Muscle Car comparisons

[Nick R]

First, the V8s. I think the camaro sounds the best, followed by the Corvette.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmnPfYkzhuM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjpKLZtDH2w&feature=fvw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ios-vfUSQY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYZrP-Y6Ols

And the V6s. (The Mustang is getting a new 305HP V6, and the Challenger now has a 5-speed automatic.)
I think the Challenger sounds good here, followed by the Camaro.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQSGIVbo-oo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdvFBDaou0M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9F5rOZAelv0

 

[SLCraig]

Sound: Mustang.. Looks: Challenger SRT8

V6's.. Who cares

 

[SteveSRT8]

the sound of most modern V8 engines is really very similar, just the pipes are different. Change mufflers and/or piping diameters on any of those examples and the sound can change dramatically.

I've never heard a V6 I cared for. They should be muffled!

 

[ls1mike]

I don't know, I always thought a Grand National sounded pretty nasty (meaning good) with exhaust.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
the sound of most modern V8 engines is really very similar, just the pipes are different.


Really the sound of most OLD v8s depends more on the exhaust configuration than on the engine itself. Not entirely (the 426 Hemi sounds a bit different than a 440 Magnum through the same exhaust system, for example) but mostly.


Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
I've never heard a V6 I cared for. They should be muffled!


Amen. Same for straight-sixes and inline 4s. Flat-fours can sound pretty good (think Subaru turbo) but not like a v8. You need the v8 firing pattern to get that hair-raising "burble" sound. Everything else is just a variation on "blat!"

And BTW- those aren't muscle cars, they're pony cars. Nothing wrong with that, they're cool. But the only muscle car made after 1974 was the mid 80s Buick GN.

 

[Nick R]

Muffle the straight sixes? =O Heresy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZjrkXa7u04

 

[Drew99GT]

Mustangs have always sounded better IMO, because they had true dual exhaust. Corvettes, GTOs, and the new Camaro sound good now because they have true dual exhaust from the factory.

6 bangers with a loud exhaust sound horrid! So do 4 bangers with a raspy ricer exhaust.

4 bangers sound good though with a quality exhaust, and ones with a really open intake system sound ballsy. Built older Bugs with big displacement motors and IDAs sound downright mean.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agpwc8KU3ro

 

[SteveSRT8]

and, since we're commenting now, I'd rather be the quiet 'sleeper' than the noisiest car on the road.

 

[Old Mustang Guy]

I put the FRPP (Ford Racing Performance Parts) axle back exhaust on my 06 Mustang GT. Not to get extra power but because I wanted it to sound more like my friend's Shelby GT and I liked the look of the exhaust pipes. The sound is sweet. No drone, no louder at cruise but really nice when you crank it up. To me, the Ford modular V8 has a different sound than the ohv V8's.

 

[OVERKILL]

The Modulars do have their own unique note. It has more gurgle than the 302 did. That being said, they both sound incredible with exhaust.

 

[DreamerGT]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Mustangs have always sounded better IMO, because they had true dual exhaust. Corvettes, GTOs, and the new Camaro sound good now because they have true dual exhaust from the factory.


also the firing order is different in the stangs, that what gives us that nice throaty sound.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: DreamerGT
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Mustangs have always sounded better IMO, because they had true dual exhaust. Corvettes, GTOs, and the new Camaro sound good now because they have true dual exhaust from the factory.


also the firing order is different in the stangs, that what gives us that nice throaty sound.


Different from what? The LSx engines fire the cylinders in the exact same order as the 302HO and the 4.6L/5.4L Modulars.

 

[Nick R]

I know I'm trying to convince my parents to get a Flowmaster 40 for it. It's between these two.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5uIM0Nspic&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDxbdmOkKvU&feature=related

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBIBkdGYPbc

 

[DreamerGT]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Originally Posted By: DreamerGT
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Mustangs have always sounded better IMO, because they had true dual exhaust. Corvettes, GTOs, and the new Camaro sound good now because they have true dual exhaust from the factory.


also the firing order is different in the stangs, that what gives us that nice throaty sound.


Different from what? The LSx engines fire the cylinders in the exact same order as the 302HO and the 4.6L/5.4L Modulars.


really? I could have swore the lsx are 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 and the 4.6 and 5.0HO are 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8

 

[Ben99GT]

GM numbers the cylinders differently, the firing order is exactly the same.

 

[DreamerGT]

huh learn something new everyday.

 

[OVERKILL]

Dodge is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: DreamerGT
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Originally Posted By: DreamerGT
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Mustangs have always sounded better IMO, because they had true dual exhaust. Corvettes, GTOs, and the new Camaro sound good now because they have true dual exhaust from the factory.


also the firing order is different in the stangs, that what gives us that nice throaty sound.


Different from what? The LSx engines fire the cylinders in the exact same order as the 302HO and the 4.6L/5.4L Modulars.


really? I could have swore the lsx are 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 and the 4.6 and 5.0HO are 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8

Now map the orders onto each of the above cylinder configurations. They follow the exact same sequence.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: Ben99GT
GM numbers the cylinders differently, the firing order is exactly the same.


Yeppers, I think this came up in another thread just recently. Ford numbers the cylinders 1-2-3-4 from front to rear on the passenger side cylinder bank, 5-6-7-8 from front to rear on the driver side cylinder bank. Chrysler and GM number 1-3-5-7 from front to rear on the driver's side bank, 2-4-6-8 on the passenger's side.

There are indeed two possible and different firing orders for common 90-degree bank, 90-degree crank throw v8s, some argue that one is better because of the way the power pulses are distributed in time along the length of the crank. But they really don't sound different because both of them fire cylinders on the same BANK succsessively, and that's what gives the typical v8 "burble." Ford used both firing orders at different times, and there used to be an aftermarket cam to convert small-block Chevies to the "desirable" firing order. There are also flat (180 degree) crank v8s, but they are not used in passenger cars due to higher vibration. They are used in racing applications because the crank can be much lighter (very small counterweights are needed.)

While talking firing order trivia: there are also two different possible firing orders for V12 engines, and they do sound radically different. If you're ever around WWII airplanes, the Rolls-Royce Merlin used one of the firing orders and the Rolls-Royce Griffon used the other. They sound completely different, and not just because the Griffon is bigger.

 

[OVERKILL]

Actually, Ford used both firing orders at the SAME time, LOL!

The lopo version of the 302 had the "old" firing order, which is the same as the venerable SBC firing order. The "new" firing order is the one that originated on the 351.

The 351 firing order, which eventually became best known as 302HO firing order, is the now "common" firing order, used by Ford on every V8 they make, and by GM now on the LSx engines, and many euro manufacturers.

I find the two orders sound quite different, even on the same engine. Though camshaft choice obviously plays a huge role. I've had the privilege of having BOTH firing orders in my Town Car, because it was originally a lopo engine, that is now an HO.