# Pypes vs Flowmaster



## Mcantw (Sep 7, 2008)

What I have is a 389 with a edelbrock 4 barrel carb 4 speed. My exhaust needs replacement. Planning on replacing completely from engine to tail. Car is not number matching. No intention on racing car. So looking for info / recommendations on headers or downpipes, cross over or straight, pypes or flowmaster. Power/speed over sound preferred. Plan on going 304 stainless vice 409 since I plan on keeping my girl for awhile. Any guidance /lessons learned appreciated. Mike


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## firecatsrt (Sep 15, 2008)

I have a pypes 2.5" stainless, stock 400 manifolds, downpipes back, with x pipe, with street pro mufflers on my 383, I can get a sound clip if you'd like. great idle sound, a little loud over 2500 rpms but not unbearable. nice mean rumble, I love it.


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## 646904GTO (Feb 10, 2008)

Pypes by far over flowmaster. If you search hard enough you can find dyno results that show that. ! have 2.5" Pypes X cat back on my '04 and it sounds awesome. On my '64 I have 3" pypes SS piping with Flow-tech terminator mufflers, on my '69 I have 2.5" Pypes SS piping and the stock SS mufflers from my '04. I did all three for different reasons. the '64 is a top end roadracer, the '69 is a stock original car and I wanted the classic sound the '04 muffler made. the '04 is a street killer...I race and show all the cars and the one thing I love about the cars is when I arrive and leave a show my cars don't have that 'flowmaster thud' that all the other cars there have. people always ask what type of exhaust I have because they hear the flowmaster so much. I swear every Chebby I see has those. Dare to be different.


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Keep the exhaust manifolds. Headers won't help a stock motor much, and have certain quirks. ie:leaks, under hood high temp.... my $.02


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Just got done with a 389 in a '65. A friend's car. He used the Pypes set-up with the x pipe in the middle, 2 1/2 inch system, with cut-out ports installed for racing, if he wants. It runs repro '67 HO cast iron manifolds. Sounds great, not too loud, NO exhaust leaks, TONS of power. I would do the same thing to my cars when the time comes in a heartbeat. Money well spent.


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

Eric Animal said:


> Keep the exhaust manifolds. Headers won't help a stock motor much, and have certain quirks. ie:leaks, under hood high temp.... my $.02


Although, you may want to consider ram air manifolds. They'll flow better than the stock ones, yet, they wont leak like headers...

Found this link, ram air vs. headers, haven't read it myself yet...
Ram Air Manifolds versus Headers


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## Mcantw (Sep 7, 2008)

Thank you all for the input. Surprised by no vote of confidence for the flowmaster when compared with the pypes. Conversations with some of my friends have been mixed but the flowmaster was slightly more favorable. But this forum has always steered me in the right direction. Heading with pypes (most likely street pro muffler) with the cross over and no headers.


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## zzomby (Aug 23, 2009)

I just installed the Pypes on my 65' 389_ 2 1/2" exhaust, X-pipe, Race Pro mufflers. Ram Air exhaust manifolds. I like the sound more than the Flowmaster.


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

I have a 3" pypes pro-street set up with X-pipe. I get people constantly telling me how awesome it sounds. I've heard Flowmasters and they sound good as well. As far as sound Pypes gets more attention.


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## GroundHog (Oct 16, 2009)

i'm glad this thread came up because i'm in the same boat and was wondering the same thing, thanks everyone!

what about porting the stock manifolds, has anyone done that?


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## MaL (Jun 12, 2008)

What does it take to fit these Ram Air Manifolds to a 389 ('66)?

Ames' catalog says, "will work on any 64-67 with exhaust system modifications".

(I have the original heads.)


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

MaL said:


> What does it take to fit these Ram Air Manifolds to a 389 ('66)?
> 
> Ames' catalog says, "will work on any 64-67 with exhaust system modifications".
> 
> (I have the original heads.)


They fit the heads just fine. It's at the manifold to front pipe you have the difference. The regular manifolds have a two bolt flange to the pipe and the RAM Air manifolds have a three bolt flange. If you can get the front pipes apart you may be able to remove the two bolt flange from the front pipe and replace it with a three bolt one and reuse the whole rest of the exhaust.


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## 646904GTO (Feb 10, 2008)

Rukee said:


> They fit the heads just fine. It's at the manifold to front pipe you have the difference. The regular manifolds have a two bolt flange to the pipe and the RAM Air manifolds have a three bolt flange. If you can get the front pipes apart you may be able to remove the two bolt flange from the front pipe and replace it with a three bolt one and reuse the whole rest of the exhaust.


Remember to order the flanges with the manifolds. The RA ones are cast, not stamped steel like stock. :seeya


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## zzomby (Aug 23, 2009)

Check out Exhaust Dilemma thread. I learned alot.


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## daveh70 (Sep 4, 2008)

I have Flowmaster exhaust with Street Mufflers-50 Series Delta Flow (pt # 942553) on my '67 with no headers. Very aggressive sound. Here's a video:


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