'03 Cobra Exhaust

[Helo_Dude]

I'm new here and you were recommended by a big fan.

I have an '03 Cobra convertible. The only mod it's had so far is a cold air kit. The next mod I want to make is to the exhaust (from the headers all the way back). I want a deep/throaty exhaust but I don't want highway drone. I had been leaning towards BBK long tube headers, BBK catted h-pipes and Bassani exhaust. However, I just found this link: www.racerats.com/movies.html and that's how I want my Cobra to sound. I don't know anything about MAC though. I looked up the MAC headers/catted h-pipes/exhaust and they're considerably cheaper than the BBK and Bassani. Is MAC a cheap product? Does anyone know if MAC has that highway drone? Also...MAC sells a 3" exhaust and a 2.5" exhaust. What performance and sound benefits & drawbacks come from a 3" compared to a 2.5"? Thanks.

[puzzle13]

Hey, I tried the bassani catted xpipe & cat back exhaust on my 03 convertible, but it was way too loud for my taste. It also definitely had a drone at 2000 rpm. I ended up using the stock h-pipe with magnaflow cat back exhaust. The drone is much less and it does sound good. I will have to say that Bassani is some of the best fitting stuff out there though. The Magnaflow also fits very well. Be careful of the Flowmaster as I tried theirs and it did not fit my 03. I have heard that the Mac stuff is loud and has an even louder drone, but cannot speak from experience. I would try to hook up with some others and hear what theirs sounds like. With the convertible you tend to get a lot more noise and reverb.

[beerkat]

I like my Borla cat back. I still use the stock H-pipe and I have no drone that I notice. Fine the sound great at WOT and yet it does not disturb the neighborhood when I drive in or out.

I have read on this forum that headers will not do much for the stock engine in terms of power added.

[NC03BlkSnake]

On my 03, I have the Mac 2.5" Catback, love the sound of it. Just recently I had MM Performance install a VRS O/R X-pipe and it's quite a bit louder but personally I love the sound. I don't think you'll be able to find anything that doesn't have some drone. You might want to stick with the stock H-pipe and just do a MAC Catback that will give it a nice sound but not obnoxious. I've used MAC in the past and never ever had a problem with them or their quality, although some people will say otherwise. I'm not brand specific though, I look for good deals with up to par performance and in my opinion MAC has it.

Greg

[sssvtcobra]

I have an SLP loudmouth "2" catback with an off-road Bassani x-pipe. I love the sound of mine. And I can't think of any rpm's that I get drone at right now. It's a bit loud, but it sounds great. I could always put a catted x-pipe or h-pipe on it and it would quiet it down some. Plus I would get a deeper tone as well. I have heard the Borla stinger catback with a catted h-pipe and it sounded real nice. Not to loud but definately deep and throaty. I can't remember what brand the h-pipe was though. It almost made me want to swap out my exhaust.

Hope this helps

[InfamousSVT]

I've got Bassani Mid-length Headers, catted X-pipe and a Magnaflow Magnapak Cat-back.............sounds great, but way loud when you are on it and a nice loud annoying drone at cruising speeds.

As much of a hassle as it is to install headers on these cars, I would suggest going with a catted x or h pipe and a cat-back of your choice. The headers will really help the car breath better and make it louder, but like mentioned above no real hp gains from them.

I say go with a Magnaflow cat-back and x-pipe, nice and loud when you romp on it, but still tame at idle and cruising.

Good luck

Best place to get the Magnaflow is www.completeexhaust.com call to order and you'll get a better price then that advertised.

[ausie]

I like my SLP cat back with the factory H pipe and cats. However resonator type exhaust similar to the SLP loudmouth or Borla stingers may be too much for a convertable especially after they are installed but after they season in it will not be as ear piercing.

A multi-chamber muffler will bring out the low frequencies and reduce the higher tones and poping sound you get when motor braking with resonator type exhaust. To increase the low tones but also increase the drone a 3 inch exhaust or larger will increase the low order harmonics of the exhaust. Lower tones are also more noticable with an H pipe than an X pipe. The smaller the crossover on the H will increase the amount of bite. There was a good article in Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords on exhaust tuning a few months back. There are many X pipes out there and the intersection areas have different designs. I believe the Bassani is more like a combined H and X due to the size of the intersection between the two pipes.

The better components usually cost more if made from 304 Stainless steel. Just remember there are many grades of stainless steel. However, just because it costs more does not mean it will sound good.

[blk04cobra1]

Ive got the Bassani catback with an O/R H-pipe and turbo's...so it almost sounds stock at idle, then comes to life at WOT ...im leaning towards swapping to the MAC, but really like the way the Bassani sounds.

[cobrabitn]

On My Mystichrome I have the Magnaflow and it is tolerable at all levels especially at 70 mph or idle. At WOT, everyone says it's loud but I don't think so...

Now, on my 94 Cobra I have a MAC O/R pipe and MAC catback. It's loud obnoxious and drones at 2200 rpms but I love every minute of it. It sounds real tough for 225 rwhp...

[BlueOvalPower]

I have the Borla Stinger cat back and when it was with the stock H-pipe it sounded good, when I did the pulley swaps I wanted it to flow better so I put in an O/R X-pipe its way too loud now I am looking for a catted high flow X-pipe have been leaning towards the Bassani catted X-pipe maybe the Mac Pro Chamber but I really do not like the O/R its loud all the time except when it is under 2k RPM's which is what when I am at a light Good Luck!

[Silver10th]

From what I have see all chambered exhaust like Mac and Flowmaster have drone. Normally around 2k rpm. The straight thru exhaust like Magnaflow does not have near as much drone and a lot less sound in the car. The Chamber mufflers normally have a deeper tone while the straight thru mufflers have a (for lack of a better term) "racier" tone. I hope this helps.
A x-pipe will make it a little louder and put a little more sound in the car.

[ausie]

I have some drone but not to the point it is irritating. It is louder when the temperatures are cold out. I can barely hear it on the highway unless I am accelerating to pass. In otherwords I can listen to the radio without becoming deaf when the windows are up. Have to love those sound barriers on the highways otherwise I would not hear much with the windows down. I have no idea how loud the exhaust, but have been told it sounds great by others including one corvette owner who gave me the thumbs up. I have been followed by many police cars on occasion and so far have not been pulled over for any noise ordinance yet (I usually see them before it is too late).

I used to have a link for exhaust system sound clips. mustangexhaust.com but it no longer works.

[Helo_Dude]

Thanks for all the replies. Basically what I'm gathering from everyone and from people I've talked to recently is that the MAC will probably be too loud for my taste and I'll get drone on the highway...even though I admit the MAC does sound tough! It sounds like the headers are really going to make it louder too but I really want to put the headers on to let it breathe better because I do plan on making some more mods later. So I think I need a cat-back that'll really help quiet down the headers but still give that growl I want. It sounds like Borla or Magnaflow is the way to go for that. It's hard to spend this much money and be unsure if you'll like the result!

[AirForce1]

I have Bassani shorty headers, off-road-x, and cat back. Mine is loud on the highway but that is the way i like it. But have you done any looking in to magnaflow? It is not as much as bassani or borla and it has a deep sound with out a loud highway noise. http://www.magnaflow.com/04sound/04american.asp

[FearTheSnake]

I have the Bassani X-Pipe, Hi-flo cats with Magnaflo Cat backs. Great little rumble and not ear-deafening. 70mph on Interstate in 6th gear is not loud at all.