty good.. but the vette's and the new 5 gen coming out sound tit's. Mustangs are just like every other ford make alot of noise and dont go any where. I'd rather be fast and sound like a truck

 

Yeah, nothing sounds better than a mustang with flows and a 5 speed. I can tell what one is with just hearing it. If they weren't so damn slow I would have bought one. My wife likes mustangs, but after I put about 3 cars on one during a street race, ahh I mean spirited acceleration, I told her thats why I didn't buy one. I am talking stock LS1 to stock 99GT. IF would have found a 03-04 Cobra before my Firehawk I would have gotten one.

 

Yep, i agree.

 

I own a 1998 mustang 4.6 GT,it has 2 chamber flowmaster and Dr Gas X pipe,no converters,it is loud,and sounds like it would eat everything in its path,lol Now as far as run,well it is a slug,try 9.80s 1/8th mile.
My GTA has TRUE DUEL exhaust with 1 chamber flowmaster racing mufflers,and DR GAS X pipe,it is very loud,and it will eat the Mustang for lunch,and it sounds BETTER than the Rustang,thats right (RUSTANG,RUSTANG) I own both GM and FORD,and to me the GTA sounds better.
And you guys are right,it is the fireing order that makes a Ford sound different than a GM.
Facts:
Mustang DOES NOT HANDLE BETTER THAN AN FBODY
MUSTANG IS NOT FASTER(4.6 vs 5.7)
MUSTANG IS NOT BUILT BETTER THAN A FBODY, I get so sick of hearing,WOW ITS A MUSTANG,ITS FASTER,BULL CRAP!!!!!!!

 

I like the exhaust note of the late 80's, early 90's Stang. Yes, due to the firing order and exhaust setup.

Now would I buy a shoebox on wheels?? Nahh....

Pretty much everyone has one.

 

yea but you also have a full 1.1 liters compared to the stang. I would have to see it against a 5.0 to say if its super slow. Not saying they aren't but thats not exactly a even race.
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thats the reason i didnt get one. You cant really have something that people go wow when they see a mustang but with a TA you dont see nice ones as much so its much better.

 

There is a white Saleen with a rag top by my house and let me tell you that thing sounds nasty. It has had some other saleen parts put on it but I don't know the details. I have seen it run on the quarter mile and its best run was a 10.64 Don't know how fast is was going though. And my uncle has a 86 mustang that runs 12.7 in the quarter mile. I know I am going to get a lot of flak for saying this but I am a ford and chevy guy. I just hate dodge. And most of you guys that have run up agianst a 5.0 were probably running against a stock one. Remember my 86 Iroc only had 190 hp when it was stock. Also there is a 96 cobra in my area that has a lot of mods on it. the boost on the turbo is at about 25psi. Its lisence plate is LS1 Killer. I have seen it beat camaros with Ls1s.

 

that is actually kinda funny because i have a mustang with an h pipe and flowmasters and i thought my old camaro sounded better. that is why i am buying another camaro.

 

I know what your saying about a Cobra,but put a supercharger on a LSI CAMARO,then see who beats who!!!!Thats a whole different thread,lol
Yes the Cobra will run,but so will a LS1 FBODY with a few mods!!! I know of a few LS1,s in my area,with superchargers running 9.70s quarter mile,lots of mods though,pulling the front wheels ,very fast for a street car,and sound bad ***!!!!