Looking To Quiet My 5.0 Down A Bit.

Gunmonkey

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Apr 16, 2016
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South Florida
I have a 93 LX 5.0 notch with a GT40 intake, MAC shorty headers MAC OR H pipe, and 2 chamber Flowmasters. I like how it sounds for the most part...has a mellow rumble at cruising speed (stock 2.73s right now, soon to be 3.55s, so I know the cruising speed sound will change) and it sounds good under hard acceleration...but it's a bit too "look at me" loud for my liking under normal driving, especially just normal acceleration from a stoplight.

I know theres probably no free lunch when it comes to performance exhausts, but I'm looking for combo that's less obtrusive under normal driving conditions. I'm thinking Bassani shorty headers (the MACs are flaking chrome), Bassani catted X (reduce some of the exhaust smell), and Bassani Quiet Thunder mufflers. Several years back I heard this exact combo and took a short ride in the car, and I remember it having a great sound that wasn't too loud. Then again I was younger and probably had different preferences for what sound I liked, lol.

The engine will be getting heads and likely a cam before too long, so it won't be too outclassed by the exhaust.

Any info on exhaust combos that make it quieter under normal driving (especially if anyone has firsthand experience with the Bassani combo I listed ) while still retaining enjoyable sound and good performance, are appreciated.
 
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Bassani has long been my favorite exhaust. The sound is good, the quality and fit is great. Makes you realize how crappy flowmaster, mac and some of the other cheaper exhausts really are.

Swap out the mac h pipe for a catted x pipe and you will quiet it down quite a bit like mike said.

The down side of your plan is that redoing the entire exhaust with bassani is probably going to be expensive.
If it wasn't for the bassani catback not working with a PHB, it's for sure what I would be using.
 
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My car came with Dronemasters and no cats. I could not stand them. They were loud at part throttle and "ticket me" loud under any throttle. I relplaced them with super turbo mufflers. I really like them under full throttle, and the drone is much less. I will get the BBK X pipe with cats on soon for just a little more control at cruise.
The mufflers with the built in spring flap for tone control at low flow are intriguing. Does anyone use them on here?
 
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Thanks for the info, guys. I'll most likely be replacing the entire system, as the chrome is flaking off the headers, the catted X should solve two problems (exhaust smell and noise), and I imagine the Flowmasters themselves will still be pretty loud no matter what I do. I also want all the components from the same mfg so as to ensure that they all fit together right.
 
Thanks for the info, guys. I'll most likely be replacing the entire system, as the chrome is flaking off the headers, the catted X should solve two problems (exhaust smell and noise), and I imagine the Flowmasters themselves will still be pretty loud no matter what I do. I also want all the components from the same mfg so as to ensure that they all fit together right.

That's the beauty of the bassani stuff. It fits well as a bolt on. Goes on and off easily. Comes with the good clamps too and it's pretty much infinitely adjustable when used as an entire system. Really nice when you work on the car not wondering if the exhaust is going to come off and if it does are you going to be able to get it back on.

I do like the dynomax ultraflo welded exhaust I have, but it's just not as nice as the bassani.

Exhausts are a funny thing, when i'm driving by myself in an unpopulated area I like it loud.
When i'm around people, it draws too much attention, attention that when I was younger I thought was positive, now I feel otherwise.
 
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That's the beauty of the bassani stuff. It fits well as a bolt on. Goes on and off easily. Comes with the good clamps too and it's pretty much infinitely adjustable when used as an entire system. Really nice when you work on the car not wondering if the exhaust is going to come off and if it does are you going to be able to get it back on.

I do like the dynomax ultraflo welded exhaust I have, but it's just not as nice as the bassani.

Exhausts are a funny thing, when i'm driving by myself in an unpopulated area I like it loud.
When i'm around people, it draws too much attention, attention that when I was younger I thought was positive, now I feel otherwise.

When you say the Ultraflo is not as nice as the Bassani, do you mean in terms of sound, quality, or both? Yep, my first 5.0 had a full MAC system and it would set off car alarms. I liked it loud back then, but now 15+ years later I don't like that anymore.
 
When you say the Ultraflo is not as nice as the Bassani, do you mean in terms of sound, quality, or both? Yep, my first 5.0 had a full MAC system and it would set off car alarms. I liked it loud back then, but now 15+ years later I don't like that anymore.

In terms of quality.
Just remember a bassani catback costs much more. $259 to $514 (aluminized), $665 (stainless).
If you are in it for the long run with this car, get the stainless, it's another $150 or so (I think), but it's damn near indestructible.

I know years ago, the bassani came with baffles that could be added or removed from the tailpipes to change the sound, not sure if they do any more. Although I do see them on their site for sale.
 
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The mufflers with the built in spring flap for tone control at low flow are intriguing. Does anyone use them on here?

Yes, those are the Dynomax VT's, and if/when I finally blow these ones, I'm getting another set. They're perfect.

This thread is pretty interesting http://forums.corral.net/forums/general-mustang-tech/2240058-dynomax-vts-w-o-r-x-pipe.html

Here's how mine sounded when I still had dumps. Way better with tailpipes now. The mic was inside by the trans tunnel.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z51mbKOJpls
 
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Yes, those are the Dynomax VT's, and if/when I finally blow these ones, I'm getting another set. They're perfect.

This thread is pretty interesting http://forums.corral.net/forums/general-mustang-tech/2240058-dynomax-vts-w-o-r-x-pipe.html

Here's how mine sounded when I still had dumps. Way better with tailpipes now. The mic was inside by the trans tunnel.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z51mbKOJpls


I considered them, but I don't remember seeing them offered with an entire catback.
Is there one or do you have to piece it together?
 
I installed mine in place of an existing catback that already had Dynomax tailpipes. And I have had so many mufflers on this thing I've had to shorten and lengthen the intermediate tubes several times, so I don't know if they'd bolt right in place of an unmolested catback or not.
 
I've got a set of Borla ProXS mufflers on mine and they took a lot of "bark" out of my system, but still left it sounding like a Mustang. It should also be noted that I have a 2 1/2 inch high flow chatted H-pipe and BBK long tube headers.

Mufflers will be the big difference maker, but the type of mid pipe you run as well as headers will significantly change the exhaust note as well.
 
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I searched a couple of different sections here to see if there was a thread of just exhaust sound clips, but didn't find one. If there is one, could someone link it here please?

I've heard quite a few exhausts over the years, i'm not a believer that how an exhaust sounds over the internet on different computers (most done with cell phones) really gives you an idea of how they sound in the real world.

I'd say most sound good in their own way, but online clips really don't depict how loud, deep or how much drone a setup has. The drone issue probably being the most important of all exhaust sound problems.
 
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