I tried searching and didn't come up with much, and the some of the sound clips in the sticky are broken, so I figured I'd ask in my own thread.


Set-up so far: 350TPI with DynoDon's headers and Dual Cat Downpipes, and most likely going to go into 2 Magnaflow cats, or something similar. I just haven't chosen a cat-back yet.


1st question: Does anyone make a good, 3.5", SS Mandrel bent cat-back? I couldn't find one for my car on summit/jegs.

2nd Question: Does anyone make a cat-back that is set-up to collect into one from the dual-cats, or will I have to fab up the collector myself?

Onto 3" Cat backs. I want to know everything there is about the ones offered for my car! I don't want to purchase something without knowing as much as possible. Also, if you suggest one, I am trying to only get something which is Stainless and Mandrel bent.



BORLA - I know this system sounds great, but I don't feel like paying for the name, $1000+ doesn't seem fair for something which is going to be set-up as mostly open anyway


MAGNAFLOW- This system seems reasonably priced, and have had many people tell me this system sounds amazing.

FLOWMASTER American Thunder - This is also a similarly priced system , however I have heard this system can provide problems during installation.



I want to hear everything anybody who has a cat-back on their car has to say. How they sound, performance, installation, customer service, etc etc. As well as post as many sound clips as possible, I want to know I'm going to love what I buy before I buy it.

Magnaflow is pretty much the best price wise and sounds good.

Look into Hooker as well, around $350 and sounds amazing with my LT1.

Youtube is your best bet for hearing sound clips. As you said, unfortunately most of the links in the catback sticky don't work anymore. It would be nice to update that sticky with working videos, as I'm sure there are a lot of new videos out there from our members.

I went with the hooker catback but it's not installed yet. Come on spring!!

dumped all day.

Flowmaster is too tinny and high pitched on these cars, magnaflow is a deeper rumble and sounds way better. I have no experience with any others.

Thank you guys for the info, my biggest worry now is installation difficulty, how was the magnaflow kit to install?

Also, did you have the single-cat or dual-cat set-up?

I had the single cat. I didn't install my old magnaflow cat-back, it was already on the car. I just recently bought a Magnaflow cat-back used, and the fit and finish of it is excellent.

If you go with magnaflow get it from here thats about the cheapest you will find.
http://banditexhaust.com/catalog/index.php

I installed a 3in. Flowmaster American Thunder 80 series with Magnaflow high-flow cat in a day . No problems. Took it to have it welded together the next day. The Flowmaster has a very distinct sound, some like it and some do not, but that goes for any exhaust.. I love mine .

Any ideas on best sound with headers, straight pipe, to muffler in the back?
like best sounding muffler

I used to have a Flowmaster American Thunder catback (80 series). I ran that without a cat.....I replaced that with a GMMG catback with a Catco 3" hi flow cat.

The GMMG is louder with the cat than the Flowmaster was without the cat. (measured with dB gauge at idle, 70 mph, and WOT). It's also deeper sounding and stainless steel. And doesn't have any resonance issues like the Flowmaster would around 2200 RPM.

The GMMG has 3 different sounds. The ultra low rumble at/near idle. The "opening of the trumpets" around 3000 RPM. And then a combination of Ferrari and muscle car at higher RPM's. The Flowmaster sounds the same at all RPM levels. Just louder at higher RPM levels.

GMMG is out of business though. "Madhammer" makes the exhaust today. It's the same system. I'm not sure if the oval tips are available or just the slash cut that I've seen with the Madhammer.

I would not run a GMMG/Madhammer catback without a cat though. You need the cat to tame it down, as the cat is the effective muffler in the system.

I would say that Magnaflow is halfway between a Flowmaster and a GMMG/Madhammer setup. I find that Flowmaster, while being the most popular, tends to sound like a generic muscle car. If you go to a car show with old cars, it will sound no different than everybody else's car. Yet I have gotten quite a few "what is that?" questions after going with the GMMG setup.

It also looks the nicest.

+1 for GMMG.

Borla, Gmmg, Mufflex, Corsa, Magnaflow, Hooker and SLP all have their own sounds and each you might like. Ofcourse the price varies from $350 to over $1000.