I know this has been talked about ad nausium but:

Having had a couple of different exhausts (spent a good chunk of money on the last one) and heard a few other Z's I can say that the range in sound is quite amazing. I could really use some guidance because it will save me a lot of money-- you see, if I don't get it right, I'm just going to keep trying til I do.

Anyone think theirs couldn't sound better? If so, what do you have?

I'm looking at a bunch of stuff. I'm keeping my Clifford Research header (dual 3 into 2) but thinking about:

merging to a single 2.25 or 2.5 all the way back with

Round:

Magnaflow

Injen

5zigen

Supertrap

etc.

Car is NA with 2.8 and SU's-- mild port work and big valves.

Also thinking about adding back a small center resonator as necessary. Anyone got some mp3's of your car like they did with the 350z exhaust in the SportZMagazine test this month?

hey speedyblue...

your sig pic... I noticed is an interesting audio setup..

do you have any more pics?

well I have the coated 6 into 1 headers, good sized glasspack resonator about a foot after the header, 2 chamber flowmaster and a stainless resonated tip.

The sound at idle: a loping v8 (I always get asked if it is a conversion)

idle to 1999 rpms sounds good like a V8

2000-2450 sounds like you're standing inside a huge drum with a gorilla pounding on it....

everything after the 2450 is like a high whining ferrari.

I will reduce the pipe diameter after the resonator to reduce the resonance

and get another flowmaster 40 series but with the 2.25 inch inlet outlet...

and same tip.

I have the same arrangement sans resonanator/ no tip. - Bigger gorrilla, longer drum solo, same basic concept

All interesting comments regarding various exhaust setups! When I got my Z it had 2.25" pipe with who knows who's muffler at the rear and it sounded OK but, at that point in time I was a newbie to the Z car scene (1983 time frame). Since then and I mean within the last three years, I've reworked the entire car. Currently I have the Super Turbo setup, 2.5", from MSA and I couldn't be happier with the sound and performance of the system. It is attached to a Jet Hot coated 6-2-1 header from MSA. Here is the interesting thing! I have read a lot of posts about the resonance problem at about 2500 rpm but I have not experienced that problem with my system. Is it possible that the additional layer of insulation I added to the interior has damped out that resonance.....maybe yes? Any comments?

Just ordered the MSA Motorsport 6/1 header coated with the MSA 2.5" aluminized turbo exhaust system for my '78 280Z. It has a leak in the stock manifold and exhaust in pretty bad shape. Can't wait to hear the new pipes! Got the MSA system for $414 including coated header and exhaust shipping included. Hope I made a good choice.

Originally posted by jmark

Just ordered the MSA Motorsport 6/1 header coated with the MSA 2.5" aluminized turbo exhaust system for my '78 280Z. It has a leak in the stock manifold and exhaust in pretty bad shape. Can't wait to hear the new pipes! Got the MSA system for $414 including coated header and exhaust shipping included. Hope I made a good choice.

That's the setup I've been looking at. Please take pictures and let me know your impressions once you get it all installed!

... i can't make up my mind...

Twice Pipes or Aluminized 2.5"??

Performance gains? Equall?

So far Twice Pipes have gotten better results sound wise... hmmm

I've just about decided to go the custom route myself at the moment.. here is what I'm in the process of designing (all 304 Stainless steel)

9 feet of straight 2.5" 304

2 90" 304 Mandrel bends

14" x 5" x 9" Oval SS Magnaflow Muffler

2.5" SS Oval Cat

Simichome Metal Polish (to polish everything before I take it to an exhaust shop).

I'm still looking around for an exhaust tip that I like, but the total so far is $307.55 for the parts.... I might even be getting too much SS piping, but I'd like to have the exhaust shop make a test pipe if I can...

Anyone have any suggestions or comments? Maybe I should think about throwing a glass pack in there somewhere?

I LOVED the sound of the Magnaflow on my Eagle Talon... very nice grumble and pretty loud...

Oh, and hey Prox.. looks like you're in Colorado too...

I have sitting in my garage the coated MSA 6 into 1 header with the 2.5 in pipe and turbo muffler. just waiting for me to finish the other stuff first. I will get some pictures posted as I get started. I am anxious to hear it run myself

I just finished putting the 6-1 on my race motor with 2.25 all the way back and a 5" Supertrapp with 15 plates. It sounds....um....very interesting. Kinda strange. Actually quieter than my street car. Haven't had it above 4000 yet, so I don't really know how it whines, but can't wait. Probably take the pates out for most tracks. Then it will sound right!

steve

Steve, Someday I'm going to upgrade my exhaust to full SS with Supertrapp muffs.

I don't think you'll want to remove all the discs because the design requires the discs to function. Adding discs increases the area that exhaust needs to exit system, removing discs closes down system.

attached is some FAQ from Supertrapp, last chart shows opening in square inches for number of discs. Your 2 1/4" pipe has 3.97 square inches and based on chart (noting caveat at bottom) I think you would want approximately 18 discs.

I'd call for tech help to tune your particular system.

http://www.supertrapp.com/Automotive/technical%20bulletin%202002-10.pdf

Thanks for the very informative page, although I think you misunderstood me--I did not state clearly enough. I meant I will probably remove all the plates and the endplate and everything and just run it open like my other car. You're right, just 'removing all the disks' (leaving the endplate) would no doubt create a bit too much backpressure. I'm dynoing Tuesday and might play around with the backpressure a bit. One of the main reasons I went 2.25 is so I could run it wide open. I think 2.25 is perfect for N/A Z motors (yes, save all your flames--I've read it all). I am guessing 18 plates would be very near wide-open in terms of amount of backpressure produced.

steve