BillP

I am dropping my 2005 Mustang GT off at FlowMaster's R&D facility next week so they can develop a kit for it.

They are going to take pix and I'll do a write up here late next week.

Evil_Capri

Bill-

Very cool!

Are they looking to develop both 2 & 3 chamber mufflers specific to the '05?

Can't wait to hear the system.

BillP

At this point they are open minded, they need to drop in both solutions and see what they sound like.

acadian

How long will you be without your car? And are you getting the kit for free, since you have to be without your car for a number of days?

BillP

They need my car for 2-3 days, will do before/after dyno, and I get to keep the exhaust system in exchange.

;-)

adrenalin

So what is the big difference between Flowmasters and Magnaflow? I was just about to order the magnapaks for my GT.

acadian

That's like asking the difference between Coke and Pepsi. It's really all preference. I would say Magnaflow and Flowmaster are very similar in price, performance, quality, sound, etc. It's really just preference. Flowmasters are probably louder... but some might argue that. I personally have always liked Magnaflow. I just installed the Magnaflow axleback kit on my '05 yesterday. But, I'm not a real fan of really loud exhaust. So, I decided not to get the magnapaks. It has a real deep, throaty sound... slightly louder than the stock exhaust. Perfect for me. If you want it louder, get the paks... or wait until M1Rifle has his car and maybe posts a sound clip of the Flowmasters.

BillP

From what I've gathered, Flowmaster sells a range of solutions from their classic sound from their 40 Series (agressively loud, deep) to their more mellow 50 series that is a bit louder than OEM but not nearly as loud as their 40 series. They also now offer stainless steel mufflers which are thicker walled and mellower on the inside of the car.

Flowmaster sounds more like American V8 muscle, Magnaflow seems to have more of that Euro sound (throaty but without the deep low frequency punch).

I have only heard online clips of Magnaflow, so I may be wrong about that.

acadian

M1Rifle... I also was expecting my Magnaflows to sound a little more "Euro" (although I was hoping not)... but I have to say after installing them, the on-line sound clips do it no justice. It's very deep, and has that American muscle sound to it. Maybe not quite as deep (or loud) as many would like... but I definitely have never heard a car from Europe sound like this. Of course, the sound clips I have heard are the magnapaks... so maybe those are louder but not quite as deep and rumbly.

BillP

Nice!

I'm going with these because [a] chance to try them for free and [b] be the first with them for the 2005, which will help the rest of the 2005 owners who want more muffler choices and [c] they are local.

If I couldn't get [a] and [c] it probably wouldn't happen, I've got other things to spend my money on right now (spent enough on the car!)

acadian

I have always liked Magnaflow, and I would still take Flowmasters for reason "a", that's for sure. I take it you are getting the American Thunders? Can't wait to hear it.

BillP

I'm not sure at this point. When I drop it off, I'll talk to the R&D guy.

My preference is to get their Stainless 409 version of the 50 series as the muffler, but I'm not sure beyond that what other options there are.

Then I'm probably going to get an XCalibrator and get a tune on it and then we'll have some good dyno numbers for everyone.

adrenalin

well I guess I will have to wait to hear something. I just don't want to install something that will sound like a harley davidson. I put a MAC catback system on my 1990 5.0l and it sounded pretty good. I'd hope to find something like it.

orthoguy

You installed the kit yourself? Are the stock mufflers just clamped on or did you have to cut them off? Any performance gains?

I still am undecided on which exhaust system to go with....Just mufflers? Cat back? Headers, cat back & mufflers???

Thanks, Mike

acadian

Yes, I installed them myself. The axleback kit came with two mufflers... each with a 4" stainless tip welded on the one side and a curved 2.5" pipe welded on the other, along with two clamps. You just unbolt the existing muffler clamps (at the 2.5" curved pipes) and then unscrew the hangers (two on each side) and then do the reverse to put the new ones on. As far as performance, I can feel a slight improvement in acceleration. And I have about 900 miles on this car (before the installation), so I have a pretty good idea of the acceleration before the install. I love the sound (very deep and slightly louder than stock) and the the 4" tips look awesome. Hopefully will be able to post pics tomorrow.

orthoguy

Can't wait to see the pics!!

Thanks for the reply.

Mike

BillP

I dropped my car off at Flowmaster's R&D facility tonight. I have to thank my buddy Robert who drove up there with me. It's about 90 miles from my house, and about 65 miles from where we hooked up to convoy up to Santa Rosa. Robert's an old school muscle car guy (Mopar, mainly) who will do anything to further the cause of American Muscle. Hat's off to Robert (it was a 220+ mile round trip for him to help me tonight).

I spoke for a while with their R&D guy, and their just going to have to give a few different things a try. But it is likley that I'll end up with their Super 40 muffler. He anticipates that the 50's won't fit (in order to get the 50 to be a mellower cousin of the 40, they get large, probably too large for a rear muffler application in the Mustang's case).

The tips they are going to use appear to be IDENTICAL to the Magnaflow tips, without the Magnaflow name naturally. Must be the same supplier.

They will be taking pictures of the whole thing for their website, I'll get as many as possible and do a write up here when we're done with it, later this week. Should include before and after dyno runs.

freebass55

Nice. Free stuff rocks.

BillP

The system will be what they call a "H-pipe-back" system, as the factory h-pipe is slip-fitted to the factory exhaust sytem from there back.

Cat-back is a misnomer in this car. From what I've seen, the Magnaflow is an H-pipe-back system as well.

cyoda44

Sweet ... I can't wait to hear the new exhaust