biggrizzly wrote:

I just got out from under the Vette to check on some things for the exhaust system and decided I was going to fix a long standign exhaust leak at the header collector myself prior to taking it in for the muffler replacements. I could see carbon tracing on the collector from exhaust gasses escaping from under the exhaust strap clamp that secures the "slip fit" extension pipes over the header collector.

So I remove the clamp and find out that the dumb ass that installed it last, attempted to make a "butt fit" between the collector and the extension by flattening one side of the expanded extension end and butting the two pipes up together. Ah... didn't it dawn on him that they were different diameters for a reason!!! No wonder it always had a frickin' leak. I suppose the driver side is just like it. What a frickin' idiot. I was a bigger idiot for taking the car to this nutjob in the first place just to shave a couple bucks. My life story.

I don't have the energy to pull this exhaust system down tonight and fix this right. Really pisses me off that I have been driving around for a year listening to this exhaust leak thinking there was nothing I could easily do about it.

I'm probably just going to take it to another shop that was recommended by some guys in a local hot rod club. They said the shop did really good work and wouldn't rape me. I checked them out on Angie's List and they have an A+ rating with about 25 positive reviews.

You would think with a big Corvette club at my resources I could find a reputable shop that does good work without soaking me.

biggrizzly wrote:
Well, I just got home from the exhaust shop after having the factory mufflers re-installed. I quickly made a couple observations which I'll note below. First off, I'd like to applaud Maryland Muffler in Millersville, MD for performing a great job of installation. The job was done both qucikly and for a reasonable amount of money; $250. I did supply all the parts but they removed the entire system and re-fitted all the pieces to ensure its integrity. I wanted a solid system and they provided that.

However, the factory mufflers in conjunction with the factory resonator is too quiet in my opinion. It still sounds pretty good from behind the car but in the cockpit I can barely hear anything. Maybe I just need to get accustomed to it, as I have been blasted by the other system for so long. My wife and mother will love it for sure! I think I have lost a couple punches on my "Man Card" for this muffler swap.

Although.... I hate to admit it, I think the square box tips of the factory LT1 mufflers really look like they belong hanging from that bumper compared to the dual tip Magnaflows I had before.

I'll continue to drive it this way for a while to see how I like it, but will be saving my coin for a Corsa system perhaps in the fall or next spring.

Overall I'm happy with the change! It's solid and you can still tell there is something non-factory under the hood.

biggrizzly wrote:
Well, I just got home from the exhaust shop after having the factory mufflers re-installed. I quickly made a couple observations which I'll note below. First off, I'd like to applaud Maryland Muffler in Millersville, MD for performing a great job of installation. The job was done both qucikly and for a reasonable amount of money; $250. I did supply all the parts but they removed the entire system and re-fitted all the pieces to ensure its integrity. I wanted a solid system and they provided that.

However, the factory mufflers in conjunction with the factory resonator is too quiet in my opinion. It still sounds pretty good from behind the car but in the cockpit I can barely hear anything. Maybe I just need to get accustomed to it, as I have been blasted by the other system for so long. My wife and mother will love it for sure! I think I have lost a couple punches on my "Man Card" for this muffler swap.

Although.... I hate to admit it, I think the square box tips of the factory LT1 mufflers really look like they belong hanging from that bumper compared to the dual tip Magnaflows I had before.

I'll continue to drive it this way for a while to see how I like it, but will be saving my coin for a Corsa system perhaps in the fall or next spring.

Overall I'm happy with the change! It's solid and you can still tell there is something non-factory under the hood.

bogus wrote:
Quote:

biggrizzly wrote:
Well, I just got home from the exhaust shop after having the factory mufflers re-installed. I quickly made a couple observations which I'll note below. First off, I'd like to applaud Maryland Muffler in Millersville, MD for performing a great job of installation. The job was done both qucikly and for a reasonable amount of money; $250. I did supply all the parts but they removed the entire system and re-fitted all the pieces to ensure its integrity. I wanted a solid system and they provided that.

However, the factory mufflers in conjunction with the factory resonator is too quiet in my opinion. It still sounds pretty good from behind the car but in the cockpit I can barely hear anything. Maybe I just need to get accustomed to it, as I have been blasted by the other system for so long. My wife and mother will love it for sure! I think I have lost a couple punches on my "Man Card" for this muffler swap.

Although.... I hate to admit it, I think the square box tips of the factory LT1 mufflers really look like they belong hanging from that bumper compared to the dual tip Magnaflows I had before.

I'll continue to drive it this way for a while to see how I like it, but will be saving my coin for a Corsa system perhaps in the fall or next spring.

Overall I'm happy with the change! It's solid and you can still tell there is something non-factory under the hood.

cool.

Now, get the hatch vent from the corvette gadget man and you are back in to audio heaven.

BillH wrote:
Ah, you guys and your mufflers.