TECH TIPS MUFFLERS PART ONE-STAINLESS VERSUS STOCK SYSTEMS

Old car guys typically break down into two camps-bone stock original or ultimate performance. Mufflers are encompassed in this debate but, unlike a custom paint job, a muffler isn’t optional.

Especially if you don’t like nodding off behind the wheel of your Boss 302 Mustang at 85 miles per hour thanks to a carbon monoxide sedative.

The original equipment guys have a few options to recreate that factory look and sound in their classic rides. We talked to various experts to fill in the blanks on the old-car muffler issue.

Most admit they can recreate the look of a stock muffler system simply because muffler guys been around since Fred Flintstone was their first customer. In other words, they “know what it supposed to look like” simply because they worked on most of these cars when they were relatively new. That’s a big advantage and it’s an important question to ask your muffler guy. If he looks 18, he probably isn’t working from memory.

If you insist on an exact system using factory parts, they advise that you do some research and track down the whole factory system yourself. If that’s not feasible, they suggest that you at least find the factory exhaust tips and he can fab up a system that is a very close approximation of the original configuration.

A stainless steel system is another issue in the old car hobby. Experts listed the advantages of a stainless system with one word –longevity. Stainless steel will last longer and look better over the years than a standard exhaust pipe. That means your 57 Chevy will probably not be on a lift for muffler issues for a long time.

The single biggest factor with a stainless exhaust system is price-pros estimate the cost of pipe to be over 3 times that of a standard exhaust system. Other factors are that stainless is difficult to bend and you can easily end up with a crease on the inside of a bend. Most people react to that when they pay a premium for the stainless pipe so a good shop should advise them going in that this could happen.

Stainless also can only be bent up to 3” and the pipes can get brittle. Pros likes to emphasize these points before a system is built. They also put stainless systems on quite few diesels because there are ready-made systems built for these engines that are cost-efficient. Because they build them in large quantities, these systems cost less thanks to volume buying. As well, pros point out that stainless systems last a lot longer with diesels.

Basically if you want to replace the exhaust system on your old car you have to examine your options. That means that you should evaluate the pros and cons of both stainless and original. Most good shops will outline your options beforehand so the surprises don’t pop up in the bill or installation.

More on that in Part 2.