First my disclaimer: I've used the search tool for "head" "headers" "exhaust manifold"... and believe me i've read 4 pages of threads.

My situations is as follows. I have a newly rebuilt F54 block flat top piston with n42 head (ported and polished). Stock cams. Stock exhaust (so far). Before i put the motor back into the car i'd like to finalize a decision on whether to put a header on or not.

The main dilemma is the noise. I understand the performance gains, but i've read a few bits here and there about how people regret putting one on because of the increased exhaust noise.

My goal: To have a street use, quick Z. To have an exhaust note that is sporty, but note "ricer" nor droning in the cabin. My Z is purely a weekend car, not a daily driver. Cars i've owned in the past that have these characteristics w/o the LOUD exhaust; BMW M3 stock, Honda S2000 stock....and yes, when i was 18 i had a ricer Honda Civic Si (headers, exhuast...the whole deal, but we were all young once...right?)

Exhaust packages i'm considering:

• MSA premium exhaust for STOCK manifolds. It has a custom y pipe and goes all the way to muffler--This to me seems to be the safest bet.

• MSA 6-2-1 Header connected to MSA premium exhaust--This is definitely the most expensive

• MSA 3-2 Header connected to the MSA turbo exhaust--This id definitely the cheapest

Any thoughts, suggestions, concerns appreciated. Thanks

I get comments on the exhaust all the time. It's either "Is that a V8?" "Dude! That sounds sweet" "ya, I heard ya coming, thought it was a muscle car or something bigger" I tell them what it is, they look surprised every time.

I have a ceramic coated 6-into-1 squareport header, 2.5" single piece exhaust pipe, back thru a Schucks $20 Turbo muffler (Raptor Muffler)

That one is way cleaner and higher revving than mine, but here's a few samples of mine......

I wish I had a better Sound bite for ya.

here's a doughnut in the same car, about 4500 rpm???

6500 RPM's with NO Muffler

My 260Z with 6-into-1 header and 2" pipe thru a repro Ansa muffler (tip)

and Bluestreak resinator in the middle (2 feet after the header)

Dave

The Ansa muffler on your 260Z look exactly like the one on my Z, and was there in '92 when I bought it.

There will probably not be any performance difference between the stock exhaust manifold and any of the headers mentioned so far in this thread. IMHO, if you take the money you would spend on a header and spend it cleaning up the inside of the stock exhaust manifold, port matching it to the head, and getting a real ceramic coating done (not JetHot Sterling) then you'll be better off for your intended street use with a stock cam.

There will probably not be any performance difference between the stock exhaust manifold and any of the headers mentioned so far in this thread. IMHO, if you take the money you would spend on a header and spend it cleaning up the inside of the stock exhaust manifold, port matching it to the head, and getting a real ceramic coating done (not JetHot Sterling) then you'll be better off for your intended street use with a stock cam.

So John, think you can continue with the stock manifold if you go with a mild cam upgrade?

So John, think you can continue with the stock manifold if you go with a mild cam upgrade?

It depends on what your goals are. A mild cam upgrade will work with the stock exhaust manifold but you might get a little more with a good header. For racers that little more is well worth the effort because the car spends so much time at full throttle. For a street driven car that spends, maybe, 2% of its drive time at full throttle, its probably not worth the effort to swap out the manifold for a header.

But just for sh*ts and giggles... who has a car that sounds like this?... AWESOME

My Rebello 3.1 stroker with triple Mikunis, 3-2-1 JetHot coated header and Ansa tip sounds just like that.... I love it!!

i think its all in what you put in your exhaust that depends on the sound. me i have a 6-1 header and 2.5 pipe and a non carb legal cat and a magna flow muffler. i have to say i get comments on the sound all the time it has a nice rumble to it and its not to ricey. im just gonna say its all in how you set it up pipe it and what you use in it i.e muffler and cat wise. just my 2 cents.

I would use the MSA 6 to 1 header but use a different muffler. The MSA mufflers seem to drone and be a little loud. Try something like a magnaflow or dynomax or something

I think whatever exhaust you decide on OTHER than stock usually manifests a drone somewhere in the rpm range. My car under load at 2000 to 2500 has a pretty loud drone noise and I try to avoid hovering in that range. I have an MSA header 3-2 with dual exhaust all the way back with glass packs AND turbo mufflers too. In hindsight I might have ran mufflers that were NOT straight thru type to help suppress noise.

On the other hand I LOVE the exhaust sound 90% of the time.

I put a long sound clip under the exhaust forum under the thread - "music to my ears", if you want to listen to the exhaust. I get a lot of nice compliments from folks who actually ride in the car, they say it sounds great.

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?43350-Music-to-my-ears&highlight=music

how about that for a nice sounding z...i know its an l28 but its still close enough!