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VenturaGhia Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2012 Posts: 119 Location: Ventura
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Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 9:47 pm Post subject: What's your preferred exhaust? |
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Just looking for opinions on exhaust systems, right now my ghia has a 4-1 with a single big magnaflow off to the one side, I do really like the sound if this setup I'm not a big fan of the looks. I was kinda interested in the empi gt style exhaust but have read in multiple places that empi products may be subpar.
So what exhaust system do you prefer and why? |
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Altema Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2010 Posts: 2903 Location: Lower Michigan
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Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 10:25 pm Post subject: |
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Depends on the driving situation, but...
For trips and winter usage I use a Bugpack 4 to 1 header with a single quietpack. Almost silent at idle and light cruising, but loud enough to set off car alarms when you open it up. Good power up to 4800 RPM, and the flat oval shape is fairly small and discreet.
For summertime with the windows open driving, same header with the Bugpack straight through glass pack muffler. Sound sends chills up my spine when I run through the gears, sounds better than a vintage Triumph or MG, and the muffler is small and mostly hidden. Almost no restriction lets the engine pull to 6000 RPM. Downside is it gets irritating on a long freeway trip.
I also have a stinger extractor for racing, and a baffle insert for that same extractor in case I'm ever crazy enough to drive it that way on the street! Of course, when the baffle is in place, it no longer works as an extractor... Neat thing is the system only takes a few minutes to change between the different mufflers, but that would be true of any three bolt header.
Paul |
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VenturaGhia Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2012 Posts: 119 Location: Ventura
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Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2012 11:01 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you for the info, I'm liking the quietpack, I'm also really interested in the hide a way quiet pack.
Anyone out there mount up a hide a way on their kg? How do you like it? |
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cseay1 Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2012 Posts: 1341 Location: Elkwood VA
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 6:36 am Post subject: |
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I have been pondering exhaust for my 68 ,, I know the collector style systems offer better performance but I think it really ruins the looks of a nice car to have all those pipes and mufflers hanging below the rear of the car like hemorrhoids. A few I have been considering:
OEM VW Mexico beetle exhaust (cheap)
Vintage Speed Stainless Superflow (made in Taiwan but John Moxon testifies to its quality) .. is $$$ though
Tri-Mil Euro which is available ceramic coated or black paint with stainless tips
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Bones 53 Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2005 Posts: 661 Location: Reno NV
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 7:01 am Post subject: |
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NOVA Airhead Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2005 Posts: 5221 Location: Richmond, VA
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 7:10 am Post subject: |
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Stock for me mainly because as one poster said the looks of some of the after market systems are less than ideal.
Tri-mil is probably a good compromise from stock. Seems like a lot of people like them. You may want to try a search. _________________ Ghia Owner Emeritus |
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Altema Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2010 Posts: 2903 Location: Lower Michigan
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 7:57 am Post subject: |
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NOVA Airhead wrote: |
Stock for me mainly because as one poster said the looks of some of the after market systems are less than ideal.
Tri-mil is probably a good compromise from stock. Seems like a lot of people like them. You may want to try a search. |
Yeah, looks are certainly less than ideal, but some stick out like crazy. You can see my pipes from the back, but nothing sticks out but the muffler tip. I tried going back to an aftermarket stock type muffler for looks, even had a shop repair a weld that had split, but that strangulation above 4500 rpm is was made me pull it back off. That Tri-mil looks like a good one, but I suspect the vintage speed unit would perform better...
Paul |
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cseay1 Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2012 Posts: 1341 Location: Elkwood VA
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 8:09 am Post subject: |
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The Vintage Speed is available in a "Sport" version which they say is good to 125hp, or a "Superflow" version that is good to 150hp
Does anyone know what the difference in sound between the two is? |
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Bones 53 Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2005 Posts: 661 Location: Reno NV
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 8:57 am Post subject: |
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Ground clearance is an issue that's why I like the sidewinders. On top of that the sidewider with magnaflow muffler flows like an open stinger. |
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sactojesse Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2006 Posts: 2655 Location: Sacramento, California, USA
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 9:43 am Post subject: Re: What's your preferred exhaust? |
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VenturaGhia wrote: |
Just looking for opinions on exhaust systems, right now my ghia has a 4-1 with a single big magnaflow off to the one side, I do really like the sound if this setup I'm not a big fan of the looks. I was kinda interested in the empi gt style exhaust but have read in multiple places that empi products may be subpar.
So what exhaust system do you prefer and why? |
The answer to this question depends on what's under your decklid.
For stock engines retaining the stock carb, a stock exhaust is probably best, as it provides sufficient manifold heat for the centermount carb.
For stock or modified engines with dual carbs and stock valve sizes (35.5 mm intake, 32 mm exhaust) with stock heater boxes, I like 4 into 1 extractors (1 3/8") with dual QPs. IMO, dual QPs look and sound better than single QPs.
For modified engines with dual carbs, larger than stock valve sizes, and the Dansk 1.5" high-flow heater boxes, the Bugpack Street Max system is nice, but you're stuck with the ugly Mondo muffler. (That's what I'm running on my 2110 with 1.5" heater boxes.) There are two other options that are better looking, IMO: 1) an A-1 Sidewinder and 2) Vintage Speed's 38 mm (125 hp) heater box system.
For modified engines with dual carbs and larger than stock valve sizes and no heaters, I prefer merged exhausts with dual QPs. _________________ 1966 Karmann-Ghia convertible
Last edited by sactojesse on Fri Nov 09, 2012 10:41 am; edited 1 time in total |
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sactojesse Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2006 Posts: 2655 Location: Sacramento, California, USA
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 9:48 am Post subject: |
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cseay1 wrote: |
I have been pondering exhaust for my 68 ,, I know the collector style systems offer better performance but I think it really ruins the looks of a nice car to have all those pipes and mufflers hanging below the rear of the car like hemorrhoids. A few I have been considering:
OEM VW Mexico beetle exhaust (cheap)
Vintage Speed Stainless Superflow (made in Taiwan but John Moxon testifies to its quality) .. is $$$ though
Tri-Mil Euro which is available ceramic coated or black paint with stainless tips
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The VW Mexico exhaust has a 4 into 1 design which should flow much better than the Tri-Mil. The Tri-Mil will likely last longer though. Vintage Speed is an excellent design, combining the flow characteristics of a 4 into 1 extractor with stock looks, plus stainless steel construction. Don't be discouraged about Taiwan. $5,000 carbon road bike frames (e.g., Pinarello Dogma, Wilier Triestina Cento Uno, etc.) are made in Taiwan. _________________ 1966 Karmann-Ghia convertible |
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swavananda Samba Member
Joined: February 14, 2009 Posts: 889 Location: Can o' Scruz
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 10:38 am Post subject: |
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i went with dual QP, somewhere on here there is a write up on dyno comparisons with various mufflers on a same mild hp engine and QP was the best . so it flows good and it is quiet ,which was a big factor for me, i am o.k. with how it looks
big downside is the ground clearance ,my car was lowered a bit when i first put it on and it got scrapped alot and eventually had to weld up some cracks at the ' Y '
the car is more stock height now and the muffler dosen't hit as much now and still got some years left in it ,but it looks a bit more haggard now than it does in the pic.
from what i gathered the hide away is also good and quiet but might not fit under a ghia , with differences in the body metal in that area
i would like to know how the vintage speed sounds , how loud/quiet is it compared to stock or the QP ? |
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c21darrel Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2009 Posts: 8206 Location: San Dimas
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 10:42 am Post subject: |
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i like a merged exhaust and dual quiet pac, always like the look and sound. |
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cseay1 Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2012 Posts: 1341 Location: Elkwood VA
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 10:55 am Post subject: |
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I took another look at the OEM VW Mexico unit .. according to aircooled.net they are on backorder with an unknown restock date, and they also had the following note about them:
"The quality is NOT GREAT, we strongly recommned some grinding on the inside to clean up th welds prior to use. This muffler will lose the paint quickly, but most of it is hidden under the apron so you can't really see it. The preheat flanges are useless too, just so you know."
I guess that narrows my list to two by attrition |
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c21darrel Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2009 Posts: 8206 Location: San Dimas
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 11:06 am Post subject: |
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I love that Aircooled.net actually tells you in advance if you are buying a quality part or one they will sell you, but you will be disappointed. Their whole online catalog is like that. Rare honesty. |
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swavananda Samba Member
Joined: February 14, 2009 Posts: 889 Location: Can o' Scruz
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cseay1 Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2012 Posts: 1341 Location: Elkwood VA
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 11:45 am Post subject: |
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there are folks who swear by the stock original muffler .. I was also considering going back to that with some of the larger tapered tips .. but that test pretty much shows anything is better than the original muffler .. |
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Altema Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2010 Posts: 2903 Location: Lower Michigan
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 2:41 pm Post subject: |
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cseay1 wrote: |
I was also considering going back to that with some of the larger tapered tips .. but that test pretty much shows anything is better than the original muffler .. |
The taper tips make a nice difference. Even at the smallest point, the internal diameter is larger than stock, and they sound way better than the peashooters. I almost think VW made the stock tips so that they would shoot the exhaust as far away as possible, and the expenses of performance... not that they were concerned with performance anyway, lol. |
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Altema Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2010 Posts: 2903 Location: Lower Michigan
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 2:55 pm Post subject: |
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Nice write up, too bad the audio links are missing. Seems like the dual QP would be the one for me... may as well complete the set and have all four muffler setups! I like the looks but was told it would kill torque. From the dyno results, the drop in low end is minor.
You know what would be strange? Cut off one side of the dual QP, and weld on a racing stinger in it's place with an electric valve to switch between the muffler and wide open. Carb mix would not be ideal though... |
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giraffeinbath Samba Member
Joined: January 29, 2012 Posts: 29 Location: Bath, UK
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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sactojesse wrote: |
Don't be discouraged about Taiwan. $5,000 carbon road bike frames (e.g., Pinarello Dogma, Wilier Triestina Cento Uno, etc.) are made in Taiwan. |
Slight tangent on the subject, but to elaborate on sactojesse's point and as it may be of interest to some, as Taiwanese companies go Giant Bicycles are the biggest manufacturer of bicycles in the world with design innovations that have changed bicycle design as we know it plus they make bikes for a lot of other well known global bike companies. If you are riding around on an aluminium Trek or a Specialized, guess who likely made them
The company is actually so massive they control the whole process of their aluminium bicycle manufacturing from smelting the ore to the finished bicycle, the only thing they don't do is dig it out the ground! I think that's a pretty impressive fact.
That's just the alloy bikes, I haven't touched on their carbon technology,
So Taiwanese doesn't mean cheap and shonky, it often means value for money and world class!
End of the bicycle related Taiwanese manufacturing tangent
...oh and the Vintage Speed exhausts are great quality and sound good too, we have one on our bay and I'll be buying one for the Ghia as soon as funds allow... _________________ ::
:: www.karmann-ghia-forum.com
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