I bought an 83 Firebird 2.8L that is lacking everything from the cat and back. Needless to say, it's LOUD. What's the cheapest way to make it quieter? I've heard that simply putting a muffler right where the cat usually is won't do much. Any suggestions?

 

Yea buy a cat-back. Jegs has some super cheap. but the way you could do it is go to KOI and buy the intermediate pipe for $25 and that is quieter right there...

 

If I really have to get a full catback, I was just gonna take one from a junkyard thirdgen. It's only $1.20/ft. But it's another $100 for the shop to install it. I really only need it quiet enough to not get the cops on me.

 

Dont want to be rude unless your low on funds. The cat-back from autozone or koi is only $25 last time i got it and it is a direct bolt up. you could do it your self if you could have access to a shop or if you could get your car at least 5 feet in the air. You wont get a catback from junkyard out unless you have 10 tires under it. And thats not to safe. Unless they hold it up for you with a forklift.
If you absolutely have to cut about 2ft off from the convertor flange and put cherry bomb on it that will cut it down. you can use any exhaust from these cars even v-8s they are all the same from cat back.
look online i just got a complete cat back for my 305. I found the 80 series muffler with dual tips for $40 and a friend gave me a piece of mandrel bent 2.5" exhaust. I got it welded up for another $40 from local exhaust shop.

Dont go to cheap. Other wise it wont last. go to Craigslist.com and you can click your local area. Its like ebay but no bidding and every one wants to give that stuff away.

 

I am low on funds, actually. I need to spend as little as possible to get the car somewhat near drivable.

You got a catback for $25? My understanding is that a catback is all the exhaust from the catalytic convertor all the way out the back of the car. Last time I checked, those ran for $200+.

I've seen some trucks dump their exhaust(dual, usually) right under the doors without being extremely loud. How do they accomplish it?

I'm not terribly interested in the exhaust lasting for years and years. I need this car only as a backup driver, every once in a while. It will sit in the driveway for six days out of the week, sometimes more. At some point, it'll get torn down entirely for rebuilding. For now, though, I just need to patch it up temporarily.

Also, I'm an active user of CraigsList(like, I check it multiple times a day), but so far, nothing good for exhaust.

 

Thats where i got my muffler for $40. But the intermediate is the pipe that runs from the cat back but thats what you have to get to put muffler on it. But that pipe is only like 25 from kentucky motors.
Let me know if you cant find it ill give you a part number but its not 200 i promise that. I have bought them for my last 3 cars and its 2 1/4" exhaust...
LET ME KNOW
KEVIN