What mufflers are you guys using ?

[Rasser]

I can´t find the proper muffler for my merged header

I started out with a 2½" Stainless muffler (A1 rennkaefer style). This muffler is a "straight through" muffler. It is really noisy inside the car when travelling more than 100km/h, and I would like to lower the noice.
Then I fitted a single quiet pack, and it lowered the noice inside the car to a comfortable level. BUT - the muffler doesn´t have the look that the polished one did 

Any recommandations on muffler - I want an acceptable noice level, and a great looking muffler, but I am having trouble finding the right one.

Please tell me what you guys are running, and give me the pros/cons.

Thanks
Rasmus

[Rasser]

Forgot to tell:

I have merged header, 1 o´clock flange (small style).

[nicolas]

can't beat dual quietpacks. i like the black ones, but ceramic coated works as well.

[JS]

Rasmus, di you notice any lower performance when you tried the quiet pack muffler? What type was it?
I´m also running a 2 1/2" A1 muffler on a 1 5/8" merged header and totally agree about the noise level being too high when going fast on the highway!
Oh, and what engine do you have?

[team97]

1 3/4" A-1 Sidewinder exhaust with ss Magnaflow and custom outlet

[Rennsurfer]

I love that exhaust on Glenn's car. His is the inspiration for me going to A-1 Muffler and having Tiger building me this custom 1 5/8" sidewinder merged header. Then, he angled my Magnaflow stainless steel muffler 45 degrees on the passenger side, next to the 1 5/8" flanged heater boxes (also from Tiger). Finally, I told Tiger what I wanted for the exhaust tips and he took care of me.

I'm VERY happy with the overall look, performance, and quality. I've always wanted to somehow tuck a merged collector under a Type 1 body but use the factory cutouts on the rear valance (apron).

Excellent ground clearance, too! Which is one of the main things I was aiming for. Plus, I didn't want the same look as everyone else. By the way, the muffler that Tiger set me up with is GREAT! Very quiet and has multiple internal passes instead of a straight pass.

[Zach Gomulka]

Looks great, Mark. Do you have to pull the mulffler to adjust the valves??

[Rennsurfer]

Wait... I thought that all cars, now, no longer require valve adjustments. RATS!

Yes, Zach. That's the only drawback to my system. But it's the only drawback. I'm okay with it. I'm also the same person that doesn't mind adjusting points and ignition timing, as well. Part of owning an air-cooled car, in my opinion. To each their own, however.

[DKK Ted]

1 3/4" Low Down from A-1, All stainless muff.

[lawrence]

I too am very pleased with the Magnaflow muffler that I got from A-1. When I was getting my sidewinder made I told Tiger that I wanted the quietest muffler for the 1-5/8s system. Now all I hear is IDAs

[Sarge]

A1 / Magnaflow for me... I like it a lot, too.  When I got my set-up from Tiger, he furnished it with a round stainless muffler that was about a foot long and you could see through.... WAY too noisy.  The Magnaflow let's you hear the IDA's like Lawrence pointed out and if you add some Dynamat sound-deadner to the inside of your car, it becomes damn near pleasant 

[Jason Foster]

Heres mine single chamber flowmaster Sarge loves it 


 and I don't need no stinkin dynamat.... it's too heavy

[Sarge]

Uh, Jason.... that juice can's not REALLY a muffler   BTW, your car appears to be running a bit lean ... I see a spot on there someplace, too!   As for the Dynomat, that stuff's in vogue now that Deano has it plastered all over his new project (Hot VW's November), so maybe you ought to step up!

[louisb]

I wonder how much restriction you get with a magnaflow. How about a muffler shoot out. Rate both noise and power.

--louis

[Hotrodvw]

Low-performance stuff here 

I started with this


And modified it to this

[Rennsurfer]

LMAO @ "juice can" that's funny.

Sorry, Jason.

[LuftsickTero]

1 3/4" A-1 Sidewinder exhaust with ss Magnaflow and custom outlet

I'm VERY happy with the overall look, performance, and quality. I've always wanted to somehow tuck a merged collector under a Type 1 body but use the factory cutouts on the rear valance (apron).

Nice, like they say in UK "that's the dogs danglies"!

As there have been some rumours about Sidewinder affecting the performance, how happy are you Glenn and Fred with the performance side of your exhaust?

[benssp]

I use an Edelbrock muffler, custom made by a hot rod guy here in the uk!





I've still got to trim the tailpipe

[Rennsurfer]

Nice, like they say in UK "that's the dogs danglies"!

As there have been some rumours about Sidewinder affecting the performance, how happy are you Glenn and Fred with the performance side of your exhaust?

Glenn could better answer that, because he's got a real engine. I still only have my 1500 or 1600cc (don't know what size it is... car was complete and stock when I bought it) with an .009 and 34mm Webers on single port heads. But the performance DID go way up when I installed the header. And that was the first thing I added to the engine. The carbs and distributor were added later. So far, I really like it. Can't wait to save up enough money to build a real power plant.

I can't imagine why a sidewinder would differ from a conventional header. Does anyone have dyno figures and facts to back this up? First time hearing of this. Either way, I don't care. Just curious.

[Jason Foster]

Uh, Jason.... that juice can's not REALLY a muffler   BTW, your car appears to be running a bit lean ... I see a spot on there someplace, too!   As for the Dynomat, that stuff's in vogue now that Deano has it plastered all over his new project (Hot VW's November), so maybe you ought to step up!

   "JUICE CAN" huh   (curly) Oh I see a WISE guy, why I oughta...  Thanks Sarge, it does have a nice gray tint to the tip nowadays from the "good stuff" that runs through it but that shot is actually from the buildup days and the engine hadn't been fired yet. Now where is that spot........

[Jim Ratto]

I wonder how much restriction you get with a magnaflow. How about a muffler shoot out. Rate both noise and power.

--louis

The issue that dynoed the Blueprinting series Hot VW 2276 tested mufflers, I believe it was the Magnaflow vs The Super Turbo. The Magnaflow was the hp winner.
I remember Mark Herbert campaigning against the Magnaflows,  calling them "dune buggy" mufflers.

I have to say, the rasp of my muffler can be a bit nerve wracking. It's an acquired taste. Not bad at idle and lower rpm, but put your foot down and your ears reach their pain threshold instantly. (Magnaflow)
But when the conditions are right, to me, my car has never sounded better than this current setup. Just don't ask my neighbors their opinion. 

[Rasser]

I wonder how much restriction you get with a magnaflow. How about a muffler shoot out. Rate both noise and power.

--louis

The issue that dynoed the Blueprinting series Hot VW 2276 tested mufflers, I believe it was the Magnaflow vs The Super Turbo. The Magnaflow was the hp winner.
I remember Mark Herbert campaigning against the Magnaflows,  calling them "dune buggy" mufflers.

I have to say, the rasp of my muffler can be a bit nerve wracking. It's an acquired taste. Not bad at idle and lower rpm, but put your foot down and your ears reach their pain threshold instantly. (Magnaflow)
But when the conditions are right, to me, my car has never sounded better than this current setup. Just don't ask my neighbors their opinion. 

I ran a magnaflow muffler on my old 1914/w130 engine, and that thing was loud as hell. It was a straight  through muffler (you could see through the muffler). Is this the same muffler you guys are talking about when referring to magnaflow ?

I would like a muffler that has the cool stainless polished look, but I don´t want the "see through" muffler-type. I wan´t a muffler that is more silent than the "see through" types - what can you guys suggest me (small flange, merged, 1 o´clock).
It´s meant for a 1971ccm/Webcam 494/48 IDA engine/42-36 valves. But until that engine is finished, I will be using it temporarly on my 1600 engine.

[Zach Gomulka]

Wait... I thought that all cars, now, no longer require valve adjustments. RATS!

Yes, Zach. That's the only drawback to my system. But it's the only drawback. I'm okay with it. I'm also the same person that doesn't mind adjusting points and ignition timing, as well. Part of owning an air-cooled car, in my opinion. To each their own, however.

For me, that's a deal breaker I don't mind checking the valves, as long as the only thing between them and I is a valve cover I do like how those mufflers sound though- the extra pass back through the muffler seems to really make a difference in noise. Ground clearance has never been a big deal for me either, just be concious that the muffler is back there and you'll never scrape it.

[Rasser]

Here are pictures of the mufflers I have right now:
2½" Stainless "see through" muffler - LOUD (sorry for the "long distance" shot)
Single quiet pack muffler (bought together with a 1-3/8" merged header from CB performance)

I like the looks off the polished muffler, and the sound of the quiet pack (ok, maybe a bit more sound than the quiet pack - but something like that). Anyone know where I can get the best of both worlds ?

[Jim Ratto]

Here are pictures of the mufflers I have right now:
2½" Stainless "see through" muffler - LOUD (sorry for the "long distance" shot)
Single quiet pack muffler (bought together with a 1-3/8" merged header from CB performance)

I like the looks off the polished muffler, and the sound of the quiet pack (ok, maybe a bit more sound than the quiet pack - but something like that). Anyone know where I can get the best of both worlds ?

nice looking car.

[Sarge]

How about a Flowmaster?  Mason's got one on his lump and you can barely hear the exhaust at all  (j/k).

[speedwell]

single T-bird

[Peter]

mine...
home made cost me next to nothing
but its loud

[Peter]

oh... its a purple horny

[lawrence]

Supposedly the sidewinder with magnaflow made more power than a standard merged exhaust with megaphone. I think this was in HVWs

Rasser, the magnaflow that I have is not straight-through and it is quiet. If you tell Tiger what you are looking for im sure he can set you up with something that fits your need.

It is possible to adjust the valves with the muffler on. I have done it before, but it is easier with the muffler off.