Flowmaster vs Magnaflow muffler

[csi2000s]

Hi all,

I have a 1974 Spider fitted with a 2 liter engine which has hi comp pistons, 1800 ported and polished head with performance cams, twin DCOE 45mm Webers and Abarth replica headers. My exhaust is letting everything down and I want to update it to a 2.25 inch design. I only want to fit a rear muffler and have been looking at the Flowmaster and Magnaflow brands. They approach muffler design differently with Flowmaster having the sound energy cancellation technology using deflectors and the Magnaflow which has the more traditional straight through design with packing material doing the job of reducing the noise levels.
Have any of you out there used these mufflers on your own cars and what results have you achieved? They both cost about the same and I'm keen to fit a dual tip as well. Or do you have any other brand suggestions?
Any feedback on these brands would be appreciated?
Cheers
Angelo

[TX82FIAT]

Angelo, Don't think it makes a lot of difference between magnaflow or flowmaster. I think it is more important to tune the car to whatever you put n it and make sure you have a little backpressure. I would ask if you are going to use a CAT converter. If not converter you may need two mufflers or a resonator in the line.

[So Cal Mark]

backpressure is only needed to quiet the system down, it hurts power. The Magnaflow with packing will get louder over time as the packing burns out. You might check into Hushpower 2 muffs. If you visit their website you can listen to the sound of the muffler on various cars

[csi2000s]

I don't need to use a CAT convertor as I'm located in Australia so I've got a fee reign to do what ever I like with the exhaust system.

[csi2000s]

Mark, I was looking at the Flowmaster super 44 series. Do you think that would be too aggressive and loud compared to the Hushpower 2's? I'm hoping it will compliment the sound of those Webers in full flight. The sound is addictive!

[So Cal Mark]

I haven't been a huge fan of the Flowmasters only because they seem to drone at hwy speeds. The Flowmasters have a deeper sound than the hushpower

[csi2000s]

I've been looking at the net for more info and there are few people on other forums, one in particular who has a Miata with a Flowmaster super 44 and mentioned that he gets the droning too at high speeds. So I'll be going for the Hushpower 2. One last question, does the length of the muffler tip have any bearing on the sound or efficiency of the muffler?

[So Cal Mark]

the tip will really only affect the sound if it has baffles in it.

[baltobernie]

I swear I had more fumes in the cabin with a straight tip than a down-turned one.

[surfingfreeman]

Based on Marks suggestion I went with the hushpower 2 and I Believe a California CARB cert. cat by magnaflow. This is all in conjunction with marks snake header and the rest of his exhaust kit. At first i thought the hushpower 2 was a bit loud but i have gotten used to it and i like its "growl". I would strongly suggest that if you buy the header you also buy the rest of his exhaust or at least a good braided flexible section as this allows for some movement from the header/engine relative to the bolted on exhaust which you would not get if you try and do a cut and weld from your old exhaust system to his header.

[kmac33]

On my 74, I have the IAP headers, than straight pipe to a Magnaflow with single tip exit.
This set up is on the loud side, but not obnoxiously so. I love the sound, and get lots of positive feedback on how the car sounds.

[csi2000s]

Thanks for all your replies, with the engine mods I've listed in my first posting what would be the best inlet pipe size, 2" or 2.25 "? The engine is a bit of a screamer. I'm replacing the entire exhaust because I'm fitting a rack and pinion steering system at the same time and the piping from the end of the headers needs to be changed to clear the steering rack anyway.

I'm leaning towards the Hushpower 2 muffler ( I like the philosophy behind it's design) fitted with the NOS Faza dual resonated exhaust tip I picked up from Midwest Bayliss a few months ago. I assume the HP 2 shortie at 12" in length would be the one to go for. I don't think the 18" version would fit. I like the idea of the flexible braided section and I'll into incorporating that into my exhaust. Marks exhaust looks great but it would cost a bomb to get it shipped to Australia from the USA. The HP 2 muffler costs $75 to ship down under. I can get the rest of the exhaust made locally.

[So Cal Mark]

the 18" muff is too long, get the 12" and use 2.25 tubing from the header to the muffler

[csi2000s]

Thanks Mark and to everyone else who posted. I now know exactly what I need to do! This is such a great forum, everyone is so helpful.

Thanks
Angelo

[divace73]

. I'm replacing the entire exhaust because I'm fitting a rack and pinion steering system at the same time and the piping from the end of the headers needs to be changed to clear the steering rack anyway .

Hey CSI, who is doing the rack and pinion, is it a 131 unit? Will they be intersted in doing 2 at the same time?