New muffler suggestions

[Tom's 2002 Bird]

New member here to the forum, my first question has probably been asked before but not sure how to search old posts. I have a 2002 yellow bird and it has the stock exhaust system on it. I would like new mufflers that will give more sound, what do you suggest? Thanks for the help!

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[George]

Tom:
First of all welcome.
Second try the search function above on mufflers and see what you come up with.

I have Borla's. Not exactly the old Flathead sound/Burble, but a fairly nice groan. We get them at substantial discount, but the '02's are no longer made.
If you are interested PM me and I'll look into it for you and see if they have a set left.

 

[Tom's 2002 Bird]

George, Thanks for the info on the exhaust system, sounds like the Borla unit is the best. I have owned the car since day one and lately my wife has been driving it in the summer months, has never seen our Michigan snow! She thinks it sounds just fine, but I would love to have more noise. I do have a 36 Ford with a full house flattie and it would be very cool to make the bird sound like that! Oh well thanks again, I look forward to learning more and contributing when I can. Tom

 

[George]

Tom:
You may want to try to slip off the resonators (some owners have done this) to see if that sounds any better or to see if she notices any difference🙂😎

 

[Tom's 2002 Bird]

Just got back from visiting my 83 year old father in Florida, he has a 2004 black bird. The previous owner had installed the Borla system, wow! it sounds great.😎 After driving his car I definitely want to change my system or try removing the resonaters.

 

[George]

Tom:
Here are some comments from others I've seen on the web:

1) "IMHO the best sound option (and the cheapest) is pulling the rear mufflers and installing glasspaks with magnaflow tips.
I currently have Borla's on my 2003 and I had the glasspak setup on my 2002. All my kids and even my wife (unsolicited or promted by me) have told me they liked the glasspak sound much better than the Borla's.
To me the Borla's sound too much like those ricer cars with those huge cherry bomb mufflers with the high pitched squeal.
I had the glasspaks intalled for about 100 bucks. "

2) "I was reading that alot of people liked magnaflows, so I went to Flowmaster and Magnaflow's websites and listened to some of their cars/muffler combos and some of the Magnaflows do sound better, and are cheaper at the store."

3) "I finally had my exhaust worked on a few weeks ago....and I LOVE it! I went to a guy the Ford dealer recomended and had him install two Magnaflow mufflers and take off the resonators, $200 for the job, most of it was labor. At low speeds the mufflers have a nice sound and at high speeds the CAI and mufflers sounds so awesome, now people don't have to ask if my Bird is a V6, they can tell V8."

 

[Tom's 2002 Bird]

George, Thanks so much for the help and info on the mufflers. It was funny talking to my father last week about his 04 bird. When he bought it two months ago from the Ford dealer he noticed the slightly louder tone, they told him it was put on by the previous owner and it was a special system. They also told him they could put on a regular system at no charge. He told me about it and I said , no way! That Borla system is worth about $1000! Once he found out how much it was he said I am keeping it. I think I will try removing the mufflers and trying a set of glass packs, one question I had that you answered was about the tips, not sure if we could re-use the old ones or just buy a new set. Thanks again for the suggestions, can't wait to make my Bird sound better! Tom😀

 

[George]

Tom:
Here's some additional information I picked up:
"We knocked off the stock pots at the back end and installed two Magnaflows that fit into the space like they were designed for it. In fact, the factory mufflers were a bit slanted down to fit the space whereas the Magnaflows fit upright and cannot be seen at all from the rear.
We listened to both Magnaflows and Flowmasters in place and I chose the Magnas because they sound cleaner with no rough edges. Maybe I'm not explaining it very well but the Flowmasters sounded ragged.
My muffler guy then cut off the factory chrome tips, made up small extentions and ran them out of the mufflers so that the tips come out of the bumper about an inch and a half farther than they were when stock.
The resulting sound is exactly what I was after. It's not like the '47 Ford flathead dual system that I had on my car when I was 17 but it sounds pretty good. Outside it has the deep rumble I like and inside the cabin it isn't noticeable at all until the engine gets past 3,000 rpm.
The installation and parts cost me $185."

 

[Tom's 2002 Bird]

George, The Magnaflows sound like what I should get, do you happen to have the part number on the mufflers? I was checking on their web site but did not see anything listed for our Birds. It is probably a universal muffler that works for a few different cars. You have to love the sound that the Flatheads make! My 36 coupe with the 46 merc motor and duals with steel pack mufflers sounds great! I have people all of the time that ask, what do you have under that hood! Thanks again for the help and advice! Tom

 

[rickrae]

Magnaflows

Tom:

I'm the one who posted the information on the Magnaflows on the T-Bird nest site. The mufflers we used were Magnaflow number 11225.

Also, a caution. Don't mess with the resonators (the middle mufflers) as they have a small crossover pipe that runs from one to the other. That is a vital part of the system as it creates a vacuum to help eliminate exhaust gasses from the front of the car.

rickrae

 

[Tom's 2002 Bird]

rickrae, Thanks for posting the style number, I will check it out! Tom

 

[George]

Thanks for posting that Rick. That's why the TBird sites are invaluable for sharing the Retro-TBird information.😎

 

[Tom's 2002 Bird]

George, I agree, its great to have the support from our fellow T-Bird lovers. I will be posting soon on the older T-bird section. My Dad is sending home to me his 1960 T-bird convertible. He bought it new in 1960 and is the original owner, now its my turn to take care of it!😎

 

[George]

George, I agree, its great to have the support from our fellow T-Bird lovers. I will be posting soon on the older T-bird section. My Dad is sending home to me his 1960 T-bird convertible. He bought it new in 1960 and is the original owner, now its my turn to take care of it!😎

Wow, lucky you!! That's a very nice model to have.
With that '36, are you also in the Early Ford V8 club?

BTW, Last year my sister gave me her low mileage '77 280Z, that she bought new. Now I find that with 4 cars in the garage, I don't even use it, so now I need to decide what to do with it.

 

[Tom's 2002 Bird]

George, I used to be in the Early V-8 club but let if go a few years ago, my kids and wife said I was spending too much time with my cars! Fortunately I have a great garage to keep my toys in, 30 by 40 block building with heat and TV! I can work on the cars and when finished just close the door for the day. It can be a problem to have a few too many cars, Dad sold a beauty of car five years ago. It was a 1937 Packard model 120 with a straight 8 engine, real nice car but no place to keep it! I plan on keeping my 2002 Bird and Dad's 1960 will be in our family for ever, same for the 36 coupe. My other car is a 1970 Firebird Trans Am, its the only GM product in my garage.

 

[George]

Thanks Tom. Always nice to hear from other car guys. What they're up to, or have done. 😎

 

[EBird]

Tom..

Did you go with the glasspacks or magnaflows?

Thanks,
Ebird

 

[monty]

Exhausts

I'm new to this forum but also belong to ****************. I have read posts going back to the beginning on our Birds and it seems the Borla's are the choice of many. I am a child of the 50's, however, and still like the old flathead rumble (had a 51 Crestline in '55). Installed Douglas glasspacks on it and can't get over that sound. I recently put Flowmasters on my '04 and then took them off and put on glasspacks (left the resinators alone). They are still in the "breaking in" period but sound pretty good so far. I also have the K&N CAI system.

 

[George]

Monty:
I believe that you may have done it right.
I wanted the '50's sound and put Borla's on. Not even close to the sound I wanted. 😕
They growl/groan as opposed to a mellow burble sound of the '50's. Too bad you're not close by, I'd like to hear them😎😎
However, most owners that have the Borla's love them....but then they must be younger than I am🙂

 

[monty]

Exhausts

George, I'm 70 yrs old myself and have put glasspaks on every car owned since 1955 (the '51 Ford Crestline). I was reluctant to do it on the Bird as everyone said it "wasn't that kind of car". I almost ordered the Borla's but wife was griping about the price and whether I "needed" a different exhaust system at all. I also own an '05 Ford F150 and have Flowmasters on it. However, they sounded altogether different on the Bird. The truck has the 4.7 engine and I guess that was the difference. I did also remove the resinators from it as muffler was in the middle instead of the back as on the Bird and did a "catback" system. The wife drive's an '06 Ford Escape but she won't let me touch it, not even the CAI. I do use K&N filters on it. I didn't remove the resinators on the Bird as it has that crossbar which is supposed to prevent a vacuum or something like that. The whole thing I think, though, is that the cat is a muffler also and for that reason, can't really duplicate the "sound of the 50's. I have heard the Borla's, had the personal experience with the Flowmasters, and like the glasspaks better than either of those. Can't you just replace the Borla mufflers only at the back of the car and put glasspaks there?