People like you are so much more relatable then all of the other "famous" car youtubers, with 2020 Supras, C8 Corvettes etc. Its way more fun to watch videos from you because you actually do things on a budget and motivate me to do car things myself. You definently deserve more subscribers, Ill do my best to share your channel out to others.
Cleanest and best C4 version. I’m in awe of just how clean this thing is. I’d love to have this car. Dude you’ve done a phenomenal job with this vehicle. It’s beautiful and really makes me crave one.
UPDATE- I've been contacted by Rich Waitas who is the Senior Manager / Spokesman at Magnaflow. He wants to make it clear that the Corvette Central exhaust with MagnaFlow muffler that I used is not representative of a MagnaFlow-designed product, nor was it specifically tuned for the Corvette. Rather, it is an "off the shelf" generic MagnaFlow universal muffler that Corvette Central sells that can be used in a variety of vehicles. MagnaFlow DOES sell application-specific exhaust systems, but does not have a muffler solution for 1984-1985 C4, but does for later models in this generation designed to have the same on-throttle experience, but has a dual V core muffler to mitigate interior drone. They can be found at magnaflow/pages/chevrolet-corvette. Note that I have not been paid to share this information, but wanted to pass along what I was told for you to decide.
@@RetroCarsForever I’ve heard getting muffler tips to extend the exhaust will help the drone, the dual core mufflers are coming in tomorrow I’ll get tips just in case, I’m replacing the interior soon as well so might as well wrap it with killmat a lot of people who make drag builds do that
You my friend have one of the Best C4s and the C4 is one of the Best Corvettes.Don't let anyone tell you different. That being said the Best exhaust for the C4 isthe Corsa! That's not just my opinion it's a fact. My advice is to never sell this car.If you do I'm a buyer
Hi Greg! Thanks for the kind words, I love my car and am enjoying it immensely (working on another video about it coming out next week). I've heard recommendations for the full Corsa system time and time again. Seems to be the system to beat for these cars.
Your 'fact' about Corsa is simply opinion! I had a 95 Vette LT-1 6spd with Corsas already on it, and it sounded like a raspy, flatulent Dodge V10 with no depth. Very 'tinny' and boring. It's OK for those who hate drone (or any other sounds), I suppose. Nevertheless, I loved my first Corvette. One of my C5s had muffler deletes (I thought it was Borla when I bought it). It sounded way better. Opinions only... 😁
Thanks for taking the time to share your learnings. I just purchased a full Cat Back MagFlow full exhaust kit for my 1992 C4 Corvette. I have drone issues with my current stock mufflers, so I am hoping for a better look and sound with minimal difference. I'll post the difference I hear after the install is complete.
Pull that rear carpet out, clean down the surface, apply good quality sound deadening like Dynamat Xtreme, stick it on nice and firm and make sure you roll it in well. Problem will be significantly reduced if not gone altogether. I've done that on a lot of C4 coupes, the issue is the fibreglass floor amplifying the resonance.
@@andya857 Corsa is awesome, with just catback its the best sound possible, no drone etc. With lt headers, and no/small cats, its just awesome, you'll be the best sounding car at any car event :D
when I replaced the mufflers on my 6spd roadster, I also bought the resonator eliminator pipes, with an X-pipe, and installed a set of polished bullets, it sounds great, and with the X-pipe, I have no drone. I wanted it to be on the louder side of the sound spectrum! BTW, I am still running the cat. converters, I just got rid of the resonator.
You're very welcome! Best of luck with your 1995 (if you see my other videos on this channel you'll know already that I think 1995 is one of the very best years for a C4!)
Had a 92 LT1 with an automatic. I cut off the resonator, put straight pipes, flowmasters at the back. With the stock rectangular tips, it was too loud, too much resonance, groning, etc. I did find some really beautiful one-to-two oval tips, from magnaflow, dual wall that tamed down the sound a lot. It gave it this really sweet low throaty growl sound and it was much quieter. Made it a pleasure to drive. It was also my daily driver. It was confortable to drive, pleasing to the ears. I did like the performance sound of the flowmaster with the open rectangular tips, but it was not pleasant on a daily use. At some RPMs, the tip themselves would vibrate and sound like a loose piece of sheetmetal, it was aweful. However, it was just a matter of the tips. It was beautiful sounding with the magnaflow dual outlet oval tips that were double walled. Night and day difference.
I live in south Dakota with no emissions test or anything, so i just ripped the cat and the the mufflers off and just straight piped it with orily pipes. Sounds like a dream
@@RetroCarsForever ima be honest, when im on the highway its a very very low bassy WHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. mines a 1990 with the l98 engine, idk how the sound would compare if it was straight piped with the lt4 like yours has
Made this same mistake years ago on my 94. My happy medium was keeping the stock cats and mufflers but eliminating the resonator between. Aggressive tone, not any louder, and NO DRONE.
My auto with full magna flow cat back drones in 4th gear. I have daily driven it for a while and the drone is a little annoying but not bad, just hit the gas to downshift and it goes away. Also lock tire any loose interior screws that rattle because of it. I wouldn’t have paid the cost to put it in at almost $1500 in but I’d rather have it than not. I would of done what you did BUT with Cheap summit racing mufflers ($35) and experimented by using camp ons till I got the right mix.
Very methodical experiment. Well done. I have a 1996 LT-1 C4, and I'd like to get better sound out of it. It currently has stock exhaust. This is my first Corvette. Later C4's are my favorite. Before the C4 I had a bunch of 1969 Camaros. I found the perfect sound on the Camaro. The model name was California Turbo mufflers. Unfortunately I don't recall who made them. I've asked around, but all the speed shops that used to be around have long gone out of business. Does anyone remember those mufflers, and who makes (made) them? I'd be surprised if they stopped making them. They had a great sound. No drone in Camaros, crisp sound, and when you let it rip it sounded beautiful. Excellent video. Looking forward to more.
Thank you! New Corvette video coming next week, so subscribe to see that if you're a first time Corvette owner (it's everything I've learned that I was surprised about). As for your Camaro mufflers...Keep in mind, those can be a lot more aggressive without having droning issues, as their much further back/have more in the way between them and your ears!
I have a similar problem. 2 years ago I bought a manual 93 Corvette with Borla exhaust. It's sounds great in city traffic, but under 1500 RPM it drones so terribly, I don't go into 6th gear below 70 mph. It's a pain in the ass when traveling longer distances, but it pays off when accelerating. Your Vette is pristine btw.
I recently bought a 93 red rag top and i friggin love it. awesome sound, power and handling that is superior to the c3 77 i had before. so comfortable of a ride, so glad i found it in awesome shape, LOV IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I did the "muffler deletes" on my '86 Z51...yes it drones at low rpm and then peters out. Once you're past that point the awesomeness kicks in. Also, it GROWLS when you start it up...
I don't own a C4 (yet... import calculations seem promising though!), but I appreciate the amount of research, testing and all around effort that went into this really interesting video, all to help people.
Thanks so much! That's the aim of all my C4 Corvette videos, to help guide potential new owners through these murky waters of these weird but wonderful cars.
i put Borla's on my old 04 Z06, sound was amazing! for my SLP SS, i replaced it with a 3 chamber Flowmaster, sound was perfect, not too loud but a lot of growl, nice pops, when letting off the gas. same with the Borla, nice pops gearing down. i had Magnaflow on a Z28 long ago, didn't like it! anyway, i like the sound at 3:27 , nice setup
You like the "muffler delete" option best it seems (that's the timecode you mentioned). Why didn't you like the Magnaflows on your Camaro? Those should be a lot less susceptible to drone.
Me too! Kind of a C4 renaissance goin on...Maybe because older owners are selling their Vettes to younger generation (like me) who have more online presence. Stay tuned tomorrow, you'll like the music video I'm uploading here!
Wow man, that was really great. The whole thing, every part - the editing, writing, b-roll, the flow, all of it. As for the mufflers, exhaust sound is such a personal thing and It’s lousy to spend the $$$ but I agree with what you did. Can’t wait to see more!
Thanks! Means a lot esp from someone like you who has been doing this for some time. And I agree the SOUND of a car is SO subjective, that's why I thought a video is really the only way to do it.
@@RetroCarsForever I just put the Flowmaster Super 44 muffler on my Sierra (muffler only). It's just the lil 4.8 V8, but now it makes beautiful deep rumbles, burbles, and crackles. Louder, for sure, but certainly not obnoxious. I'd probably even go for the Super 10 if I had to do it all over again. Either one would sound great on your Corvette. I do have a teeny bit of drone around 1,900 ~ 2,200 rpm, but I could not be less bothered by it.
@@jeredhead6806 As I mention in the video, keep in mind how wildly different most cars' architectures are compared to the Corvette. In a big pickup like a Sierra, the mufflers are yards away, with plenty of metal and space between them and your ears. Whereas the Corvette is basically a "funnel" that directs all the reverb coming from just a few feet away right into your skull. That's what makes it more prone to droning than most other cars.
I just bought a 1995 lt1 corvette and had to rebalance the driveshaft so while we had the stock exhaust down we cut out the resonator and replaced it with an h pipe. My corvette is my only running car so it's my daily driver, and after the modification I have noticed zero drone just like before but with gains in tone. I have a 30 minute drive to work and have put a couple thousand miles on the car with no headaches! Give it a shot!
@@RetroCarsForever I don't notice any drone, the sound is more like an Indycar which is what I like. I'm wondering if the tip makes any difference since mine are just round on the end. Of course being a convertible might also change things. Nice job on the video, really like your comparisons.
My first Vette was a 95 and I bought it with Corsa's already on. Was disappointed with the sound (like a flatulent Dodge V10 truck). No drone, but no soul. My 3rd Vette- 2003 C5 had muffler deletes and sounded really good. Oddly, it wasn't too loud, but reminded me of the least aggressive Borla. Lucky you for getting the rare LT-4 6 speed Collectors edition final-year C4! Me likey! The silver collector's edition isn't much more valuable, but with the LT4/6 speed, you have a desirable gem!
Thanks! I actually uploaded another video recently going over all the special editions and their values/rarity, including the LT4 and the Collector Edition- th-cam.com/video/vWhwNK5Lkyg/w-d-xo.html
We have the identical car! We installed full Borla exhaust eliminated Cats. Headers and 4.10 rear. Love the drown and we Dynoed at340 Hp. Bad ass results
I have a stock 1996 corvette with automatic transmission. I was thinking of eliminating the mufflers to get a more sporty sound. Although your video persuaded me that eliminating drone is not an easy feat. So YES I will keep my exhaust stock as well. Thank you for the info !! Much appreciated !!
I had the exact same problem with my 1977 Corvette. I bought a Flowmaster cat back system designed to the C3. They sounded fine from outside the car, but there was so much drone in the cabin when driving around town 35 - 45 mph that it made me crazy. I tried everything to get rid of the drone without luck.
Great vid and thanks for sharing, man! Own '94 C4 with stick shift and almost do the same as you did. Now I would step up a bit with cat-back based on your experience.
Sorry it didn't work out. But the video is great. Narrative was smooth and easy to follow. Revealing the results at the start is a little risky; part of the fun is seeing if it worked. A tease might work better, "I spent 100s of $$ . . . but did it work?" At any rate, I'm not a car guy (although I lust the 1970 Chevelle SS) but I enjoyed this. Great launch, Practical Car Guy!
Appreciate the great video. I just bought a 93 convertible and wanted it louder, but after watching your video, going to keep it stock. I may move up to a c6 next year, and would probably do better on resale if it was stock. Update:. I did end up deleting the mufflers and had dual chrome tips welded on. It was just too quiet. Now it is just right. Not too loud, but comes alive when you punch it, sounds like a muscle car now. I kept the original mufflers so can easily have them put back on.
One thing you can do is take those old clamps you have, put a rubber mount on it and attached so wights to it. This will change the resonance of the exhaust pipes and can actually remove “drone” the oem’s do this on cars today. Of course they have fancy math and computers to calculate this but I’m sure you could just do some trial and error. Great video cheers
@@stevenhoehne2142 Ha, that would do it! I bet you can pick up a used muffler for next to nothing...Lots of Corvettes have aftermarket exhausts, so the OEM exhaust systems just arent worth that much. So could be a great deal for you.
It's going to be quiet with stock exhaust manifolds and the factory cats. I installed a 3" B&B on my 96 and the tone was slightly more throaty. You need long tube headers and a really good set of cats to get it louder . Or no cats at all if you dare.
If you ever try the system that you talked about, Corsa, i’d love to see that post video. I also want to change the exhaust on my Corvette away from the manufactured stock pipes. But I also did have a full exhaust done on another vehicle with headers all the way to the tips at the end and it had a drone always at exactly at the speed limit so I was always speeding up just a tad to get past the drone. It started long before the speed limit and then right up to it. So I was Always risking a ticket. Whether with in town at City speed or on the highway speeds. Or I was going to slow and blocking traffic
I can’t imagine I’ll ever want to mess with this exhaust again. I already spent enough money on it, and I’ve learned to love how it sounds stock! I can def relate to the drone you mentioned. Sort of a maddening to me to have to drive certain speeds just to avoid it.
@@RetroCarsForever Thanks for responding but now I have to ask then about the vehicle you did have the corsa exhaust on that if it had that that V-8 or V6 roaring sound or The regurgitating splatter sound that so many people love these days but I can’t stand? My other car is a 64 Ford falcon 260 V-8 with Shorty headers and I’m not sure what the rest of the exhaust is because the previous owner had it all installed. It sounds awesome all the way up to the speed limit drone. And then it goes away a little bit above that and never comes back if you keep going faster. If it wasn’t for that drone I wouldnt be thinking about replacing it. a friend of mine has a newer Mustang with a really high-pitched splatter sound exhaust on it that I just can’t stand. I don’t know why people today seem to prefer that, I just don’t get it. It sounds like the car is barfing its way up the street
Currently running a muffler delete and x pipe in place of the resonator. Mild amount of drone in 3rd but it doesn’t bother me, most drone is gone in overdrive. She absolutely screams when I get on it. Hoping to get some longtube headers soon.
I put a pair of Magnaflow mufflers and tips on my 2006 Chevy Monte Carlo LT3 (3.9L V6) and I also felt it was a waste of money. It's hard to get good sound out of most V6 engines anyway, IMO, but the Magnaflows also seemed to trigger the Check Engine light and did something to the exhaust pressure that made the car hesitate when I was accelerating. The car just seemed to run better with the stock mufflers on it.
Interesting that Magnaflows didn't seem to run well on your Monte as well. I had a 2004 Monte Carlo SS (3.8 Supercharged) and previous owner had installed a full Corsa Catback system that I thought made a decent sound and ran well without issues. But not sure if it was worth the three grand or so it would've cost to buy and install!
Where you went wrong was trying to get all your sound after the resonators. You have to do the full job, I would even replace the cats with high flow versions at least. Keep the factory mid pipe to install once every two years... I don’t believe there are any axle back systems that don’t sound like shit sorry. EDIT: and you ended up giving that good advice in the end lol great video 👍🏼
Great video. Really didn't think there was that much difference between the two systems. I like to listen to music so I think I'll stick with my stock system.
I have those mufflers as a 2.5" but mine were only $60 at pepboys and I welded them in. My car is a 1990. long tube headers with 2.5" cats x pipe and no resonator. My car sounds mean but it's not too loud inside the car and doesn't drone. Your car is a lot quieter than mine. Get rid of that resonator and it will sound better. Before my setup was the same as listed but I had cheap turbo mufflers 2.5" but neck down to 2" inside. They were way louder and a lot of drone with turbo mufflers. Also they lose power.
I had Magnaflows on my early 2k performance truck for a little over a decade b4 they rusted and nearly fell off. Didn’t notice any drone from stock, but then again its not a vette. Did like the sound tho. Using Flowmaster now.
*I have a 1976 Camaro (Rally Sport) - I have a dual 3-inch pipe exhaust with high-flow cats and Flowmater super 40 mufflers that dump right under the rear seats. I plan on adding cutouts and maybe extending the pipe a bit farther toward the rear but, we'll see about that. You seem like a cool regular dude; good work on the video.*
Awesome video man, I just got my '95 last October cant wait for the weather to get warmer up here! (Canada) Your video was really informative keep it up? Also where did you get that sick model of the C4!?!? Cheers and hope to see more soon
Congrats, got my car around the same time! Very thankful that I can drive it all year round. I searched for my car for a solid month, took a short flight to San Fransisco area to get it and drove it home. And thanks, be sure to subscribe, more to come!
Great question, it was definitely a consideration. So you'll see in the video my SUPER unscientific test with the clothing stuffed into the back, this was to see if sound deadening would have ANY effect. Obviously dynamat or a sound deadening mat that goes in the back would do a better job, but I heard NO effect from my little test. Which makes sense...Drone is a RESONANCE (vibrational) problem more than a sound problem. So I didn't believe that it would fix the issue, and I didn't want to spend even MORE time and money on the issue, so I just bailed out. That said, I'd love to hear from anyone who had these mufflers and did the sound mat trick and it WORKED! (I havent heard from anyone in the comments so far)
Ok so I got a white 1987 a few weeks ago! It has a full Borla Exhaust and has no drone at all. The difference is that my 87 is an L 98 engine while yours is an LT1 so I can’t exactly say that yours will have no drone because it’s a different engine. But overall great exhaust, nice growl but not too loud.
Hmmm, maybe I am weird but I kind of like the drone. I have a '96 LT4 with stock and looking to change the exhaust so will definitely consider the magnaflow.....
FYI, drone is SO MUCH WORSE in person than it is on camera (though I did my best to capture it). It's like an unpleasant vibration that pounds into your skull. That said, if you dont daily your Vette, and dont use it for long highway drives, it might not bug you as much as it did me.
Retro Cars Forever the front part is a custom X pipe the rear is the back half of the car back system. Sounds awesome. When the car was stock I had flowmasters they sounded great but we’re horrible build quality and rusted out in 10 years lol. I can upload an audio clip for you.
Wow! That was a super good vid and with so many different driving situations. I’m really impressed. Btw, I have a 1996 Corvette LT4 convertible with the same Magnaflow catback exhaust and I’ve experienced no drone whatsoever.Maybe because it’s a convertible? idk
Thanks! Keep in mind you have a CATBACK exhaust, and I only had the Magnaflow MUFFLERS. Like I mention in the video, I regret not going with a full catback system, as I've heard good things about them.
If I would've been gung-ho about keeping those mufflers, I would've gone down that route. But I'm not certain that would've worked. Would love to hear if anyone's tried!
These have a nice sound, but they are still way too quiet. Personally, I'd have to do something with the midpipe to give these more tone. I had massive drone on my 2016 3.7 (manual) Mustang with SLP Loudmouth II + an X-pipe. Borla ATAK is the ONLY thing that eliminated the drone. There is still lots of volume and tone (and lots of rasp up top), but none of that eardrum rattling resonance that vibrates your brain. S-Type would be quieter with a similar characteristic. They run about $1500 for the axle-backs and $2700 for catback with a special resonator for the midsection.
Love your videos and editing. You should have a C4 channel. My CE is an auto and personally, I love how quiet it is. That said, drop me a line when or if you ever decide to get rid of yours. Finding a low mileage CE/LT4 is not that easy. Thanks!
Thanks! I like to keep my channel open to C4s and often focus on them, there’s an entire playlist of Corvette videos on my homepage. Make sure to subscribe if you haven’t already, if I ever sell my c4 I’ll be making a video about it! Thanks for watching.
Haha yea I was and now keeping stock. I myself use my C4 as a daily driver. Most underrated car for the money. Super reliable even in snow and rain. Glad to see I am not the only one. Keep these videos coming!! Not enough good content about C4’s on TH-cam.
To be honest. If you were looking for just a little bit louder stock noise. You got it. Otherwise, it's nothing. I prefer the stock over the downgrade. 10 series sounds the best for my ears.
I bought a cheap '91 6Spd C4 several years ago that came with a pair of Magnaflow dual outlet mufflers on it. I feel like they had a more aggressive note than what you installed on yours (albeit my phone speakers may not do your vid justice). I never noticed any type of drone that bothered me, and under acceleration it sounded pretty aggressive.
A 1991 is going to have a totally different engine than what I have, that was last year for the L98 so that might be part of that. It’s also possible those were different mufflers ordered from Magnaflow directly, not the “off the shelf” ones I got from Corvette Central (see my pinned top comment on this video).
@@RetroCarsForever Yup. I took the engine difference into account as well. Me, personally, if I ever get ahold of a '96 LT4 (and I'm looking at many I've found for sale), I'd be tempted to do a full exhaust upgrade, as long as 96s are exempt from inspection in my state, which I'm not sure about yet.
I like it. I've always wanted one. That license plate I'd love to drive that around with my pushing 50 ass I'd even buy some new balance and docker pants just for the cruise! But I really would. What's happening to me ee!!
Thank you! That white ZR-1 model I’ve had since I was a kid. It’s a Maisto 1:18 scale metal model. Probably a 1992. That particular model should be easy to find these days.
Hello. I’ve noticed your temp also get kinda high like mine. Been reading on this and it seems like the radiator fins is dirty. I’ll have to flush mine and clean it to see the difference. Great video.
Thanks! I go more about the overheating thing in this Secret Quirks Video here- th-cam.com/video/Hlp0wnXX_sU/w-d-xo.html But if it’s still too high, checking radiator fins or ac condensor fins highly recommended. Also making sure you have fresh coolant. If all else fails turning on the AC will force the secondary fan to kick on.
I have a 1988 Corvette, also with a manual gearbox. I watched that same video a few days ago, and knew from experience it was wrong about the Magnaflows. The alternatives C&S offer, based on their 'drone-free' mufflers, might do the trick. Otherwise, the whole idea they have specifically sourced those makes no sense. They are clearly baffled, which makes sound waves collide and 'cancel' each other. The straight-through Magnaflow mufflers are simply oval 'glass packs', as we used to call them, which always seem powerless to stop drone. Anyway, I know it has been months since all this happened, but maybe you should speak with Lyle at C&S about your experience. My guess is he will understand what happened, and at least correct the info in their video. FWIW, I'm going to try a very old-school solution in my car: Thrush Turbo mufflers. They have internal gates which open as inlet back pressure increases under load, both decreasing pressure and getting louder / more aggressive. They're dirt cheap, like $35 apiece. No big deal if they fail to impress. Your video was very well done, so thanks!
i just discovered something id like to share. my 1996 corvette got here monday. been playing with all the knobs and stuff to make sure i know how they all work. seat trans on pass side needs fixing or replacing. head light has that rotating bucking. i watched a vid that helped me zero but it did show the knob that manually opens the light. i played with that a bit, seeing how long it took to open it all the way and back. not as fun as i hoped. but i did see the stopper for when it closes. i adjusted that a tad to its not quite touching and turned on the lights and the bucking didnt happen. the bucking didnt happen!!! :) i turned them on and off several times to make sure i would still work normally and they did. i thought you would like that. if you or anyone else tries that and it works, please let me know here. thanks
Those “free” fixes are the best! Power seats commonly go out. Had that happen on mine and replaced the rack. Not a terrible job, did that in this video- th-cam.com/video/6ER9pGT1Idw/w-d-xo.html
@@RetroCarsForever thanks. looks like the trans is not as easy as a repair but a replace instead. now got to find one. probably will end up getting a new one. no vettes in junk yards around here and i work in one. i have not ever seen a vette yet there
Yeah pretty rare to find a Corvette in a junkyard. They’re usually valuable enough to keep going, and once they get too old they’re more commonly parted out.
That's the key...If it's a "fun" car that you drive occasionally, you kinda want it be rowdy sounding. But during the daily grind...That's when drone gets really bothersome!
I find it interesting how every car is drastically different when it comes to exhaust. I’ve ran magnaflows on my Crown Vic, and had them on my hemi Charger and there is no drone on either car. Perhaps it’s the placement of the mufflers that make the difference. Both of my cars the mufflers are in the center with a section of tail pipe after, on the corvette the mufflers are directly at the end of the system. Interesting.
thanks for the helpful info. and nice find of a very clean 96 Vette 😎👍 (side note: the street where you did the comparison drive by’s seems familiar to me, but can’t put my finger on it. it seems we’re both in L.A. - hope to see your car at our local car shows once things get back to normal 🤓)
Thanks! The street is a super secret location somewhere in the Valley (it is SUPER hard to find quiet, safe streets around here!) What kind of car do you have? You go to Radwood?
@@RetroCarsForever up until recently I *was* the proud owner of a 1980 Vette, but it met its premature end one faithful night about a year ago. Ironically enough, it happened about less than a quarter mile from where you filmed your before/after drive-by shots (aka the SUPER secret location 😉 🤫) I wasn’t done with Corvette ownership so I’ve been considering getting the same year again at some point down the road. But i'm also thinking of trying a different generation, including perhaps a C4 (specifically, a ‘96 6-speed). For now, a 5-speed Fiat 500 Abarth gives me the kicks I need. I haven't made it to Radwood yet - i'm so spoiled with all the free top-notch car gatherings around here I've been lazy to attend Radwood. but i've been itching to check it out... as soon as life gets back to 'normal'
@@chazwazzum Hope to see you there! Radwood is by far my favorite car show. You see cars there you would NEVER see anywhere else. And I love the sound of those Abarths!
Sharp eyes you have! That's actually totally normal for a C4, something I discuss in this "secret quirks" video here (Cued up to the temp section...) th-cam.com/video/Hlp0wnXX_sU/w-d-xo.htmlsi=xoRclYvO8LK3Dayo&t=104
People like you are so much more relatable then all of the other "famous" car youtubers, with 2020 Supras, C8 Corvettes etc. Its way more fun to watch videos from you because you actually do things on a budget and motivate me to do car things myself. You definently deserve more subscribers, Ill do my best to share your channel out to others.
Wow, this is one of the nicest comments I've ever gotten. Hugely appreciated, especially because that's the entire goal of my channel. Thanks so much!
@@RetroCarsForever Absolutely, keep up the good work!
Cleanest and best C4 version. I’m in awe of just how clean this thing is. I’d love to have this car. Dude you’ve done a phenomenal job with this vehicle. It’s beautiful and really makes me crave one.
Thanks! Although I really have to give credit to the car's previous caretakers, I've just kept it up as I've owned it.
UPDATE- I've been contacted by Rich Waitas who is the Senior Manager / Spokesman at Magnaflow.
He wants to make it clear that the Corvette Central exhaust with MagnaFlow muffler that I used is not representative of a MagnaFlow-designed product, nor was it specifically tuned for the Corvette.
Rather, it is an "off the shelf" generic MagnaFlow universal muffler that Corvette Central sells that can be used in a variety of vehicles.
MagnaFlow DOES sell application-specific exhaust systems, but does not have a muffler solution for 1984-1985 C4, but does for later models in this generation designed to have the same on-throttle experience, but has a dual V core muffler to mitigate interior drone.
They can be found at magnaflow/pages/chevrolet-corvette.
Note that I have not been paid to share this information, but wanted to pass along what I was told for you to decide.
Practical Car Guy excellent editing and content, my dude. You got yourself another fan!
@@AB0BA_69 Thanks a million! Appreciate it.
@@RetroCarsForever what’s the parts number on dual v core muffler i don’t want drone lol
@@chriscaldeira7895 Afraid I'm not sure of the exact parts number but check out the website- magnaflow/pages/chevrolet-corvette
@@RetroCarsForever I’ve heard getting muffler tips to extend the exhaust will help the drone, the dual core mufflers are coming in tomorrow I’ll get tips just in case, I’m replacing the interior soon as well so might as well wrap it with killmat a lot of people who make drag builds do that
I used Magnaflows on my C4 but I removed the resonator and added an X-pipe in its place. I am totally satisfied.
You my friend have one of the Best C4s and the C4 is one of the Best Corvettes.Don't let anyone tell you different. That being said the Best exhaust for the C4 isthe Corsa! That's not just my opinion it's a fact. My advice is to never sell this car.If you do I'm a buyer
Hi Greg! Thanks for the kind words, I love my car and am enjoying it immensely (working on another video about it coming out next week).
I've heard recommendations for the full Corsa system time and time again. Seems to be the system to beat for these cars.
Your 'fact' about Corsa is simply opinion! I had a 95 Vette LT-1 6spd with Corsas already on it, and it sounded like a raspy, flatulent Dodge V10 with no depth. Very 'tinny' and boring. It's OK for those who hate drone (or any other sounds), I suppose. Nevertheless, I loved my first Corvette. One of my C5s had muffler deletes (I thought it was Borla when I bought it). It sounded way better. Opinions only... 😁
Thanks for taking the time to share your learnings. I just purchased a full Cat Back MagFlow full exhaust kit for my 1992 C4 Corvette. I have drone issues with my current stock mufflers, so I am hoping for a better look and sound with minimal difference. I'll post the difference I hear after the install is complete.
Glad I could help. Hope the MagnaFlow Cat Backs work out for you (they should).
What are the current mufflers you have on now?
Pull that rear carpet out, clean down the surface, apply good quality sound deadening like Dynamat Xtreme, stick it on nice and firm and make sure you roll it in well.
Problem will be significantly reduced if not gone altogether. I've done that on a lot of C4 coupes, the issue is the fibreglass floor amplifying the resonance.
Nice video! I’ve got a 96 collector’s edition LT4 with a corsa cat back, stainlessworks longtube headers, and no cats. Absolutely zero drone.
Car twins! Well, except for the exhaust. Good to hear about your exhaust, seems like we came to the same conclusion.
Corsas Rule, the best , Flow Masters are mediocre..
@@andya857 Corsa is awesome, with just catback its the best sound possible, no drone etc. With lt headers, and no/small cats, its just awesome, you'll be the best sounding car at any car event :D
I have lt4 with corsa with long tubes and cam and dont have drone
5:04; Cat waiting for box to be vacant
HAHAH! That's literally what was going on. He LOVES big boxes. "Are you done yet?"
Had same experience with my VW GTI and its VR6 motor. They drone with aftermarkets, until you buy an expensive one, then they sound great.
I love those VR6 GTIs...I could droning being an issue with them as their hatchbacks, if you're not careful with the right mods.
Wow, you really put a lot of effort into this.
Great job.
Thank you, much appreciated!
when I replaced the mufflers on my 6spd roadster, I also bought the resonator eliminator pipes, with an X-pipe, and installed a set of polished bullets, it sounds great, and with the X-pipe, I have no drone. I wanted it to be on the louder side of the sound spectrum! BTW, I am still running the cat. converters, I just got rid of the resonator.
Awesome! Interesting solution.
About to take possession of a 95. Thank you for convincing me to pass on these mufflers.
You're very welcome! Best of luck with your 1995 (if you see my other videos on this channel you'll know already that I think 1995 is one of the very best years for a C4!)
Had a 92 LT1 with an automatic. I cut off the resonator, put straight pipes, flowmasters at the back. With the stock rectangular tips, it was too loud, too much resonance, groning, etc. I did find some really beautiful one-to-two oval tips, from magnaflow, dual wall that tamed down the sound a lot. It gave it this really sweet low throaty growl sound and it was much quieter. Made it a pleasure to drive. It was also my daily driver. It was confortable to drive, pleasing to the ears. I did like the performance sound of the flowmaster with the open rectangular tips, but it was not pleasant on a daily use. At some RPMs, the tip themselves would vibrate and sound like a loose piece of sheetmetal, it was aweful. However, it was just a matter of the tips. It was beautiful sounding with the magnaflow dual outlet oval tips that were double walled. Night and day difference.
Great option, thanks for sharing!
I had the Corvette Central full exhaust with highflow cat on my 87, and I loved it
Cool, what brand was it exactly?
Any drone?
@@RetroCarsForever Magnaflow, no drone
I live in south Dakota with no emissions test or anything, so i just ripped the cat and the the mufflers off and just straight piped it with orily pipes. Sounds like a dream
Any drone?
@@RetroCarsForever ima be honest, when im on the highway its a very very low bassy WHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. mines a 1990 with the l98 engine, idk how the sound would compare if it was straight piped with the lt4 like yours has
Your videos are absolutely excellent!
Thank you very much!
Thanks for posting, I think the magnaflows are too quiet.
You're welcome, glad i could help!
True. Yet people still buy them. Dunno the logic behind that.
Made this same mistake years ago on my 94. My happy medium was keeping the stock cats and mufflers but eliminating the resonator between. Aggressive tone, not any louder, and NO DRONE.
Cool, I'm surprised to hear that worked, considering how I figured the resonator was doing so much to eliminate drone in the first place.
Love the C4. Pop up up and down headlights.
You’ll love next weeks video then...stay tuned or subscribe, because it’s all about pop up headlights!
Yes, I’m getting a bright yellow 95 c4 corvette pretty soon, I’ve always loved the c4s ever since I’ve been a kid.
My auto with full magna flow cat back drones in 4th gear. I have daily driven it for a while and the drone is a little annoying but not bad, just hit the gas to downshift and it goes away. Also lock tire any loose interior screws that rattle because of it. I wouldn’t have paid the cost to put it in at almost $1500 in but I’d rather have it than not. I would of done what you did BUT with Cheap summit racing mufflers ($35) and experimented by using camp ons till I got the right mix.
That's a bad combo I should've mentioned in the video...The loose/rattly interior of the C4s gets EVEN WORSE with a droning exhaust!
Very methodical experiment. Well done. I have a 1996 LT-1 C4, and I'd like to get better sound out of it.
It currently has stock exhaust. This is my first Corvette. Later C4's are my favorite. Before the C4 I had a bunch of 1969 Camaros.
I found the perfect sound on the Camaro. The model name was California Turbo mufflers.
Unfortunately I don't recall who made them.
I've asked around, but all the speed shops that used to be around have long gone out of business.
Does anyone remember those mufflers, and who makes (made) them?
I'd be surprised if they stopped making them. They had a great sound. No drone in Camaros, crisp sound, and when you let it rip it sounded beautiful.
Excellent video. Looking forward to more.
Thank you! New Corvette video coming next week, so subscribe to see that if you're a first time Corvette owner (it's everything I've learned that I was surprised about).
As for your Camaro mufflers...Keep in mind, those can be a lot more aggressive without having droning issues, as their much further back/have more in the way between them and your ears!
I have a similar problem. 2 years ago I bought a manual 93 Corvette with Borla exhaust. It's sounds great in city traffic, but under 1500 RPM it drones so terribly, I don't go into 6th gear below 70 mph. It's a pain in the ass when traveling longer distances, but it pays off when accelerating. Your Vette is pristine btw.
I recently bought a 93 red rag top and i friggin love it. awesome sound, power and handling that is superior to the c3 77 i had before. so comfortable of a ride, so glad i found it in awesome shape, LOV IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Right on, congrats!
I did the "muffler deletes" on my '86 Z51...yes it drones at low rpm and then peters out. Once you're past that point the awesomeness kicks in. Also, it GROWLS when you start it up...
I'm glad you're digging it, but I daily my Corvette, and spend too much of my time at low RPMs in Los Angeles traffic to make it worth the tradeoff.
I don't own a C4 (yet... import calculations seem promising though!), but I appreciate the amount of research, testing and all around effort that went into this really interesting video, all to help people.
Thanks so much! That's the aim of all my C4 Corvette videos, to help guide potential new owners through these murky waters of these weird but wonderful cars.
i put Borla's on my old 04 Z06, sound was amazing! for my SLP SS, i replaced it with a 3 chamber Flowmaster, sound was perfect, not too loud but a lot of growl, nice pops, when letting off the gas. same with the Borla, nice pops gearing down. i had Magnaflow on a Z28 long ago, didn't like it! anyway, i like the sound at 3:27 , nice setup
You like the "muffler delete" option best it seems (that's the timecode you mentioned).
Why didn't you like the Magnaflows on your Camaro? Those should be a lot less susceptible to drone.
Thank you for all the effort you put into these videos. Highly appreciated especially as an LA Local
You’re very welcome!
Nice dood! Can't wait to see what else you have in store for the channel!
Thank you! You have been an inspiration for sure.
Now I gotta watch your Probe video!!
All open chamber mufflers drone. My personal favorite are flowmasters but Walker dynomax mufflers produce a nice sound without drone.
Good to know!
Corsa exhaust for no drone. Very expressive but you get what you pay for. Corsa sounds amazing too.
Yep, getting a lot of feedback that backs this up since this vid came out.
I went Dow this path and ended up with Dynomax super turbo mufflers, found it to be a great compromise, good sound minimal drone.
I think its great the C4 are getting the attention it deserves. So many videos on TH-cam as of late :)
Me too! Kind of a C4 renaissance goin on...Maybe because older owners are selling their Vettes to younger generation (like me) who have more online presence.
Stay tuned tomorrow, you'll like the music video I'm uploading here!
I got the flowmaster 4400's they sound great no drone and even gave better performance.
Thanks for the recommendation.
I have stock mufflers on my Lt4 Vette, and one has a hole in it, I was going to do exactly what you`ve done, wow , thanks and Very Nice CE Lt4
Thanks! Are you thinking of replacing the muffler with a hole in it with a stock one now?
Wow man, that was really great. The whole thing, every part - the editing, writing, b-roll, the flow, all of it. As for the mufflers, exhaust sound is such a personal thing and It’s lousy to spend the $$$ but I agree with what you did. Can’t wait to see more!
Thanks! Means a lot esp from someone like you who has been doing this for some time.
And I agree the SOUND of a car is SO subjective, that's why I thought a video is really the only way to do it.
I used Flowmaster on my 96 LT 4. Sounds great
Cat back or just mufflers? Any drone?
@@RetroCarsForever I just put the Flowmaster Super 44 muffler on my Sierra (muffler only). It's just the lil 4.8 V8, but now it makes beautiful deep rumbles, burbles, and crackles. Louder, for sure, but certainly not obnoxious. I'd probably even go for the Super 10 if I had to do it all over again. Either one would sound great on your Corvette.
I do have a teeny bit of drone around 1,900 ~ 2,200 rpm, but I could not be less bothered by it.
@@jeredhead6806 As I mention in the video, keep in mind how wildly different most cars' architectures are compared to the Corvette.
In a big pickup like a Sierra, the mufflers are yards away, with plenty of metal and space between them and your ears.
Whereas the Corvette is basically a "funnel" that directs all the reverb coming from just a few feet away right into your skull. That's what makes it more prone to droning than most other cars.
I just bought a 1995 lt1 corvette and had to rebalance the driveshaft so while we had the stock exhaust down we cut out the resonator and replaced it with an h pipe. My corvette is my only running car so it's my daily driver, and after the modification I have noticed zero drone just like before but with gains in tone. I have a 30 minute drive to work and have put a couple thousand miles on the car with no headaches! Give it a shot!
Hmm, interesting! Stick or automatic?
Automatic!
I love the sound of my 87 convertible with Magnaflow mufflers!
I'm glad to hear that! Do they drone like in this video?
@@RetroCarsForever I don't notice any drone, the sound is more like an Indycar which is what I like. I'm wondering if the tip makes any difference since mine are just round on the end. Of course being a convertible might also change things. Nice job on the video, really like your comparisons.
@@monroebass2 thanks! Yeah a few factors might keep drone from being an issue for you, thankfully. I think the convertible version helps.
My first Vette was a 95 and I bought it with Corsa's already on. Was disappointed with the sound (like a flatulent Dodge V10 truck). No drone, but no soul. My 3rd Vette- 2003 C5 had muffler deletes and sounded really good. Oddly, it wasn't too loud, but reminded me of the least aggressive Borla. Lucky you for getting the rare LT-4 6 speed Collectors edition final-year C4! Me likey! The silver collector's edition isn't much more valuable, but with the LT4/6 speed, you have a desirable gem!
Thanks! I actually uploaded another video recently going over all the special editions and their values/rarity, including the LT4 and the Collector Edition-
th-cam.com/video/vWhwNK5Lkyg/w-d-xo.html
We have the identical car! We installed full Borla exhaust eliminated Cats. Headers and 4.10 rear. Love the drown and we Dynoed at340 Hp. Bad ass results
Cool! I'm assuming 340 hp is rear wheel hp, or corrected for that? (Because that's only 10 more than stock)
Did you say you LOVE the drone?
Retro Cars Forever the the car is rated stock 330 HP at the fly wheel. 340 at the rear wheels is 400+ HP . Picked up a lot of ponies
th-cam.com/video/wc3LrmtaxjU/w-d-xo.html
Your videos are all well done sir! Good honest reporting. Much appreciated.
Thanks!
I have a stock 1996 corvette with automatic transmission. I was thinking of eliminating the mufflers to get a more sporty sound. Although your video persuaded me that eliminating drone is not an easy feat. So YES I will keep my exhaust stock as well. Thank you for the info !! Much appreciated !!
You’re very welcome! I’ve learned to love my stock exhaust, drone just isn’t worth it to me.
Muffler eliminators. Done. They sound great on LT4s.
Agreed that they sound great, but as I mention in the video, they're gonna drone.
I had the exact same problem with my 1977 Corvette. I bought a Flowmaster cat back system designed to the C3. They sounded fine from outside the car, but there was so much drone in the cabin when driving around town 35 - 45 mph that it made me crazy. I tried everything to get rid of the drone without luck.
Makes sense, similar architecture for the C3 in regards to muffler placement.
Great vid and thanks for sharing, man! Own '94 C4 with stick shift and almost do the same as you did. Now I would step up a bit with cat-back based on your experience.
Thanks, glad I could help!
Sorry it didn't work out. But the video is great. Narrative was smooth and easy to follow. Revealing the results at the start is a little risky; part of the fun is seeing if it worked. A tease might work better, "I spent 100s of $$ . . . but did it work?" At any rate, I'm not a car guy (although I lust the 1970 Chevelle SS) but I enjoyed this. Great launch, Practical Car Guy!
Thanks Paul! That's a really good thought about the opener...Dang, time for a reshoot!
Appreciate the great video. I just bought a 93 convertible and wanted it louder, but after watching your video, going to keep it stock. I may move up to a c6 next year, and would probably do better on resale if it was stock.
Update:. I did end up deleting the mufflers and had dual chrome tips welded on. It was just too quiet. Now it is just right. Not too loud, but comes alive when you punch it, sounds like a muscle car now. I kept the original mufflers so can easily have them put back on.
Yeah I’ve learned to love my stock exhaust. Kinda sucks that it has a few cutmarks in the pipes now!
One thing you can do is take those old clamps you have, put a rubber mount on it and attached so wights to it. This will change the resonance of the exhaust pipes and can actually remove “drone” the oem’s do this on cars today. Of course they have fancy math and computers to calculate this but I’m sure you could just do some trial and error. Great video cheers
Interesting idea, haven’t thought about that before. Too late for me now, but good comment for others to try!
I have a 88 with the l98. It's completely strait piped and it's still quite
Thanks! When I get new mufflers I'm keeping it stock! I have an 88' Corvette.
Glad I could help! Whats wrong with your stock mufflers?
@@RetroCarsForever There a 2 inch rusty crack in the drivers side muffler and the rear y pipe has patched up rusty holes.
@@stevenhoehne2142 Ha, that would do it!
I bet you can pick up a used muffler for next to nothing...Lots of Corvettes have aftermarket exhausts, so the OEM exhaust systems just arent worth that much. So could be a great deal for you.
@@RetroCarsForever Thanks for doing the "CORVETTE EXHAUST Review". I was very helpful!
I just put flomasters on my 96. Sounds great.
It's going to be quiet with stock exhaust manifolds and the factory cats. I installed a 3" B&B on my 96 and the tone was slightly more throaty. You need long tube headers and a really good set of cats to get it louder . Or no cats at all if you dare.
Idk why but the whine the c4s trans makes sounds amazing to me
In an age where cars do all they can to smother mechanical noises it’s refreshing to hear actual mechanical pieces at work!
If you ever try the system that you talked about, Corsa, i’d love to see that post video. I also want to change the exhaust on my Corvette away from the manufactured stock pipes.
But I also did have a full exhaust done on another vehicle with headers all the way to the tips at the end and it had a drone always at exactly at the speed limit so I was always speeding up just a tad to get past the drone. It started long before the speed limit and then right up to it. So I was Always risking a ticket. Whether with in town at City speed or on the highway speeds. Or I was going to slow and blocking traffic
I can’t imagine I’ll ever want to mess with this exhaust again. I already spent enough money on it, and I’ve learned to love how it sounds stock!
I can def relate to the drone you mentioned. Sort of a maddening to me to have to drive certain speeds just to avoid it.
@@RetroCarsForever Thanks for responding but now I have to ask then about the vehicle you did have the corsa exhaust on that if it had that that V-8 or V6 roaring sound or The regurgitating splatter sound that so many people love these days but I can’t stand?
My other car is a 64 Ford falcon 260 V-8 with Shorty headers and I’m not sure what the rest of the exhaust is because the previous owner had it all installed. It sounds awesome all the way up to the speed limit drone. And then it goes away a little bit above that and never comes back if you keep going faster. If it wasn’t for that drone I wouldnt be thinking about replacing it.
a friend of mine has a newer Mustang with a really high-pitched splatter sound exhaust on it that I just can’t stand. I don’t know why people today seem to prefer that, I just don’t get it. It sounds like the car is barfing its way up the street
Currently running a muffler delete and x pipe in place of the resonator. Mild amount of drone in 3rd but it doesn’t bother me, most drone is gone in overdrive. She absolutely screams when I get on it. Hoping to get some longtube headers soon.
Nice!
I put a pair of Magnaflow mufflers and tips on my 2006 Chevy Monte Carlo LT3 (3.9L V6) and I also felt it was a waste of money. It's hard to get good sound out of most V6 engines anyway, IMO, but the Magnaflows also seemed to trigger the Check Engine light and did something to the exhaust pressure that made the car hesitate when I was accelerating. The car just seemed to run better with the stock mufflers on it.
Interesting that Magnaflows didn't seem to run well on your Monte as well.
I had a 2004 Monte Carlo SS (3.8 Supercharged) and previous owner had installed a full Corsa Catback system that I thought made a decent sound and ran well without issues. But not sure if it was worth the three grand or so it would've cost to buy and install!
My 94 Corvette has Magnaflows after 4 years the sound is music to my ears. Corvette,s are not only meant to be " Seen " but also to be " Heard."
I agree, just couldn’t deal with the drone. Did you get the same Corvette Central magnaflows or something else?
Mufflers or full cat back?
Where you went wrong was trying to get all your sound after the resonators. You have to do the full job, I would even replace the cats with high flow versions at least. Keep the factory mid pipe to install once every two years... I don’t believe there are any axle back systems that don’t sound like shit sorry. EDIT: and you ended up giving that good advice in the end lol great video 👍🏼
Yep! And I was okay with a mild sound upgrade too, which is why I went with the mufflers. Would’ve been quite happy with them if they didn’t drone.
I have long tube headers, cat delete, and SLP loudmouth 1 catback. Doesn't drone... but the neighbors do 😂
Picking up my lt4 collectors edition tomorrow! Psyched!!
Best of luck!
Great video. Really didn't think there was that much difference between the two systems. I like to listen to music so I think I'll stick with my stock system.
Glad this helped! And thanks.
I have those mufflers as a 2.5" but mine were only $60 at pepboys and I welded them in. My car is a 1990. long tube headers with 2.5" cats x pipe and no resonator. My car sounds mean but it's not too loud inside the car and doesn't drone. Your car is a lot quieter than mine. Get rid of that resonator and it will sound better. Before my setup was the same as listed but I had cheap turbo mufflers 2.5" but neck down to 2" inside. They were way louder and a lot of drone with turbo mufflers. Also they lose power.
Good to know! Thanks
I use the Corsa exhaust- very nice sound and power...
Wish I would've gone with the Corsa catback instead!
I've heard only good comments about it.
I had Magnaflows on my early 2k performance truck for a little over a decade b4 they rusted and nearly fell off. Didn’t notice any drone from stock, but then again its not a vette. Did like the sound tho. Using Flowmaster now.
*I have a 1976 Camaro (Rally Sport) - I have a dual 3-inch pipe exhaust with high-flow cats and Flowmater super 40 mufflers that dump right under the rear seats. I plan on adding cutouts and maybe extending the pipe a bit farther toward the rear but, we'll see about that. You seem like a cool regular dude; good work on the video.*
Thanks!
Awesome video man, I just got my '95 last October cant wait for the weather to get warmer up here! (Canada) Your video was really informative keep it up? Also where did you get that sick model of the C4!?!? Cheers and hope to see more soon
Congrats, got my car around the same time! Very thankful that I can drive it all year round.
I searched for my car for a solid month, took a short flight to San Fransisco area to get it and drove it home.
And thanks, be sure to subscribe, more to come!
Why didn't you invest in some dynamat or similar sound deadening material to isolate yourself from the drone and kept the Magnaflows you had?
Great question, it was definitely a consideration.
So you'll see in the video my SUPER unscientific test with the clothing stuffed into the back, this was to see if sound deadening would have ANY effect.
Obviously dynamat or a sound deadening mat that goes in the back would do a better job, but I heard NO effect from my little test. Which makes sense...Drone is a RESONANCE (vibrational) problem more than a sound problem.
So I didn't believe that it would fix the issue, and I didn't want to spend even MORE time and money on the issue, so I just bailed out. That said, I'd love to hear from anyone who had these mufflers and did the sound mat trick and it WORKED! (I havent heard from anyone in the comments so far)
Great video and really well done. Based on this I’ll get a full Borla Exhaust
Awesome, glad I could help! Hope you like the Borla system.
Ok so I got a white 1987 a few weeks ago! It has a full Borla Exhaust and has no drone at all. The difference is that my 87 is an L 98 engine while yours is an LT1 so I can’t exactly say that yours will have no drone because it’s a different engine. But overall great exhaust, nice growl but not too loud.
Hmmm, maybe I am weird but I kind of like the drone. I have a '96 LT4 with stock and looking to change the exhaust so will definitely consider the magnaflow.....
FYI, drone is SO MUCH WORSE in person than it is on camera (though I did my best to capture it).
It's like an unpleasant vibration that pounds into your skull.
That said, if you dont daily your Vette, and dont use it for long highway drives, it might not bug you as much as it did me.
Great vid... excellent production
Get a Borla! I have the same exact car owned it since 1998. Best system out there!
Cat back? Just mufflers? How's the drone?
Retro Cars Forever the front part is a custom X pipe the rear is the back half of the car back system. Sounds awesome. When the car was stock I had flowmasters they sounded great but we’re horrible build quality and rusted out in 10 years lol. I can upload an audio clip for you.
Wow! That was a super good vid and with so many different driving situations. I’m really impressed.
Btw, I have a 1996 Corvette LT4 convertible with the same Magnaflow catback exhaust and I’ve experienced no drone whatsoever.Maybe because it’s a convertible? idk
Thanks! Keep in mind you have a CATBACK exhaust, and I only had the Magnaflow MUFFLERS. Like I mention in the video, I regret not going with a full catback system, as I've heard good things about them.
Could try some heavy butyl sound deadening under the carpeted area at the rear to help stop the flat parts of the metal vibrating
If I would've been gung-ho about keeping those mufflers, I would've gone down that route.
But I'm not certain that would've worked. Would love to hear if anyone's tried!
These have a nice sound, but they are still way too quiet. Personally, I'd have to do something with the midpipe to give these more tone. I had massive drone on my 2016 3.7 (manual) Mustang with SLP Loudmouth II + an X-pipe. Borla ATAK is the ONLY thing that eliminated the drone. There is still lots of volume and tone (and lots of rasp up top), but none of that eardrum rattling resonance that vibrates your brain. S-Type would be quieter with a similar characteristic. They run about $1500 for the axle-backs and $2700 for catback with a special resonator for the midsection.
Nice! I’m considering to get magnaflow for my 1991 c4 corvette as well
Just beware of the drone!
@@RetroCarsForever yeah! I watched it till the end! Thanks for amazing video btw. No thanks to Magnaflow! maybe later a corsa but it’s very expensive
Love your videos and editing. You should have a C4 channel. My CE is an auto and personally, I love how quiet it is. That said, drop me a line when or if you ever decide to get rid of yours. Finding a low mileage CE/LT4 is not that easy. Thanks!
Thanks! I like to keep my channel open to C4s and often focus on them, there’s an entire playlist of Corvette videos on my homepage.
Make sure to subscribe if you haven’t already, if I ever sell my c4 I’ll be making a video about it! Thanks for watching.
fantastic review. I think I've seen ya around town\, your car looks great
Thanks! If you see my around LA feel free to say hi!
Excellent video man and you just saved me a bunch time. Keep it up buddy!!
Thanks, that's great to hear! Were you considering these for your Corvette?
Haha yea I was and now keeping stock. I myself use my C4 as a daily driver. Most underrated car for the money. Super reliable even in snow and rain. Glad to see I am not the only one. Keep these videos coming!! Not enough good content about C4’s on TH-cam.
@@johnmichael212009 This is great to hear! More coming soon, thanks!
To be honest. If you were looking for just a little bit louder stock noise. You got it.
Otherwise, it's nothing. I prefer the stock over the downgrade.
10 series sounds the best for my ears.
I bought a cheap '91 6Spd C4 several years ago that came with a pair of Magnaflow dual outlet mufflers on it. I feel like they had a more aggressive note than what you installed on yours (albeit my phone speakers may not do your vid justice). I never noticed any type of drone that bothered me, and under acceleration it sounded pretty aggressive.
A 1991 is going to have a totally different engine than what I have, that was last year for the L98 so that might be part of that.
It’s also possible those were different mufflers ordered from Magnaflow directly, not the “off the shelf” ones I got from Corvette Central (see my pinned top comment on this video).
@@RetroCarsForever Yup. I took the engine difference into account as well. Me, personally, if I ever get ahold of a '96 LT4 (and I'm looking at many I've found for sale), I'd be tempted to do a full exhaust upgrade, as long as 96s are exempt from inspection in my state, which I'm not sure about yet.
@@RetroCarsForever I just remembered that my aftermarket mufflers were Borla, not Magnaflow, so disregard all my previous comments. Lol
Haha that would explain it too! @@phrogusmc
I like it. I've always wanted one. That license plate I'd love to drive that around with my pushing 50 ass I'd even buy some new balance and docker pants just for the cruise! But I really would. What's happening to me ee!!
Love your videos! Where did you find that diecast model corvette? I can’t find them anywhere online for my 94.
Thank you! That white ZR-1 model I’ve had since I was a kid. It’s a Maisto 1:18 scale metal model. Probably a 1992.
That particular model should be easy to find these days.
Nothing sounds better than flowmaster
Flowmaster mufflers? Cat backs? Or just in general?
Hello. I’ve noticed your temp also get kinda high like mine. Been reading on this and it seems like the radiator fins is dirty. I’ll have to flush mine and clean it to see the difference. Great video.
Thanks! I go more about the overheating thing in this Secret Quirks Video here-
th-cam.com/video/Hlp0wnXX_sU/w-d-xo.html
But if it’s still too high, checking radiator fins or ac condensor fins highly recommended. Also making sure you have fresh coolant. If all else fails turning on the AC will force the secondary fan to kick on.
Beautiful Corvette C4.
Thank you! I love how c4s look. Still get excited seeing it in my garage.
I have a 1988 Corvette, also with a manual gearbox.
I watched that same video a few days ago, and knew from experience it was wrong about the Magnaflows. The alternatives C&S offer, based on their 'drone-free' mufflers, might do the trick. Otherwise, the whole idea they have specifically sourced those makes no sense. They are clearly baffled, which makes sound waves collide and 'cancel' each other.
The straight-through Magnaflow mufflers are simply oval 'glass packs', as we used to call them, which always seem powerless to stop drone.
Anyway, I know it has been months since all this happened, but maybe you should speak with Lyle at C&S about your experience. My guess is he will understand what happened, and at least correct the info in their video.
FWIW, I'm going to try a very old-school solution in my car: Thrush Turbo mufflers. They have internal gates which open as inlet back pressure increases under load, both decreasing pressure and getting louder / more aggressive. They're dirt cheap, like $35 apiece. No big deal if they fail to impress.
Your video was very well done, so thanks!
Thanks! Good thoughts here.
my NPP exhaust on my C6 drones on the highway when the butterflies are open so i close them as i have the override.
Best of both worlds with that option!
I've got the 2 chamber flow master on my 85 and those drone me to death I liked them at first but the more I drive the car I like less and less.
I hear ya. Drone drive me bonkers!
@@RetroCarsForever and also the fact I can't hear my stereo half the time with out cranking it full blast most of the time greatly annoys me 😆.
i just discovered something id like to share. my 1996 corvette got here monday. been playing with all the knobs and stuff to make sure i know how they all work. seat trans on pass side needs fixing or replacing.
head light has that rotating bucking. i watched a vid that helped me zero but it did show the knob that manually opens the light. i played with that a bit, seeing how long it took to open it all the way and back. not as fun as i hoped. but i did see the stopper for when it closes. i adjusted that a tad to its not quite touching and turned on the lights and the bucking didnt happen.
the bucking didnt happen!!! :)
i turned them on and off several times to make sure i would still work normally and they did. i thought you would like that. if you or anyone else tries that and it works, please let me know here. thanks
Those “free” fixes are the best!
Power seats commonly go out. Had that happen on mine and replaced the rack. Not a terrible job, did that in this video-
th-cam.com/video/6ER9pGT1Idw/w-d-xo.html
@@RetroCarsForever thanks. looks like the trans is not as easy as a repair but a replace instead. now got to find one. probably will end up getting a new one. no vettes in junk yards around here and i work in one. i have not ever seen a vette yet there
Yeah pretty rare to find a Corvette in a junkyard. They’re usually valuable enough to keep going, and once they get too old they’re more commonly parted out.
Great Vid. I’m running no cats and no mufflers on my 92 lol. It’s not my daily though.
That's the key...If it's a "fun" car that you drive occasionally, you kinda want it be rowdy sounding.
But during the daily grind...That's when drone gets really bothersome!
I find it interesting how every car is drastically different when it comes to exhaust. I’ve ran magnaflows on my Crown Vic, and had them on my hemi Charger and there is no drone on either car. Perhaps it’s the placement of the mufflers that make the difference. Both of my cars the mufflers are in the center with a section of tail pipe after, on the corvette the mufflers are directly at the end of the system. Interesting.
Agreed! I was surprised as well how much the placement/architecture of the Corvette effects exhaust sound.
did u notice more power? with the new mufflers
No more power that I noticed. Full cat back systems are what you need to get any real power increase.
That water temp was scaring me.
It shouldn't! Here's why...
th-cam.com/video/Hlp0wnXX_sU/w-d-xo.html
I have Corsa's on my 90 vert & there's no drone, but a much better sound.
Corsa catbacks?
@@RetroCarsForever Yes
Video at 7:11 temperature is too high ? My Corvette is like that too, shows high temperature. Or is it normal ?
I have a new video that explains that (assuming you have an LT1 or LT4 engine)- th-cam.com/video/Hlp0wnXX_sU/w-d-xo.html
@@RetroCarsForeverno i have a 1990 Corvette base model
Moe Adii you have a different engine then (L98). So you should look into it!
thanks for the helpful info. and nice find of a very clean 96 Vette 😎👍 (side note: the street where you did the comparison drive by’s seems familiar to me, but can’t put my finger on it. it seems we’re both in L.A. - hope to see your car at our local car shows once things get back to normal 🤓)
Thanks! The street is a super secret location somewhere in the Valley (it is SUPER hard to find quiet, safe streets around here!)
What kind of car do you have? You go to Radwood?
@@RetroCarsForever up until recently I *was* the proud owner of a 1980 Vette, but it met its premature end one faithful night about a year ago. Ironically enough, it happened about less than a quarter mile from where you filmed your before/after drive-by shots (aka the SUPER secret location 😉 🤫)
I wasn’t done with Corvette ownership so I’ve been considering getting the same year again at some point down the road. But i'm also thinking of trying a different generation, including perhaps a C4 (specifically, a ‘96 6-speed). For now, a 5-speed Fiat 500 Abarth gives me the kicks I need.
I haven't made it to Radwood yet - i'm so spoiled with all the free top-notch car gatherings around here I've been lazy to attend Radwood. but i've been itching to check it out... as soon as life gets back to 'normal'
@@chazwazzum Hope to see you there! Radwood is by far my favorite car show. You see cars there you would NEVER see anywhere else.
And I love the sound of those Abarths!
Boy that temp gauge is way hot!
Sharp eyes you have! That's actually totally normal for a C4, something I discuss in this "secret quirks" video here (Cued up to the temp section...)
th-cam.com/video/Hlp0wnXX_sU/w-d-xo.htmlsi=xoRclYvO8LK3Dayo&t=104
Aren't custom exhausts pretty much illegal in commifornia? lol
Not as long as they’re CARB (California certification) compliant, which most legit aftermarket exhausts are.
Man, those sound good