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youngnstudly
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Joined: October 21, 2005
Posts: 836
Location: Whine Country (SF Bay area)
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 Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 5:39 pm Post subject: |
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I ran the Bugpack hideaway for 7 or 8 years and that was by far the best muffler I have ever had. Yes valve adjustments were a pain (sort of) but the smooth and extemely quiet sound is great. I did notice an increase in power between that muffler setup and a regular quiet pack. Plus you really can't find any of the "cool" quiet packs that used to be available ("back in the day"). Berg, S&S, and (whatever other companies I am forgetting about) are no longer producing the quiet packs (dual or single). Actually, Thunderbird might still be around and they were always nice, IMO. I'd still run the Bugpack Hideaway though.
Andy
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Rome
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Joined: June 02, 2004
Posts: 10714
Location: Pearl River, NY
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| Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 3:05 pm Post subject: |
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rustfree, some tips for your hide-away based on several years of running one on my Beetle (low-miles hobby car).
I bought a rubber generic muffler hanger kit at discount auto parts store. Drilled a hole in the body bottom channel to attach the strap, then used a 8mm bolt, nut and fender washers to hold the bottom of the strap to the metal tab on the front of the hide-away.
Yes, the muffler does get in the way of valve adjustments. You must remove it to get to the right side valves.
Coat all bolts (muffler flange and the hanger strap) with never-seize compount so they come off easily.
Have spare gaskets on hand for muffler flange since the one on there now most likely will disintegrate the first time you separate that joint.
Paint the whole system with a good high-heat paint after stripping off the "shipping paint" and cleaning everything with paint thinner.
Use 1.5" U-bolts (from car parts store) to hold the header flange ends to the back of the heater boxes, in addition to the stock-type clamps. Coat those U-bolt nuts with anti-seize also.
I've also exchanged the hideaway muffler for a single quiet-pack muffler on the same car and engine (near-stock 1600 with KAdrons) and notice no difference in power. Exhaust sound is similar with the QP being slightly louder but not at all "too loud". Both mufflers have very "favorable" sound. Unless you paint the QP muffler black, it is too "noticeable" from the rear and therefore I prefer the hideaway, which I also painted black. |
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martyhibb
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Joined: July 21, 2004
Posts: 72
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| Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 3:35 pm Post subject: |
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| I have a CB performance hideaway and I like it. It is NOT a "restrictive piece of crap". It has a nice sound and performs well on a smaller motor. VW Trends did a dyno test several years back of all the typical aftermarket exhaust systems on a 1600 and a hideaway performed well. The only thing I don't like is having to remove it to adjust the valves. |
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bugnut68
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Joined: June 10, 2003
Posts: 4180
Location: Eugene, OR
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| Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 3:25 pm Post subject: |
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| rustfree1967bug wrote: |
| I found a bugpack dealer about 70 miles from me. I called to see if they had the parts that I need and he told me I would need part numbers. So I checked the bugpack catalog and I think these are the part numbers I need. 2031-10 for the header 2556 for the hideaway muffler. This is for a '70 bug with 1600 and I want to keep my heater boxes and heat. I just want to confirm with you guys that these are the part numbers I need before I call back. Thanks |
Yeah, if you have the part numbers, you should be good to order through your dealer. I think Bugpack's web site has their products listed by part numbers, too: www.bugpack.com (if you need to confirm part numbers). |
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rustfree1967bug
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Joined: November 16, 2006
Posts: 3446
Location: minnesota
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| Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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Anyone?
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rustfree1967bug
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Joined: November 16, 2006
Posts: 3446
Location: minnesota
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| Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 7:52 am Post subject: |
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I found a bugpack dealer about 70 miles from me. I called to see if they had the parts that I need and he told me I would need part numbers. So I checked the bugpack catalog and I think these are the part numbers I need. 2031-10 for the header 2556 for the hideaway muffler. This is for a '70 bug with 1600 and I want to keep my heater boxes and heat. I just want to confirm with you guys that these are the part numbers I need before I call back. Thanks
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'69 ghia
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'67 so-42
IDA's...well... they talk dirty -MURZI |
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andk5591
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Joined: August 29, 2005
Posts: 16807
Location: State College, PA
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| Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 4:25 am Post subject: |
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don't know the diference myself - only one I have used was the bug pack - I laughed when I saw the post about it being a bad piece - I too saw the dyno test artricles and thats one of the reasons I got one. Sound is nice - particularly when you are on it. It wont wear out your ears when cruising, but it's louder than stock and doesnt sound like a VW at all. Its really helping with the illusion I am creating on my current project.
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rustfree1967bug
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Joined: November 16, 2006
Posts: 3446
Location: minnesota
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| Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 10:00 pm Post subject: |
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Ok so one more question. Is cb performances hideway system any different in performance, sound or how it fits than the bugpack? The only reason I ask is because the cb one is cheaper.
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'70 ghia
'69 ghia
'65 singlecab
'66 sunroof beetle
'74 bus
'67 so-42
IDA's...well... they talk dirty -MURZI |
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tattooed_pariah
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Joined: April 24, 2006
Posts: 2064
Location: El Cajon, CA
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| Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 11:49 am Post subject: |
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| vwblue1967 wrote: |
| i have had two different hideaways and loved them.....good for not scraping and nice sound...also like how it gives a clean look...i never had a prob w/mine coming loose but do have to remove for valve adjstmnt....i saw a test somewhere and the hideaway did pretty good compared to other exhaust |
Mine may have come loose because I did have a problem with scraping... I'm not very friendly with speed bumps, which is why I refuse to lower the rear, but occassionally I would smack speed bumps or railroad tracks with the 3 bolt flange going from the header to the hideaway..
Depending on the availability of good shops in your area, you might consider finding an exhaust shop to work with to get the sound you want in a style you like.
If you were in the San Diego area, I could HIGHLY recommend a shop over in East County who does excellent work and provides some of the best customer service I've ever had. He was also very reasonably priced. I went there to have flanges welded on my J-tubes and header and he quoted me at $150, when i went to pick it up less than a day later, he mentioned that they noticed where the header was merging there was a bottle neck problem due to wrong size tubing, so they cut off the end of my headers and put on the proper size tubing with no extra charge, and then gave me a discount for being military on top of it all (wound up costing me about $135).. oh, he also gave me his home phone number so I could arrange to meet him at the shop on a sunday to drop off the car since that was the only time I had available. If anyone wants his info, PM me, I don't want anyone to think I'm just trying to advertise for him..
back on topic, I've had the same problems about being worried of buying an exhaust and not liking the sound.. not much you can do about it though unless you know people with the exhaust you want to hear or can find audio on the net somewhere.. 
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'72 Volksrod |
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chambersc
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Joined: April 08, 2007
Posts: 349
Location: Enid, OK
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| Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 11:44 am Post subject: |
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I have a hideaway on mine and like it.
I've had all sorts of exhaust leak issues, but it hasn't had anything to do with the hideaway, it's the slip fit connections at the heaterboxes. Hopefully I've corrected that now.
All in all though, I like my hideaway set up. I just bought 5 of the soft copper gaskets from CB Performance for when I have to do valve adjustments and have them hanging in my garage when I need them.
Anyone ever tried having the muffler swapped out for a flowmaster or something else using the original tubing for a little deeper sound? The thought has crossed my mind, but I've never tried it.
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vwblue1967
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Joined: May 31, 2005
Posts: 187
Location: r-town
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| Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 11:27 am Post subject: |
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i have had two different hideaways and loved them.....good for not scraping and nice sound...also like how it gives a clean look...i never had a prob w/mine coming loose but do have to remove for valve adjstmnt....i saw a test somewhere and the hideaway did pretty good compared to other exhaust
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[email protected]
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Joined: August 03, 2002
Posts: 12785
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
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| Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 9:32 am Post subject: |
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gimme a break; the Hideaway is the best muffler available for street headers (headers that retain the stock heat exchangers). PERIOD. Every other muffler has problems of some sort.
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bugnut68
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Joined: June 10, 2003
Posts: 4180
Location: Eugene, OR
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| Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 9:09 am Post subject: |
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| Michael Fischer wrote: |
You want the loudest and best performing and you only give 2 choices. Thats not gonna work. The hideaway is a restrictive piece of crap. It will hinder performance. It also needs to be removed to adjust the valves. The quietpack will give you better performance and won't get in the way when you go to adjust valves.
You are adding it to a stock 1600?? Don't expect much gain. Maybe 0.2HP. Forget about noise. Get the quiet pack. |
As a guy that, last I heard, owns and operates a shop in Salem, I would think you would maybe consider NOT putting out a bunch of misinformation. Where did you get the idea that a hideaway is a "restrictive piece of crap?"
As I recall, both Hot Vws and VW Trends have done dyno tests on both heater box header and merged header versions of that muffler, and it matched the single and dual QP versions, respectively.
The only thing in your post that's accurate is the point about having to remove the muffler to adjust valves.
0.2 horsepower gain? Try again,. chachi. The horsepower gain won't exactly be neck-snapping, but dyno tests have proven a lot more than what you're presenting.  |
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tattooed_pariah
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Joined: April 24, 2006
Posts: 2064
Location: El Cajon, CA
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| Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 10:47 pm Post subject: |
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I agree with the hideaway sounding nice, differen from stock definitely, but yeah, it's hard to describe.. I liked it though..
I didn't treat mine at all paintwise, just used it as it came out of the box.
My only big recommendation, and i guess this applies to all exhaust, not specifically this one, is to throw some spare nuts/bolts into your toolbox, just in case you notice yours are missing one day.. 
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'72 Volksrod |
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rustfree1967bug
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Joined: November 16, 2006
Posts: 3446
Location: minnesota
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| Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 10:38 pm Post subject: |
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Ok thanks so much. I think i'll just go ahead and order the bugpack hideaway system. Did you just paint yours with a high temp paint? Also was installation easy? I plan to pull my motor soon to put in new tranny mounts which should make it easier.
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'69 ghia
'65 singlecab
'66 sunroof beetle
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'67 so-42
IDA's...well... they talk dirty -MURZI |
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Brian_e 
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Joined: July 28, 2009
Posts: 4196
Location: Rapid City, South Dakota
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| Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 10:24 pm Post subject: |
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| I like the sound much better then stock. It doesn't sound like a stock beetle, but it doesn't sound like a flowmaster either. Don't know how to explain it, but myself and other car guys think it sounds great. |
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rustfree1967bug
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Joined: November 16, 2006
Posts: 3446
Location: minnesota
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| Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 10:19 pm Post subject: |
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Ok great. So was the hide away more quiet than your old stock exhaust? I was looking at the vw trends exhaust article and it looks like the hideaway actually made a little more power and torque than the single quiet pack. I just want to see a good video of how the hide away sounds.
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'70 ghia
'69 ghia
'65 singlecab
'66 sunroof beetle
'74 bus
'67 so-42
IDA's...well... they talk dirty -MURZI |
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Brian_e
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Joined: July 28, 2009
Posts: 4196
Location: Rapid City, South Dakota
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| Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 10:12 pm Post subject: |
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| i have had a bugpack hideout for over a year. Great fit, pretty quiet and mellow sound, and slightly better performance then the rusty stock muffler. I welded the nut to the muffler hanger strap and it made assembly way easier. |
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rustfree1967bug
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Joined: November 16, 2006
Posts: 3446
Location: minnesota
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| Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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How did yours sound? Also did you notice much of a power difference?
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'70 ghia
'69 ghia
'65 singlecab
'66 sunroof beetle
'74 bus
'67 so-42
IDA's...well... they talk dirty -MURZI |
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tattooed_pariah
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Joined: April 24, 2006
Posts: 2064
Location: El Cajon, CA
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| Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 9:55 pm Post subject: |
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I ran a generic hideaway for years with my 1776, aside from being in the way when I wanted to access that side of anything, I also had problems with the mounting hardware continually rattling loose. I have no idea how many nuts/bolts I replaced over the years.
Also, if you don't catch it quick enough, the tabs that sticks off of the muffler portion can punch some gnarly holes in your heater box when that bolt falls out..
Course, I probably didn't install mine right or something.. but overall, it put up with a lot of abuse and seemed to do it's job reasonably well..
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'72 Volksrod |
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