# turn downs



## ylwgto (Oct 27, 2009)

I love my turn down exhaust. 

But, I'm anticipating having my 6 year old in the car more often now and it's just too loud for his wee ears.

I'm considering side exit exhaust (in front of rear tires), mainly because it would be a fairly easy conversion and also because I like the way it looks. I've never liked the look of rear pipes coming out the back of my '66. 

However, I love the '65 exhaust tips and think they would look killer as side exit tips in front of the rear wheels.

Anyhow, wondering if anyone has opinions about how it would change the sound of the car and/or any ground clearance issues and things like that.

Thanks


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## O52 (Jan 27, 2019)

its louder in front of the wheels


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## Sick467 (Oct 29, 2019)

Exiting straight out the back is the quietest option given all else remains the same. Side exit exhaust sound will bounce off everything it can and bounce back at the car....very noticeable if you have exhaust that is not on the quiet side to begin with. The further back it exits the side, the least amount of bonce-back you'll get and the further it is from the occupants. MInor differences, but noticeable. Pointing the tips more downward will help to, but then it kicks up road dust more.


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## armyadarkness (Dec 7, 2020)

I like side exit exhaust on 66-67, and it's pretty loud, especially when running along curbs or jersey barriers. I think it looks and sounds great, and the height isn't an issue for me, because my cars are high. I can do a complete oil change without jacks.

Obvious downside is filthy wheels!


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## 67ventwindow (Mar 3, 2020)

I road in the back of 69 Le Mans with exhaust exiting just before the rear wheels with cherry bombs. No AC so all the windows were open, summer in Oklahoma. If I didnt have ear plugs on me I would have walkd back from the other side of OKC. 

He had a decent stereo for being the eighties but that could not be heard. 

He was a jet mac probably had no hearing left.


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## ylwgto (Oct 27, 2009)

armyadarkness said:


> I like side exit exhaust on 66-67, and it's pretty loud, especially when running along curbs or jersey barriers. I think it looks and sounds great, and the height isn't an issue for me, because my cars are high. I can do a complete oil change without jacks.
> 
> Obvious downside is filthy wheels!


better than dust storms with my turndowns!


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## ylwgto (Oct 27, 2009)

67ventwindow said:


> I road in the back of 69 Le Mans with exhaust exiting just before the rear wheels with cherry bombs. No AC so all the windows were open, summer in Oklahoma. If I didnt have ear plugs on me I would have walkd back from the other side of OKC.
> 
> He had a decent stereo for being the eighties but that could not be heard.
> 
> He was a jet mac probably had no hearing left.


sounds like it won't resolve my sound issue, but I may do it anyway


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## armyadarkness (Dec 7, 2020)

My final result was to eliminate the x pipe and run 2.5's through Flowmaster 40's. It's still too quiet for me, but only in the car. Outside it sounds very tough and I get tons of compliments. I'll eventually go to 3" pipe, but right now it's perfect. Side exit is loud!!!!


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## armyadarkness (Dec 7, 2020)

This is with the xpipe on it.... It's very loud outside the car, but SUPER quiet inside. Now, I took off the x pipe and it's MUCH better... even louder outside, but barely louder in.


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## AZTempest (Jun 11, 2019)

As much as we like the sound of our cars it may be time to think about the family a bit. His tiny ears are still growing.


I have a friend with a 55 Chevy with side exhaust and no insulation in the car. His wife will not ride in the car due to the sound, which makes it hard when we all go to shows. I tend to agree with her. An adult can refuse to ride but a little guy usually doesn’t have much say in the matter. You really want him to grow to appreciate the cars and not get turned off by them. Why not go with a nice full exhaust system to help his little ears and change it down the road when he’s 16 or so, hopefully ready for his own Pontiac. I made it fun for my son. He grew to love cars and as an adult now we still work on our cars together.


Hey Army, great sound.


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## armyadarkness (Dec 7, 2020)

AZTempest said:


> As much as we like the sound of our cars it may be time to think about the family a bit. His tiny ears are still growing.
> 
> 
> I have a friend with a 55 Chevy with side exhaust and no insulation in the car. His wife will not ride in the car due to the sound, which makes it hard when we all go to shows. I tend to agree with her. An adult can refuse to ride but a little guy usually doesn’t have much say in the matter. You really want him to grow to appreciate the cars and not get turned off by them. Why not go with a nice full exhaust system to help his little ears and change it down the road when he’s 16 or so, hopefully ready for his own Pontiac. I made it fun for my son. He grew to love cars and as an adult now we still work on our cars together.
> ...


Thanks! Without the X it's even better, but I can still easily have a converstion in the car, while cruising at 3200 rpms.


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## Zak76 (May 1, 2021)

ylwgto said:


> I love my turn down exhaust.
> 
> But, I'm anticipating having my 6 year old in the car more often now and it's just too loud for his wee ears.
> 
> ...


Tell your 6 yr old to Suck it up or buy a Prius!


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## gtojoe68 (Jan 4, 2019)

AZTempest said:


> As much as we like the sound of our cars it may be time to think about the family a bit. His tiny ears are still growing.
> 
> 
> I have a friend with a 55 Chevy with side exhaust and no insulation in the car. His wife will not ride in the car due to the sound, which makes it hard when we all go to shows. I tend to agree with her. An adult can refuse to ride but a little guy usually doesn’t have much say in the matter. You really want him to grow to appreciate the cars and not get turned off by them. Why not go with a nice full exhaust system to help his little ears and change it down the road when he’s 16 or so, hopefully ready for his own Pontiac. I made it fun for my son. He grew to love cars and as an adult now we still work on our cars together.
> ...


Agreed. As I have a convertible 68, I’m very glad my guy doing my exhaust 18yrs ago convinced me to forgo the 3” with single chamber flomasters. He said that would just drive me out of the car. I instead put Dynomax and 2.5 with x-pipe all the way out back. Mellow gurgle when idle, nice sound when cruising and makes great sound when you open her up. Best of all worlds.
And he’ll just put C-bombs on it when he’s 16. Like I had on my GTOs when I was 16! lol


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## ylwgto (Oct 27, 2009)

Currently it is 2.5" from the headers back with a muffler shop H pipe (not an X) and 2 chamber flowmasters with turndowns. I don't want it any quieter outside, as I said I like it loud, but the drone from the turndowns being right under the rear seat is a bit much in the cabin. I did a half-assed sound deadener instal under the carpet about 10 years ago and that accomplished nothing! I think the massive, uninsulated empty trunk space acts like a guitar body and amplifies the drone.

Army, your car sounds sweet. maybe i should route it out the back...


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## ylwgto (Oct 27, 2009)

or mod the trunk to actually separate the back of the rear seat from the trunk space. anyone done this beyond the seatback barrier


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## armyadarkness (Dec 7, 2020)

ylwgto said:


> Currently it is 2.5" from the headers back with a muffler shop H pipe (not an X) and 2 chamber flowmasters with turndowns. I don't want it any quieter outside, as I said I like it loud, but the drone from the turndowns being right under the rear seat is a bit much in the cabin. I did a half-assed sound deadener instal under the carpet about 10 years ago and that accomplished nothing! I think the massive, uninsulated empty trunk space acts like a guitar body and amplifies the drone.
> 
> Army, your car sounds sweet. maybe i should route it out the back...


Thanks bro. Trust me, Im right there with you on it all. I want it to sound like Raceway Park, but I was hearing Mazda Rotary instead. 

And although MANY reputable sources were all claiming that my car sounded cool as Hell outside, mean at idle and wicked at downshifting WOT biz, it was still to tame to my ears.

I tried 3 different mufflers and none helped... but as I suspected all along, it was the x pipe.You figure each bank is using two mufflers, with an X. So... I didn't want to lose the 12 hp that they claim an X gives, but I couldnt take it anymore, so off it came. BEST DECISION EVER! There's actually a performance gain and it sounds MUCH BETTER! That video was with the x, so it's even better now.


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