Quiet (relatively) exhaust for a very low T bucket

[Mike Rosen]

This is my first post, so be gentle.

I'm about 70% of the way through building a Speedway Tribute T. Strictly street. Stock 302 SB Ford from an '85 Mustang.
It's a channeled body on a very dropped frame, so it's a very low roadsters, not all traditional highboy T bucket.
And I'm 74 so my ego has no need for ear-splitting noise or smoking acceleration. And it's time to select exhaust system components.

SO: I think there's no room for an exhaust system underneath, especially if I don't want to burn my butt as I drive. And that's the advice I got from a tech at Speedway. Which brings us to side pipes, most likely with perforated heat shields around them.
AND: there's the question of header style... sprint, lakes, block-hugger/shorty with collector sticking out over or under the frame, and others.

FINALLY THE QUESTION: Does anyone have advice on how to proceed with my choice? Nice low rumble is first priority; some loss of horsepower from back pressure is certainly acceptable.

Thanks. I'm looking forward to being enlightened.

 

[EX JUNK]

My T sits low with a 3" ground clearance and I running a set of Speedway pipes with their muffler. It exits just behind my ear I has a nice deep rumble and my wife and I are able to talk in a normal voice. At 60 and above we may raise our voice a little but FAR from having to holler at one another.

Jim

 

[Spanky]

First of all, Welcome, Mike! And good question. You're about my age, but I still like the racket a well tuned V-8 makes, so my muffling is minimal. The regular T-bucket headers with longer sidepipes and muffler inserts will give a pleasant rumble that's not too loud. Recall earlier Corvettes with sidepipes.

My setup:

t bucket side pipes - Bing video

 

[Mike Rosen]

My T sits low with a 3" ground clearance and I running a set of Speedway pipes with their muffler. It exits just behind my ear I has a nice deep rumble and my wife and I are able to talk in a normal voice. At 60 and above we may raise our voice a little but FAR from having to holler at one another.

Jim

Thanks. Do you know how long the actual muffler is? ... or a Speedway part number?

 

[Mike Rosen]

Spanky: thanks. More questions soon, I'm sure.

 

[Mike Rosen]

Spanky: can you call out a vendor part number for "longer" sidepipes? Longer than what?

 

[Spanky]

Speedway sells them in 20" and 26" lengths; I think the 26" ones are what you want.
Small Block Ford Classic Roadster Headers, Chrome
Patriot Exhaust 4473822 Slip-Over Extension Pipes w/Mufflers, 3.5 X 26

 

[Mike Rosen]

Sparky: ... and it looks like the 4473834 is the same thing with a heat shield.

 

[409T]

My wife's T-bucket has zoomies with a motorcycle baffle in each pipe. They are not my cup of tea, but she really likes them because they are not too loud and there is nothing in the way to burn your leg on while getting in and out of the car.

 

[Hackerbilt]

I ran my 454 with side exhaust and those muffer inserts like speedway sells.
The inserts were getting pretty old and loud so i pulled them with intentions of just buying new ones. Anyway....I soon discovered they are only 1 1/2" inside (!) so I though that a little too restrictive. I ended up slicing and dicing 4 Cherrybombs into two long mufflers and making new stainless wraps for them. They look good and work well.

In your case, with a smaller engine, I would simply use the long side pipes with inserts as everyone has said.
To be honest I didn't really find a performance improvement by going to 2" mufflers (I don't drive the T hard.) ...but it was a better sound.
I think new regular inserts would be just as good soundwise though.

Those Tribute T's are nice looking rides.
You are really gonna enjoy it! Have fun!!!

 

[EWTALLEY]

Welcome from Ocala, Florida.

 

[Gerry]

8 Straight work for me.

 

[Mike Rosen]

8 Straight work for me.

View attachment 14791

Wow!

 

[Mike Rosen]

Welcome from Ocala, Florida.

Thanks.

 

[Mike Rosen]

All: here's more: Speedway sells a flowmaster sidepipe muffler that flowmaster (see below) describes as quieter than glass pack. Two lengths are available.
What I haven't learned yet is whether this is a slip-in alternative to the muffler inside the Speedway/patriot units Spanky and I were talking about, or a complete replacement for that Patriot product .

Flowmaster 13530320 Slimline Muffler, 3.50 In/Out...

 

[Mike Rosen]

8 Straight work for me.

View attachment 14791

By the way, this is gorgeous! Fun as a daily driver? (kidding)

 

[Spanky]

What I haven't learned yet is whether this is a slip-in alternative to the muffler inside the Speedway/patriot units Spanky and I were talking about, or a complete replacement for that Patriot product .

I believe these would NOT fit inside the Speedway side pipes. Looks like you would weld them up to your headers and turnouts.

 

[Mike Rosen]

I believe these would NOT fit inside the Speedway side pipes. Looks like you would weld them up to your headers and turnouts.

Thanks, Spanky. I agree they do look like that, but they seem to have the same 3.5 inch OD as the Patriot mufflers that come with the side pipes. The Slimlines are twice as long, at 25 inches instead of 12.5. The question might be whether they'd fit lengthwise in the 26 inch side pipes (since the straight section of the side pipes before the curved turnout might be less than 25 inches. Or maybe if an inch or two of the muffler could fit up into the collector... ? I think I'll ask a tech at Speedway (since they carry both products and could just try a hand fit).
Doug's (related to Patriot and part of Pertronix) makes a muffler for Corvette side pipes that would definitely be too wide.
(All this is stuff I didn't know two days ago... Gotta love the learning curve.

 

[Mike Rosen]

OOPS; YOU'RE RIGHT, SPANKY. Stupid me; I read what I wanted to read. the OD of these is 4.5 and the are meant to be the side pipe, not fit inside it.

 

[Ted B]

Sounds like you’re on your way to having a sweet ride. Welcome from Frankfort, I L