Exhaust systems

[59meteor]

I`m curious if anybody has installed a dual exhaust system in their 57-9 Ford car with the muffler more towards the rear than factory. I was wondering if the exhaust sound would be quieter (or loader) with the mufflers closer to the rear diff, instead of under the front seat /floor boards. Is there ever enough room to put the mufflers further back? I`m picking up my freshly painted 59 2 door sedan (rolling chassis) from my buddys body shop on Sunday, once its home I have lots of work to do, including installing the powertrain (428 Cobra Jet with FPA headers, and 4 speed Toploader), and I will need to send it out for an exhaust system sometime after that. Just wondering if there is an advantage to having the mufflers further back or not.

[lalessi1]

I have the mufflers on mine mounted under the rear seat just in front of the rear axle. I have Walker "Turbo" mufflers with the exhaust exiting in on the sides just behind the rear wheels. It is a 2" system put in with a stock 390. I considered it a temporary set up. Now with the 462 FE, I am planning on a 2 1/2" system with Borla mufflers and an H pipe with exhausts at the rear corners under the bumper, that way I can add resonators if the sound is too loud. I have always thought that when the mufflers are mounted towards the front the exhaust would "rap" on acceleration and if the mufflers were towards the rear the exhaust would "rap" on deceleration. I don't know where that thought came from and whether or not it is true. My FPA headers are coming today....

[Ford Blue blood]

In a tight exhaust system and reasonably sound deadened cabin  the noise inside the car has more to do with mufflers then with location.  The exit point also enters in to the equation.  Out the rear behind the axle, an "H" pipe should be good. 

My 03 Cobra had Flow Masters under the rear seat (location of the stock mufflers) and exited out the rear in the stock location.  At cruise the exhaust note inside was only slightly louder then stock until the right hand pedal was used.

[rmk57]

Mine are about as far back as you can get and still have enough room for a bend to go over the rear end housing. I have about 6" from the outlet to the front of the housing. There really isn't a lot of room on mine once you have long tube headers, h- pipe and the muffler itself. I run 3" magnaflows I forget which series, 18" long I think and 2 1/2" tailpipes that exit out to the trunk drop off.

[57AGIN]

 59meteor:

I've driven my 57 an some fairly long rides, several a couple of hundred miles and have not been unhappy with the exhaust noise.  I had no choice in locating them as I have both long tube headers, exhaust cutouts and an X pipe configuration.  My choice of mufflers was not for quietness (they are Flowmaster 40 Series), so whatever you would choose would probably be quieter than mine.  I've attached  2 photos, the 1st showing from the engine back, 2nd showing from the rear axle to the mufflers clearances.  Hope these are helpful.

Bob
57 AGIN

[59meteor]

So it appears that these cars have enough room to use smallish mufflers just ahead of the rearend, much like my old 70 Mustangs did. Bob, what headers are you running in your 57? I was not aware of any long tube FE headers for a 57-59 Ford that exited above the stock trans crossmember, that is why I bought the FPA shorties. Thanks, Rory.

[rmk57]

Pretty sure Bobs is a 351 Windsor based engine.

[57AGIN]

59meteor:

rmk57 is correct my 57 is powered by a blown 351W.  The headers are Doug's Tri-Y's and Doug's shop built the entire exhaust system on the car back in 2004.

Bob
57 AGIN

[57AGIN]

59meteor:

rmk57 is correct my 57 is powered by a blown 351W.  The headers are Doug's Tri-Y's his shop installed the headers and the entire exhaust system back in 2004.

Bob
57 AGIN