I want to go back to factory sound

[SlyMart]

I bought a 1978 Corvette last summer and the previous owner put some hooker headers on it and never gave me the original exhaust manifold. I find that the car is too loud. What would be the best thing to do to bring it back to factory sound. I don't care if the hookers headers has to go. I will keep the true dual exhaust setup and also add catalytic converters on it also. Should I buy a set of factory exhaust manifold or buy short headers?

I will soon post a video of my car when its starts...

 

[Keith Tedford]

I bought a 1978 Corvette last summer and the previous owner put some hooker headers on it and never gave me the original exhaust manifold. I find that the car is too loud. What would be the best thing to do to bring it back to factory sound. I don't care if the hookers headers has to go. I will keep the true dual exhaust setup and also add catalytic converters on it also. Should I buy a set of factory exhaust manifold or buy short headers?

I will soon post a video of my car when its starts...

No matter the year, you will need all the smog equipment to be legal. You might want to add cats behind the headers and add some quiet mufflers. Headers don't add much to the decibel levels. I'd keep them. Loud exhaust gets old pretty quickly especially on the highway and it is something that never appealed to me. Pedal to the metal gives me all the nice sounds that I need.

 

[buckhorn76]

just change the mufflers.

 

[SlyMart]

ok I guess I will need to find myself a pair of catalytic converters and mufflers.. I will need to do some research to find out which are the ones I need.

 

[SlyMart]

Also when the car is idling the car vibrates a lot does this means that I need to replace the engine mounts.?

 

[buckhorn76]

an easy way to check the mounts is have a friend sit in the car with his left foot on the brake in gear and give it a bit of throttle while you observe. if the mounts are bad the engine will shift to the right considerably.

 

[SlyMart]

I have decided to go with the Flowmaster Force II System since they have a great sound

 

[nascar03]

Sly... I run Flowmaster 50 series mufflers on my ZZ4 equipped C3.
I love the louder sound.
They are NOT factory sounding mufflers..?
I thought you wanted something quieter than what you have..?
In general .... Magnaflows are a little quieter than Flowmaster gear..
YMMV

graham

 

[SlyMart]

Here is a video of my car with the current exhaust sound. You will hear how loud is it...

 

[nascar03]

Hey Sly....
Your car looks awesome and sounds healthy!

Graham

 

[buckhorn76]

it's too quiet now !!! lol. nice lookin' car.

 

[Nik]

Barely audible you should hear mine...

 

[Keith Tedford]

As for me, I would not change the sound at all. In the old Chevelles, Flow Masters had a reputation to droning at highway speeds. This will drive you insane. We had that problem with our el Camino. Something to be aware of.

 

[SlyMart]

My corvette is very loud. If I drive at 80km it's pretty hard to hear the radio. it's freggin annoying how loud it is..

 

[Riley P]

I had Series 40 Flowmasters on my Chevelle. I got a LOT of compliments on the sound. They had good sound cruising around and let the beast out under full throttle. I never took it on the highway so drone was never a consideration. I also never installed the stereo as nothing on the radio could be the sound of a cammed BBC. Anyway, long story short. Flowmasters are awesome.

 

[CorvetteRon]

I've played with the exhaust for forty years on my '76. Headers, no cat., stock mufflers sounds pretty good, and tuck up nicely. But I like headers, no cat. and MagnaFlow's the best, not too loud.

 

[SlyMart]

I do find it too loud. On Thursday I finally received my race ramps which I ordered in October. I needed to do 2 trips in my Chevrolet Tahoe to bring everything home.

And this Friday evening with the nice warm weather that we are having lately I drove the C3 on the race ramps. I looked underneath the car and I think I have some flowmasters mufflers on the car already. I am not sure which model of flowmasters I have but I want them to be quieter.

 

[buckhorn76]

try an " X " pipe.

 

[Riley P]

My guess is that you have Series 40 mufflers. They are loud. They are AWESOME!.......if you like loud....... I used to have a full 3" set on my Chevelle. That car made women and children cry and 4 cylinder cars whither into a small pile of shame*.




* Please note, I did not actually make women or children cry.....on purpose....and was very selective of where I unleashed the beast, such as keeping the revs down in residential areas, and never did street race.

 

[SlyMart]

Thanks for the info. I am changing the exhaust system and keeping the headers. I will go with the flowmaster II system that I mentioned in my previous post. I am going to put back the 3:55 gearsand remove the 3:70 gear that is in currently. I don't drag race or bought this car for speed. It's just for cruising. I am also going to rebuild the differential and change the yokes on it too and all the bushings and the rear stuts and coil and the spring leaf too.