ok, I'm trying to find flow masters for my el camino, its a 3 speed v6 small block, any ideas?

ok, I'm trying to find flow masters for my el camino, its a 3 speed v6 small block, any ideas?

Why? Dynomax flow better and cost half as much JMHO. I just had a pair of Dynomax Ultra Flows installed and love them. I talked to a couple different exhaust guys, neither recommends FM's, both said they eventually collapse.

But if you insist try Summit (http://www.summitracing.com/) or Jegs (http://www.jegs.com/) for the best prices.

Flowmasters = Noisemasters :P

Go with Dynomax or Magnaflow or Borla- These are all "straight through" style true performance mufflers.

thanks for your help, one more Q: dyna give good sound too?

The Dynomax super turbos (cheaper than Flow Masters) have a nice tone. The Ultra Flows (about the same price as Flow Masters) sound even better, but at WOT they sound like open headers. Yipee! :cool:

The Dynomax super turbos (cheaper than Flow Masters) have a nice tone. The Ultra Flows (about the same price as Flow Masters) sound even better, but at WOT they sound like open headers. Yipee! :cool:

Thats about how I'd describe the turbo mufflers from Summit. At $14.95 a piece, thier a great buy! I've got a pair on my '78, great idle tone, but scream like mad at WOT! 8) :mrgreen:

Flowmaster has been getting a lot non postivie feed back here. I just want to say I'm happy with my Flowmaster system.

I have the americian thunder system with the 3" stainless steel tips. Looks great, sounds fine to me and so far no problems at all. Remember I'm running an older year that has no converters. I also really don't want to pay the high price for stainless steel mufflers that no one will see under my car even though I know they will last longer. But really how many years down the road it that? I have had good quality non-stainless steel mufflers last a long time! :cool:

There might be better systems out there but remember that if it was not for Flowmaster's huge success the other talked about systems would not be here. They all have jumped in because of Flowmaster's huge following. Flowmasters are on A LOT of hot rods, that has to say something!

Thanks Flowmaster! 8)

Flowmasters are highly overrated. I'll never buy another set. They cost way too much and sound way too loud at anything over idle. I bought into the hype and put a set on my MCSS and hated them. Immediately removed them for Dynomax Super Turbos...much better sound and much cheaper.

Not only that, but every truck in Dallas has 'em...only to be drowned out by the bad polka music blaring from the cab.... 8O 8O 8O

Can't....Can't we all just get along! :-( :P :P

I knew I would get flax from this one....that's ok.

Wait hold on I have to turn off my car so I can think and type....Dam Flowmasters!! So dam loud!...Ah thats better!

Again I'm not saying that Flowmaster is better. I will stick to the fact that without the success Flowmaster has had, a lot of the other cool mufflers you all enjoy would not even be on the market.

one thing that ive heard about flowmasters, when i was watching popular hot rodding, dean skuza said that they the pro street cars used them when they had to have a muffler because it reduced noise and didn't really take time off of their ET's.

and when the guy tells you at the muffler shop that 'masters are crap, does he even handle them, or is he telling you that so you buy his muffler that he carries.

as for loudness, they handle many different kinds that reduce noise.

Ok Folks read this! (http://www.boyleworks.com/ta400/psp/exhaust.html) then get back to me...numbers don't lie

Ok Folks read this! (http://www.boyleworks.com/ta400/psp/exhaust.html) then get back to me...numbers don't lie

Exactly. Excellent article. Too bad they didn't get their hands on one of the Hooker mufflers. :( After hearing their Aero chamber mufflers on a small block I've decided to go with their mufflers over Dynomax. I currently have Dynomax Super Turbo's, and while they're great, I'm just at that point for something different. I'm also getting an X pipe installed after reading that article. :)

one thing that ive heard about flowmasters, when i was watching popular hot rodding, dean skuza said that they the pro street cars used them when they had to have a muffler because it reduced noise and didn't really take time off of their ET's.

Isn't Flow Master one of the shows sponsers? 8O

and when the guy tells you at the muffler shop that 'masters are crap, does he even handle them, or is he telling you that so you buy his muffler that he carries.

He doesn't sell Flow Masters or Dynomax mufflers. I tracked the Ultra Flows down my self after researching sound and flow rates. I had him install a 2 1/2" dual system with H-pipe exiting at the rear qtrs. You gotta be impressed when the muffler guy with no Ultra Flow experience tells you how impressed he is with the product and sound. But then again I was the one shelling out the bux....

Just a couple notes....

Muffler Companies are around because every car on the road NEEDS mufflers, not because one company sold a few that became popular with Muscle car croud....
For the record- Dynomax is owned by Walker- Walker exhaust has been around since the 40's- Way before the doors opened at Flowmaster in the 80's.
While there are quite a few "flowmaster clones" out there, the ones that have been listed so far are not, and they are substantially different in design to the flowmaster baffled muffler.

All of the True race mufflers out there are a straight through design of borla, Dynomax Ultra flow, magnagflow, edelbrock RPM, etc etc. You can hold those muffler up and look right through them. NO restrictions on flow.
Have you ever held up a flowmaster and tried to look through it? You can't be cause there are a series of baffles inside it designed to bounce the flow around giving it that sound. WHile that does sound good- it was not designed for the highest flow rates(performance).

It has been proven again and again that Flowmasters are not even close to being the best flowing(performing) mufflers on the market... So if you are going to the trouble to buy a $50+ muffler to go on your performance car, why would you NOT want to go with one that has better flow charachteristics.

If you just want loud, why not buy cherry bombs.

One more note...

Mufflers can only sound as good as the engine they are bolted to. If you have a wicked lopy cam- even super restrictive stock mufflers will sound cool. If you have a very mild stockish cam, you can cut the pipes off and run open header and it will still sound mild.

Before you go and spend $1k+ putting on the latest and greatest exhaust stuff, Headers, Pipes, Mufflers, etc etc- Consider that if your car is not built much better than stock- your $1k might be better spent on a new set of Heads and a Cam FIRST.

Vortech Heads= $500
Xe268 cam kit= $200

~75+ hp to your car, and it will sound wicked, and it will PERFORM to match the sound....

If your car is already built up- Then never mind! :)

One more note...

If you have a wicked lopy cam- even super restrictive stock mufflers will sound cool.

Does this qualify? SB 355, KB hyperteutic pistons, 882 76cc heads gasket matched, Manley SS 2:02/1:6 valves, 3 angle valve job, guide plates under 7/16" screw in rocker studs, 1.6 Cat roller rockers, Comp Cam XE274H, Air Gap RPM performer intake, 750 Edlebrock carb, race prepped TH350 with custom shift kit & 2,500 stall converter :P

Lol- I'll bet that setup would still sound killer even through the stock cat's!
:) albiet much better with a good free flowing exhaust...

Now if you were to stick a SOLID lifter cam in there instead of that hydralic lifter Grind- it would REALLY be music! Nothing sounds quite like a good old solid cam. When I finnaly change mine out, thats what I'm doing!!

ok, all that just made me less sure of what to do :lol: but theres alot of info here, so thanks, to everybody! :-P

ive got a pair of dual chamber flows that drop right at the rear axle and iam very happy with the sounds and preformance of them.

okay, that last entry won me over! flows it is! :lol:

I have Flow Master American Thunder systems on two of my Elkys, the 76 and my 80. They "sound" fine to me but that is a matter of taste everyone has their own.

I know that Borla is a better flowing muffler but at this time I don't really care. My issue with the AT Flow master system is the "H" pipe has broken loose three times on the 76. I have a big problem with that.

At the time I was looking, Flow Master offered just what I wanted in an exhaust system. A complete system that I could afford, install myself and wasn't too loud and about the right diameter pipes. It is already bent in the necessary places so hanging it wasn't a great big task. The design is pretty much like most exhaust systems available, some have "H" and some have the "X" pipe but most dual exhausts are pretty much the same. The mufflers did impress me because they are heavy aluminized metal welded. I doubt that they will ever collapse. They flow well enough for street driving. They can be taken apart for racing if needed, assuming I never get them welded together.

I wanted an exhaust that came all the way out the back, two complete 2.5" pipes from headers to bumper. They had it no one else listed a similar system. Everyone wants the exhaust to come up in front of the tires. So I got the Flow Masters.

I never figured they were the best just the best I could afford at the time. They work and other than me having a problem with the "H" pipe on one I have no real complaints. If your looking for the best then you'll probably need to have that made and from what I have read Borla are the better mufflers for flow.