muffler question, Joe Lucia?

[Warren L.]

A while back you talked about the sound of the orginal GM mufflers say for a 70. I have an original new set so that will take care of my car but am thinking about my 72 GMC pickup. 400 SB.

At the last Performance World car show here in Toronto a gentleman told me he did his exhaust and did not like the sound, he then moved his mufflers back 4 feet and it sounded much better. If that statement is correct, it is interesting that the mufflers are at the very back of many Vettes.

I would like to try as close to original 70 mufflers on the pickup and put them right at the back and use the Vette Tips and maybe cut the bumper and adapt the surround that is on our figerglass cars. Have to do a mock up to see what looks right.

Joe you mentioned that there was some company that was making the closest reproduction to original muffler, could you let me know who that was. Years back there was someone at Carlisle that ran a display running an engine and switching from muffler to muffler so we could hear the different tones.

Thanks,

Warren

[Joe L.]

Re: muffler question, Joe Lucia?

Warren-----

I don't know of any firm which makes a muffler with an INTERNAL configuration like the original mufflers used on Corvettes. There are several that EXTERNALLY appear similar. However, it's the internal construction that most influences the sound, as well as other elements of design like shell material, shell thickness, etc.

The firm that you describe was Zierden. They did make excellent mufflers. Still, they were not exactly correct as to sound for a variety of reasons. They did try to duplicate internal construction, though, so theirs were about as close as you could get. Zierden sold their muffler business to a Milwaukee company by the name of ****CO which theretofore specialized in Volkswagen parts. I believe that ****CO still manufactures Corvette mufflers, but I don't know anything about them or how they compare to their predecessor.