Muffler recommendations

My old 74 Chevy has basically true dual exhaust with regular mufflers on each side, never had cats. I'd like to have something a little more aggressive on there, but not too crazy. I think I'm going to wind up going old-school with the 1.3" whitewalls on the chrome Rallys I have, and maybe installing some factory fender skirts/wheelwell trim...so I'd like to keep the exhaust tone in check with how the car looks.

I was thinking about a pair of Hooker Aerochambers, but I'm not too sure, most videos I see online show them having different sounds for each application. They do sound kinda cool though, they have that old fashioned sound almost like a quieter glass pack without the popping.
I have a SI/DO Flowmaster 50 D/F on my Blazer but it's not very loud, I got it because I didn't want resonation under the passenger area.

I know a LT1 car with the mufflers gone and resonators installed sounds good, but I doubt my car would have the same exhaust tone with no mufflers. I dunno. My brother's RMS has Flowmaster 40s on it, not sure how it's set up.

Also, can anyone recommend a good exhaust shop in the Boston/NH area? I've gone to Lou's Custom in N. Reading, and the one on Route 1. It was cool when "Lou" actually owned it, he was at the one in Peabody and would even do free work for you sometimes so you'd be a repeat customer. But I guess he had to sell it for a divorce and isn't with the company anymore. N. Reading did my truck but there were a few things I didn't like about that job and I've had other people telling me that they weren't satisfied with the work/higher prices at the different locations.

I don't actually NEED a new exhaust system, the mufflers and tailpipes on the car are pretty recent and the front long pipes are solid.

I'm happy with the Summit Turbos on a daily. They're pretty quiet at idle (in 2.25") and roar at WOT pretty good. They are one notch under obnoxious in a 3" version though, in case yu were wondering. Those muffs may be a bit too quiet for you though.

I LOVE the way Magnaflows sound on everything, but I'm too cheap for them.

Glass packs might be the sound you're looking for. Don't put them where your mufflers are though. Put them Right before the tips, or as close to the end of the pipe (at bumper) as you can. That way you get the colume and mean tone, WITHOUT the redneck raspy-ness. I had that setup on my Impala for a while and loved it. I got the most compliments on it's unique sound then, too.

Yeah, I'm too cheap for them as well. I seem to remember the Hookers actually being well made and reasonably priced. I did ride in a DCM Impala SS once that had those mufflers on it, they seemed quieter at idle, then when you romped on it they were loud.

I'm kind of leaning toward a magnaflow or a dynomax ultra flow. The whole problem for me is trying to gauge how it's gonna sound with no cats, since most of what I hear HAS cats on it. I do think the magnaflow sounds a little raspy though...that coffee can full of ball bearings sound, that's not really what I want. I'm looking for more of a low toned, burbly throaty sound. I don't want another Flowmaster though.

I almost forgot, I'm pretty sure glasspacks are illegal in MA (which is stupid), so I'll probably avoid those.

Here is the ultra flow:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZs6K4erSXs

I like this sound:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXtHSAU-NSY

My car doesn't have a lopey cam or aftermarket headers or anything on it.

I had the hooker cat back on my blue and white caprice. It had the aero chamber mufflers and sounded awsome. Under light to moderate throttle it had a deep tone that was civilized. But under full throttle it was like awakening the beast.

IMPALADAKID wrote:

I had the hooker cat back on my blue and white caprice. It had the aero chamber mufflers and sounded awsome. Under light to moderate throttle it had a deep tone that was civilized. But under full throttle it was like awakening the beast.

Yea, I'm kind of leaning toward those now honestly. I thought that they might sound less burbly on my car since it has no cats, but whatever!

I still need to find a good exhaust shop, something tells me I'm going to wind up getting new pipes and everything, I just want to be different and go someplace other than Lous

I've got a good guy in Hampstead, NH. Southern NH Undercar. Ask for Dan. He's the owner. Tell him I sent ya.

Lou's used to be awesome, but it seems like the original "Lou" is gone and it's a bunch of random yah-dudes operating the locations now. I've only been to two or three of them though, they're kind of expensive.

Hampstead's not even far, I'll def look into that, thanks! Tax free sounds good.

There are a few Lou's down this way. One of them used to be awesome but lately they do the crappiest welding you ever saw in your life and they have trouble lining up the pipes before welding it in place. The other one I went to did nice work but I didn't crawl under to check their work, and it was a bit pricey.

The one in N. Reading did my 93 Blazer (cat, 3" pipe to SI-DO Flow 50 then 2.5 pipes running out the back with angled tips) about 6 months after I got it- Overall it seemed good, but cost about 6 or 700 bucks including a Magnaflow cat, which only lasted me about 2 years before it collapsed inside or clogged up or something when I was in Maine!
I also saw some crap welds on it with chunks of welding wire sticking out of them, when they welded my y-pipe they screwed that up and the weld had voids in it, and I swear one of the rear exh tips is higher. It's been on there for 3.5 years now so I'm starting to get rattles and stuff, I found a loose bolt for one of the hangers they made and I get a clack sound when my rear axle goes over bumps, so I think it's related. I'm being a nitpicker, I do like the exhaust system but I thought it would have been perfect for the price.

They also wouldn't let me have my old cat for junk and tried to tell me it wasn't worth anything!

The one in Peabody actually welded an exhaust system for me for FREE, but that was when Lou was there. Something happened and he had to sell the business, now some younger guy has it and people have told me they weren't as satisfied there. One of my friends had a single exhaust with a big angle tip welded together there and it fell off the truck a few times...

Anyone ever heard of custom tubes inc? He is the guy currently doing my exhaust...

Matt Trakker wrote:

Lou's used to be awesome, but it seems like the original "Lou" is gone and it's a bunch of random yah-dudes operating the locations now. I've only been to two or three of them though, they're kind of expensive.

Hampstead's not even far, I'll def look into that, thanks! Tax free sounds good.

I AGREE WITH YOU.. I CALLED ONE OF THE OWNERS AWHILE BACK AND HE GAVE ME A QUOTE FOR 2.5 PIPES AND TO PUT MY SUMMIT TURBOS MUFFS ON, AND I GO THE NEXT DAY ONE THE GUYS TOL ME $500 TO THAT I JUST LEFT

BoSStonsSS wrote:

Matt Trakker wrote:

Lou's used to be awesome, but it seems like the original "Lou" is gone and it's a bunch of random yah-dudes operating the locations now. I've only been to two or three of them though, they're kind of expensive.

Hampstead's not even far, I'll def look into that, thanks! Tax free sounds good.

I AGREE WITH YOU.. I CALLED ONE OF THE OWNERS AWHILE BACK AND HE GAVE ME A QUOTE FOR 2.5 PIPES AND TO PUT MY SUMMIT TURBOS MUFFS ON, AND I GO THE NEXT DAY ONE THE GUYS TOL ME $500 TO THAT I JUST LEFT

rip off