bassani is more exotic but all the sound goes out the back, unlike others. you dont really hear it while drivin but when you have someone else drive it for you you can hear how loud and clear it sounds.
You guys crack me up calling Flowmaters the "classic" muscle car sound. Are you all nuts? (lol)
Since the thread starter used this word, I think he should define it for us. When I hear "classic" I think of a 1967 GT-500. Last time I checked, baffled Flows were not available back then.
If you want your car to sound "old" you need to stick with resonators and not mufflers. SLP makes a great cat-back that does just that. For $350 you can transform the sound of your stang and the old timers will look twice thinking your car is 30 - 40 years older than it is.
If you keep the stock H, the exhaust will have a low pitch to it. If you go with an X-Pipe (cats only with this catback), then the pitch will get louder and so will the volume. Add an o/r H pipe, and you might really be on to something. Try just the catback first and see how you like it.
If you want a nice sounding "classic" idle, you need cams...PERIOD.
There are TONS of combos out there. Practically no one has the same setup especially when you consider intake mods too.
The SLP Loudmouth Catback is a no brainer for the classic muscle car sound. Flows (which sound nice too) sound like a classic 1987 GT.
Check out the FRPP cat-back system. I and a few others here have it, and it's a nice alternative to the usual choices. It imparts a deep rumble to the car, and is pleasingly loud during acceleration. But there's no drone, and it won't give you a headache when cruising or attract unwanted attention.
The tips are the same as stock, but they clamp on, so you could substitute larger tips if you wanted. Tubing is 2.5", mandrel-bent all around, and the whole thing is stainless steel.
Wrong. Many people who run with the catted version of the Bassani X-pipe end up needing a chip or MIL eliminators due to the inefficiency of the new single cats. My brother has first hand experience with this on his '00, as do many other people who have the catted Bassani X-pipe. I'm not saying everyone, but many people do still trip the MIL with the catted Bassani X-pipe. Although I can't speak from firsthand knowledge on other catted mid-pipes, I believe most of them will also trip the MIL due to catalytic inefficiency.
My MRT catted H-pipe hasn't tripped the MIL on my car, much to my delight. It's been on my car since around May 2004.
GoHoTo - I think when the current mustang masses refer to the "classic" muscle car sound, they probably are referring to the 5.0's of the 1984-1993 era. I know that's not 60's muscle like most people define muscle cars, but given the likely average age of the current V8 mustang owner population (20's-30's), I'm guessing that people just think of the old 5.0 sound, which is fantastic. I'm also guilty as charged - I like the 5.0 sound, and I think an aftermarket H pipe with Flows will give you a pretty good "5.0" sound for our modular V8s.
Clarification on my opinion of a "classic Musclecar Sound"
Since GoHoTo suggested I started the thread and therefore should define it... I will give it a little more detail. When I think of a "classic musclecar" I think of 60's and very early 70's. Maybe some consider that "vintage" or something else. I believe the 80's and 90's produced musclecars too (Like the 87 Gran National amongst others), but I am not sure I would say these are "classics yet". (IMO)
I own 69 and 70 GTOs. Granted these are 400's in each car and will product a deeper, more pronounced rumble, but that is what I am looking to acheive. My 69 even has a bit of a rap to it and don't want that on my Stang. Everyone has a different idea, but that is OK by me. With the suggestions that keep coming in, I will compare them all and see what I sound like.
Out of all the suggestions, and all of the clips I have listened to (Exception of Flows), I am leaning toward the MRT H and Catback. The Borla/Steeda and Magnaflows seem a little higher pitched, but not as much as the Bassani. I am not saying these are bad. A lot of people have them and they all sound great, they are just not what I am looking for.
I would like to do this once, so I will check out the other suggestions put on this post and decide. From all of these posts, I will put a list together and compare all of the sound clips I can find. I will post again when I decide and will be sure to post before and after sound clips from the same recording devise and at the same volume so there will be a true comparison for someone like me.
I just put on 40 series original flowmasters in my car, and they sound great. Although way too quiet for my taste, they fill your ears with a bass drone drone about 1900-2200 rpms and I love it......some do, some don't. Above that, it just has a smooth,well tuned muscular sound. I was gonna get an off road h-pipe as well, but I heard a flows/mustangtuning (pypesexhaust)x-pipe combo and was sold on it. I forget whose clip it was (maybe streetstang, if i remember right), but it is very clear. Besides, I'm getting supercharged in December, and the x-flows better.
I had a flowmaster/ off road h-pipe combo on my 5.0 and it was the best sounding car I have heard to date (confirmed by many others, but that's neither here nor there. However, I'm not sure how comparable the tones of the '95 5.0 and a 4.6 are.
I think you just have to keep listening and decide what you like. Unfortunately, most exhaust clips don't do the cars justice...I turn my surround speakers and bass up to try to get it there.
Everyone has diferent ideas of what the perfect combo of any aspect of the car is. Do keep in mind that some combos will produce more power than others, so you need to balance out whether going for sound soley, or a little extra performance as well.
hope this helps,
Kyle
o yeah, my vote: Flowmaster 40 (not delta flows) and mustangtuning/pypesexhaust off road x-pipe