So, i am swapping my car for a Chevy 350, i will have headers and most likely a medium lopey cam. I also am getting electronic cutouts. What i am asking is, what muffler should i go with if i want a good rumble on idle and good sound on open throttle, but not too loud to where my cutouts wont make a big difference. I want my cutouts to be the main show of the exhaust, but still want the mufflers to sound good, but not really loud.

 

I guess a better question to ask would be; What muffler would you recommend for a 350 small block to give the exhaust a little rumble at idle and a good open throttle sound, but not obnoxious on a cruise?

 

Everything I have researched, points me to suggest magnaflow, with one exception. I have come across a lot of negative reviews for their products recently because they are made in China now I believe. The welds at the front and rear of the muffler cracking, as well as the internals breaking. I have even read a bit about them coming rusted from factory.

I am still thinking of getting a magnaflow catback for my 305 TPI setup with the hooker headers and y pipe. The reviews kind of worry me, but everything I have read and researched, even the videos I have watched, magnaflow will produce a very nice low growl that is about medium loudness, and then as you are revving up through the gears, it gets even louder and sounds amazing. A lot of people say flowmasters are super restrictive, and they have a raspy sound, but they are known for being pretty loud, which a lot of people want.

EDIT: my buddy has a decent cam in his 305 TBI and hooker headers and y pipe with a flowmaster muffler. It's pretty loud, and you can hear the cam a decent amount, and it sounds pretty good in my opinion.

 

I like my Cheap Walker DynoMax Super Turbo, A bit louder than stock, No drone at cruise, and still get complements on how it sounds, Leaving plenty of room for your cut outs...

 

Dynomax ultra flow welded for the best flow though quiet and tame comared to something like a flowmaster 80 series, Hooker aerochamber for best sound

 

I went through a few.. The MagnaFlow ended up being my favorite.
Right now I've got the Magnaflow Y pipe, single converter and 1 to 2 muffler.

 

When I get done putting my iroc together, I will post a video on here if I remember of the startup and it idling and maybe driving. Granted it won't be a real time conparrison, but it might be in the ballpark of what it sounds like. I just ordered the hooker 2055 headers and y pipe kit last night. When I get them, I'm going to cut the air tubes off and weld the holes closed, then take them to get ceramic coated. I am still deciding on what cat back to go with but I'm thinking magnaflow. I am about 3-5 weeks away from starting it. I don't know about driving it though as it will need all new everything because it sat for many years outside.

 

Ok thank you everyone!. I'll probably go with magnaflow

 

You can probably find other threads where I've said this same thing, but I'm happy to keep sharing. ....in my opinion, the Hooker Aerochamber sounds the most like what a good performance engine "should" sound like. I don't want the muffler to ADD anything. It should remove some volume, and maybe some of the raspy sound, but I don't want to HEAR the muffler. I think the two most popular are Magnaflow and Flowmaster, and they each have a distinct tone. I don't like that. I don't want to be able to tell what you have. If you're bone stock, I agree a little tone can be nice, but if you have some snot under the hood, I wanna hear it, not cover it up!!!! -just tone it down a little and let it shine!

 

I wanted to check on the made in china angle, as I thought all of their products were made here still. So I went to the Magnaflow website and submitted a question about where they were made.

I received a reply from Jared Fix, Technical Specialist with Magnaflow, who stated, "...our manufacturing and shipping facility is located in Oceanside California for ALL of our products." And he provided a link to this video which has a nice tour of their R&D and production facilities.


So that's good news. As for the rest of it? Well, each of us will have to decide for ourselves on that.

 

I went with the SLP Loudmouth II mufflers and really like the deep tone they produce and they are not obnoxiously loud.

 

Flowmasters are made in my hometown here in Northern California.
If that matters any.


Even though I will always use the Flowmaster 80 on my car, the Hooker Aero Chamber would be my second choice.
"With out" there tips.

 

I have a Magnaflow on my car. I like it. Medium loud just normal driving with nice rumble. Loud as hell above 3000 rpm.