I'm getting ready to have my exhaust done at my local muffler shop. I'm leaning towards a side exit in front of the rear wheels, but am wondering how it would differ from dumped in front of the rear axle. Would the exhaust note be the same with a side exit as it would with dumped exhaust, or would side exit exhaust have less interior resonance?

State Safety Inspection would dictate placement of outlet. They want the exhaust gas to be dispersed away from an occupied compartment. So you might not be able to have the exhaust dumped directly underneath the car.

Ever notice within the same model, the different route of tailpipe(s) of a sedan/coupe verses a station wagon?

However, to answer your question, the further away from the interior, the less resonance.

I think it's not going to resonate as bad with a side exit system, if at all. Dumped before rear axel your going to have sound bouncing back to the interior or pan of the car and it will. I have run dumps for years and like them but will be going side exit when I put it back together this time. Spin Tech makes a sude exit muffler, so does pypes. Dr Gas sells and entire side exit system, DR gas also sells boom tubes, spin tech sells oval tubing and will hook you up with oval from the muffler to the side exit.

The spin tech sounds pretty cool. Never heard the pypes muffler. The side exit muffler from both of these companys are inlet and exit on the same end of the muffler.

State Safety Inspection would dictate placement of outlet. They want the exhaust gas to be dispersed away from an occupied compartment. So you might not be able to have the exhaust dumped directly underneath the car.

Ever notice within the same model, the different route of tailpipe(s) of a sedan/coupe verses a station wagon?

However, to answer your question, the further away from the interior, the less resonance.

I've got my vehicle titled as an antique, which exempts it from inspection, here in Texas. As long as I'm not breaking noise laws, I can run any configuration I want. I'm just curious which makes more resonance, sound bouncing off the pavement under the car, or sound right outside the door.

If you have your car titled as a antique in Texas your exempt because your only allowed to drive in to and from events like parades. I titled mine as a Classic which is the same as a normal car. I would hate to be hassled by the Police. http://www.santafemods.com/images/Smileys/Smileycowboy7.gif

If you dump ahead of the axle, you'd better make sure ALL your underbody seams are 100% perfect, or you'll have carbon monoxide problems; it will also be MUCH more resonant inside the car than outside dumps, as the reflected pressure waves will work the floor pan like a drumhead.

:beers:

I once had an exhaust that exited in front of the rear wheels. It sounded nice, but the pipes had to be bent after the mufflers to bring the exhaust back forward enough to exit in front of the wheels. That system was replaced when I hit a pothole that pushed the tailpipe inside the rear wheel. It pressed on the tire hard enough to bring the car to a screeching halt. I felt pretty stupid being stranded in the middle of the road.

Well, my muffler guy said the side exit wasn't an option due to were he had to place the mufflers. I went ahead and ran tail pipes out of the back, instead of turn-downs. The system is 2.5" with an H-pipe, so it should flow well enough with the mufflers I had installed. Thanks for everyones input.

Cool what mufflers did you decide to go with, and did he use the 2.5 mandrel bend pipes our did he bend them. Its always nice to get a new exhaust set up and the H-pipe should balance the sound out.