I have been drooling over exhausts for over a month now... I think I'm going to be sick... Here's the sound I want and I'd like to hear YOUR opinions on how to get it.

Example 1) A buddy of mine had a late '90s 3.8L Mustang with an off-road X-pipe exhaust. I'm pretty sure his cats (or atleast their internals) went MIA the day this exhaust went on. I don't believe he had tips but rather mounted the mufflers at the end of the tubes dumping at the rear axle. His car sounded like a narly lil' V8 all day every gas pedal step of the way.

Example 2) A friend of mine's mom down south had a Rousch (Stage I) mustang with the side exhaust. I had NO CLUE it was a 3.8L until I popped the hood and started asking "where are the other two cylinders?" That thing grumbled so damn nicely.

Now I a 4.2L (a whole 0.4L bigger!) and I want the sound of one of those two cars. I've heard a LOT on this site about Magnaflow and would without a doubt purchase them for the respect they have earned on this site... but... I want one the two examples listed above. I don't care if it's a SIDO side exit exhaust or having to run a true dual system. In my case don't worry about power because it's the noise I'm most concerned with.

Example 3) My brother has the same truck as me (his is an '03 4.2L) and he purchased simply a Flowmaster 40 or 50 series (I don't recall which) and had it installed into his stock piping. His truck was not loud and did not grumble. It reminded me of a 96 four-banger Dakota I once owned with a Flowmaster muffler and 2.25" aluminum piping that I had done at a Muffler shop when I was 17... I DO NOT WANT F-150 SOUNDING LIKE THAT!!!

So tell me (especially you sixer owners) what I should do to get Example A or B or how NOT to up with Example C. PS - I live in Illinois but have Florida plates so I have NO emissions bull**** to deal with but most shops will NOT disable the cats which means I'm either pipe-thrusting or hollowing out. Just wanted you all to know I don't have a problem doing either if that's what it takes.

Thanks guys! Love ya! (Can you tell I'm desperate here?)

 

The only thing I've heard on 6's that sounded good was the Magnaflow. My friend had a 4.3 S-10 in HS and it sounded about as good as a 6 can. You'll never get the V8 sound. Most people round here run Flowmasters on their 6's and they sound like chit. Most shops round here will cut off the cats for $50-$100. You will lose alot of torque when you lose them. I removed the back 2from my last truck. I could tell as soon as I left the shop.

 

That was kinda the idea I had about the Flowmasters on my six but it's good to a confirmation from someone that has heard a set of those pipes on a V6. Thanks for the input.

I think I have decided to keep the cats (all four) since an O2 sensor sits in the both of the back ones. I talked with a shop last night and I think I'm going to sever the Y-pipe into duals and replace the stock muffler location with two SISO Magnaflows. I think I'm going to use stainless steel and do a side exit in front of the passenger tire with tips. The setup will be pretty similar to the Roush system. I'm just hoping it purrs.

 

not too sure on V6 exhaust, though Gibson is quite popular for the V6s. There was a dude with a S10 at my school also with flowmaster, though he didn't have cats, which probably made his truck sound quite mean & deep surprizingly for a V6.

 

i love my flows but i know for a fact they dont sound good on V-6's Gibson got a nice soundin v6 systems they sure dont for the V-8's though

 

The only O2 sensors I noticed at a glance under my truck were the two in the secondary cats. Any opinions on thrusting a pipe through/ hollowing out the front two cats... yes I know I run the risk of the O2 sensor leaning out my mixture. Enough to leave well enough alone or worth the risk?

 

I'd just leave the cats alone. I forgot to mention Gibson, I have heard alot of people say they sound good on a 6.

 

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