I'm curious to those who have the dual chambered exhaust on their 427 if this is a formula for an instant ticket, or, if most law enforcement don't have a problem with this. In looking at this exhaust swap. This has been something I am thinking will be an instant police magnet on cruise nights, or if it's only really loud when the appropriate pedal is exercised. Then again, there is always the chance that this was never offered as a factory option on the COPO, and purists would say "don't do it." smile.gif

-Ted

It is loud but I don't think you will get a ticket unless the cop has another reason. It was available on COPOs.

Charley, your yellow #3 car has the chambered exhaust and I have a old magazine article somewhere that said the Berger salemen would fire up the car and it would really crackle or something like that. If you had your choice in an exhaust to put on what would you go with? I've read alot and the general consession is a mandrel bent system. I was thinking on the lines of a Flowmaster single muffler system with the 2 1/2 inch mandrel bent pipe. I know the chambered exhaust is much more "bitchin" looking, but on a car that had the N10 option the Flowmaster would be more appropriate I think. What do you think Charley?

I have it behind a stock 302. It is fine at idle or cruise but taking off from a stop is pretty loud. The higher compression will make it louder as compared to a low CR engine.

My next door neighbor said "she loves to hear it when I start it up". I wonder if she realy means it? ;) graemlins/waving.gif

I have never been stopped by the cops in my Camaro. Got stopped in the mini van last week but that was for going "42 in a 30". :rolleyes:

-Mark.

Crackle is a great word to describe it. I've heard Charlie's car and when it fired up everyone cleaning their cars for the next days show stopped what they were doing. The car just commands attention. My guess is, if you pulled up to a light in it next to a cop he's gonna have you on the side of the road even if just out of courisity. I've heard louder on the street but not more destinct...

I love the looks of the chambered exhaust, its got really a neat looking system. The only problem I have with it is only a few cars were ordered with it. Im wondering if a more stock looking type Mandrel bent system would be more efficent and produce more HP. I guess it's a moot point when it's under a COPO.

It depends on which chambered exhaust system you get. The Gardner technically correct system will be the most accurate reproduction but it's loud. Some of the other chambered systems aren't as correct but they are also quieter. There was a 69 conv at the cruise night last week with a 502 and a chambered system and it wasn't bad at all.

Chambered is quite restrictive; a ZL1 dyno test saw over an 80hp increase when removed.

Modern "X" pipe systems are quieter and cost virtually no power.

BTW ZL1 #3 was built with the muffler/resonator system many people seem to think COPOs didn't use.

We ran the stock chambered on our Camaro for a few years...it looks rediculously restrictive, but I didn't get a chance to do a back-to-back test. We replaced it with a Flowmaster transverse kit with an x-pipe...the car is QUIET now, but has a good sound. The chambered isn't as loud as everyone made it out to be, but it does have a bit of a glass pack sound to it at times.

We are literally fixing to bolt on Stainless Works' new mandrel bent chambered exhaust onto our Y-Nova...the exact same setup as the OEM system, and should still have the cool sound of chambered, but with the benefits of mandrel bends! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

So, from what I have read, the Chambered kit is a good kit, but there is some potential performance hit to it. I also noticed that there are several different vendors for this kit, all within $100-200 of each other. I wasn't aware of the Gardner kit, unless it's being resold by Ricks, or Classic Industries under a different name. I've looked at several different vendors, and am not totally sure yet now I want to do this.

One other question, for those who have purchased this exhaust setup, who did you get it from? I'm not looking to change the focus of this post (because there has been a lot of good input), but where have people purchased their kits from (that didn't have it on their vehicle originally)?

-Ted

If you are doing a concours car, and want your exhaust dead-nuts correct, then you need look no further than Gardners. The downside is that you're gonna pay for that "correctness", and it's gonna be the slightly more rust friendly OEM material...but it's the way it should be. I believe their systems are available through their company or other parts services (Year One I believe is a dealer).

If you just want something sorta close, then the sky is the limit. You could get the Flowmaster system, which is mandrel bent (you'll have to make your own headpipes if you're running manifolds) 2.5" flowing through a funky transverse muffler. This is quick and as easy as a call to summit or jegs. I'm not a big Flowmaster fan, but we currently have it on our Camaro...the X helps it out a bunch.

Or, you could by the Dynomax transverse muffler and build your system around it and it's AWESOME sound (as COPO Pete did). More work, especially if you buy all the mandrel bends and do the pipes yourself, but it will sound KILLER and offer performance to boot.

Or, you could go with Stainless Works chambered system, which is mandrel bent, but still retains the original pipe diameters (2.25" pipes, HUGE chambered pipes, 2" tail pipes) and are available in stainless or plain (1/2 the price of stainless).

So, it basically comes down to what YOU are after. graemlins/beers.gif

I bought mine from Ricks. It is aluminized and very thick. It was not too expensive and it has nice stainless steel polished tailpipes. That gets a lot of comments.

There is a performance loss over the stock transverse muffler system but I can live with that. If you want to see a .MPG just send me a message. I have one where it is idling from the outside and one reved up in the driveway to 7000 RPM taken from the inside. :cool:

-Mark.

ted@grevers.com will work. smile.gif If you send me a URL, that works too.

Thanks,

-ted

pypesexhaust.com has mandrel bent downpipes that fit stock GM manifolds along with x-pipes but no chambered systems.