All Small Six Favorite Exhaust setup?

This relates to all small sixes
H

hobbes66

New member
Hi team,

I am in the midsts of a T5 conversion from my C4 for my 66 mustang with a 200. to get to the tranny ive gotta take off the current exhaust thats hanging there.....so this is the time to replace the junk thats there and replace it with something more beastly.

Ive got the duel outlet header from matt cox over at vintage inlines ready to go to replace the stock manifold. Im looking to run duel outlet that exit below the rear valence and im thinking of keeping everything at 2.0''

www.vintageinlines.com

Dual Outlet Header | Vintage Inlines

Vintage Inlines exhaust systems bolt directly to this header. Made from T304 stainless steel, the three piece design not only makes installation and removal much easier, the lower extension pipes can be modified for custom applications. Kit includes black oxide header studs.***Now available...
www.vintageinlines.com www.vintageinlines.com

Im leaning towards keeping it simple and just picking up one of the two systems that matt offers. either the imposter vs arvinode system that he claims will bolt up and hang without getting into the welding game. That sounds very appealing. I dont have to worry about picking out a muffler that may or may not sound good lol. the decision is made for me!

But do they sound awesome, thats the question!

does anyone have passionate opinions about the best sounding exhaust system for our 200s????

does anyone have videos to share of their exhaust set up???

Thanks guys!
 
I am old school so I really like the sound of the Arvinode system its something kind of close to what the 1965 / 1966 Mustang V8 GT's Factory Duel Exhaust system sounded like and they also Fit all those Mustangs perfectly, this is in part because these Kits are being made by the same company as Ford used back in the day for those systems. The 2 inch system is more than enough for the Small Six's up to a 200 and I think the Imposter was a bit Louder but it's been a long time since I heard both of them. There was some You Tube Video Sound Clips of both of those systems and they were also linked to the old Classic Inlines Web Site but that site is long gone now, so I don't know were else they might be found right now, Good luck
 
I went a totally different way. I have the same headers but then it goes to a Y pipe and single 2 1/4 pipe. For the muffler i went with the borla pro xs. I have searched the web far and wide, and no one usually go with borlas on the 200. But Man i love the sound. Quiet on idle and normal driving, but i really wakes Up at full trhottle.

I really dont like the "fake V8" sound that duals give. With the single out it sounds like a 6. I should Do a video about the sound, but right now my header gasket is leaking... :/
 
Opinions and preferences are widely varied on Exhaust theory and practice. sometimes counter-intuitive ...

opinionated preference' for small block performance is dual outlet header with mufflers or resonators to suit aural satisfaction.
.
the '63 Wagon/170/T5 has Hooker duals with twin OEM mufflers for performance with quiet OEM cruise sound note. The headers still release the 170's throaty growl under accel load.

,

'61/250/T5 Comet uses Hooker dual out headers with twin "Smithys" distinctive thick low rumble at accel' and reasonable throaty cruise with no noticable 'dreaded six drone'...

.

.

Hooker 250 #6602 and 200 #6601 Headers



hav e fun
 
I have the VI headers with one of their exhaust systems. I went with a single exit with a 2.25" pipe for a "sleeper" look. The muffler is straight through located just forward of the axle rather than in the stock location. I like it fine, it's deep and throaty, but tone is pretty subjective. The quality is good, but I waited 3 months for the exhaust to be completed and delivered. It also took some trimming and tinkering to get it installed correctly.
 
I love the varying opinions on this. this is great.

I would love to hear a video of your setup Districtqc. And the sleeper effect is definitely a discrete and slick look isnt it.

I really enjoy the look of dual straight outlet coming out below the valence, to me it helps accentuate the classic muscle car look. So im stuck on that.

Im not so concerned about it sounding like a V8 necessarily. The goal is that it does NOT sound like one of these import hondas/subarus that you see zooming down the freeway pretending theyre in a fast and the furious movie. I want to avoid that tone/drone whatever you call it at all costs. I cant say i know exactly whats meant by the 'dread six drone' but id like to avoid that as well lol.

im definitely leaning towards the imposter vs the arvinode. I had no idea they were the ones fabricating this back in the 60s a well, thats incredible.
 
Also, those hooker setups look incredible. I think my shipped sailed as ive already bought the VI headers unfortunately..... I wasnt even aware those were an option.
 
hobbes66 said:
Also, those hooker setups look incredible. I think my shipped sailed as ive already bought the VI headers unfortunately..... I wasnt even aware those were an option.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure if Hooker headers are readily available. You can find them occasionally used mostly.
If you like the look of two pipes coming out below valance could you use a muffler that had the 1 inlet and 2 outlet, just route one of the outlets over to where you want it to replicate the dual exhaust look?
 
hobbes66 said:
I love the varying opinions on this. this is great.

I would love to hear a video of your setup Districtqc. And the sleeper effect is definitely a discrete and slick look isnt it.

I really enjoy the look of dual straight outlet coming out below the valence, to me it helps accentuate the classic muscle car look. So im stuck on that.

Im not so concerned about it sounding like a V8 necessarily. The goal is that it does NOT sound like one of these import hondas/subarus that you see zooming down the freeway pretending theyre in a fast and the furious movie. I want to avoid that tone/drone whatever you call it at all costs. I cant say i know exactly whats meant by the 'dread six drone' but id like to avoid that as well lol.

im definitely leaning towards the imposter vs the arvinode. I had no idea they were the ones fabricating this back in the 60s a well, thats incredible.
Click to expand...
I Will try to make a Little video about that during the weekend ! I'll let you know !
 
hobbes66 said:
I really enjoy the look of dual straight outlet coming out below the valence, to me it helps accentuate the classic muscle car look. So im stuck on that.
Click to expand...
If both pipes are on the same side the sound is "normal". If on opposite sides you have 2 three cylinder engines' sound. I've heard them that sound good like that, and that sound terrible.
FWIW there is a slight power gain to be had with single exhaust. An X pipe will do it, and eliminates any funky sound if the pipes are on opposite sides.
 
For me it was cheaper to have an exhaust shop do it than buying a kit. Here are some video's. All with a Clifford single out. Flowmaster was with 2". Venom 2.5"

My other favorite was a DynoMax. If I were to build another one I would do Borla.




1 more link:

FiTech Tune

FiTech had free tuning sessions last week during Hot August Nights in Reno,NV. The car ran great from San Francisco to Reno over the Sierra Mountains. But ran even better on the way home! They had their media person there doing some videos.
fordsix.com fordsix.com
 
Last edited:
I was able to find the old Classic Inlines Sound Clips today for the Arinode Six Duel Exhaust system's and I also included a sound clip of a 1965 Mustang HiPo 289 V8 with the Arvinode Exhaust System too. You can hear that there is some similarity between them however there isn't any pretending involved as you still know ones a Six and ones a V8. Back in the day Classic Inlines was working with Waldron’s Exhaust to bring these exhaust systems out for the Ford Sixes. Good luck

First Mustang Inline 6 Arvinode Exhaust System Prototype June 11, 2009​

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ1zZDpABNs​

Inline 6 Arvinode dual exhaust - with and without an X pipe​

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MZhDW14sqw

and for comparison the 1965 Mustang HiPo 289 V8 "Arvinode" exhaust system

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4uXh5C1nzI​

 
Just to throw in my two cents worth, Ive always prefered a single 2.5 inch pipe and turbo muffler, and right to the back bumper. Its illegal down here to have side outlets on a sedan or two door coupe. The precrossflow sixes sound different because of the non divided centre exhaust port. A single 2.5 is good for up to about 200kw in my experience, its also much easier to fit, i almost always make my own systems at home.
 
65coupei6 - those videos are fantastic. What setup were you using while you were on the track? And you opted out of a dual outlet header? or perhaps i misunderstand, you are using an dual header and then dumped it into one pipe single to empty out the back?

Bubba- those videos are fierce! thank you for finding those! The x pipe certainly makes it sound a little more, whats the word im looking for....gentlemanly?... he was doing 2.25 inch pipes though eh? I was advised that if youre shooting for a target of 200hp to probably want to go no larger than 2.0. his 200 was probably beefed up substantially?

is there a general rule of thumb to follow when choosing pipes of 1.75-2.25 in size with the 200?
 
Round pipe sizes are among the things that miss the mind's logic. the area of pipes increases exponentially and we tend to think linearly.
A 2.25" pipe has 65% more flow than 1.75". A 2.5" pipe flows more than two 1.75", etc.
 
It is a single out header. Single in/dual out muffler. Some people will use a y pipe on a dual out header to make it a single out header. This way you only run 1 pipe down to the muffler. There are many opinions on which is best.

On the track video I was running a Black Widow muffler.

To make it even more confusing for you and to give you another option. Check out the Coffin muffler. I head it on a 6 cyl Mustang and it sounded very good.

thecoffinmuffler.com

The Coffin Muffler

Increased Horsepower. Increased Throttle Response. Increased Fuel Economy.
thecoffinmuffler.com thecoffinmuffler.com
 
",,, 1 pipe down to the muffler. There are many opinions on which is best...."
.
.

2" is about universal and all pre-bends available for a smaller tube

.


early in its rescue - the '61/250 had long tube Hooker Dual Out headers out into two glasspacks' then into a Y pipe, then into to a cable operated Dump Valve to open Side Outlet AND/OR to OEM exhaust path with a glasspak' instead of muffler.

dump closed - the 3 glasspack drone was worse than the side exit...

. . . .
.


some said why, some said why not, I said WTF ...
 
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