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Exhaust sound

F

FrankenPine

Yep, Got a mix match Alpine Series V w/series IV manifold and carb, after market wiring loom, etc, etc, It's got a Stainless steel exhaust system with a few leaks (for now) at a couple of the joints, nice ! BUT it's got NO BRITISH CAR SOUND.. (exhaust has the flat oval like muffler)....Any way to return to the sounds of yesterday w/o spending much $$..???

Thanks, Fred
 
Nickodell

Nickodell

Donation Time
I experimented with this some years ago - substitute "go fast" muffler for resonator, remove resonator altogether, etc. - and in every case the result was not just louder, it was harsh and unpleasant. The stainless steel system I installed 9 years ago was quiet as a saloon car at first, but after a few years developed that "voom!" sound we all crave.

It may be that either the muffler or resonator were glass-pack. Back in the 60s, when Britain's Nanny State government introduced stiff sound limits, MG fitted glasspacks that had loose fiber fill. They passed the state decibel limit when they came out of the factory, but after a year or two blew out enough of the fill to emit that nice sound.
 
atallamcs

atallamcs

Donation Time
Exhaust note

I have found after many experiments, the best note and performance set up for an Alpine--begin with a good header into the stock center muffler and exit twin resonators, rather than the typical final muffler. The sound is deep, not harse, and what you would expect from a British sports car.

Bill
 
Jay Laifman

Jay Laifman

Donation Time
Sound is everything!!

I first had the stock SV cast manifold with stock pipes and then the stock SV cast manifold slightly opened up at the start to match the Holbay head and added 2" aluminized pipe and a Flowmaster muffler and no resonators. Loved the sound. Then I took out the stock SV cast manifold and put in tri-Y headers, like the earlier S1/S2 type, but slightly larger to match the Holbay head, and then Jet Coated. The sound is now awesome.

That said, it lost some sort of odd burble it had with the stock SV cast manifold. I'm not sure which one I liked better. But, everyone I know says they like my car better now.
 
Green67Alpine

Green67Alpine

Former SAOCA Membership Director
Platinum Level Sponsor
Jay, If your car sounds as good as it looks.........I'd like it too!:D

Tom J
 
alpine_64

alpine_64

Donation Time
Jay,

Your car is also running the Twin DCOE's, they make a big difference to an alpine sound. My car sounded nice on the Twin Zeniths with a cam and SII style headres into a stainless 1 1/12 system with SS sports muffler, then i went to DCOE's and the sound just got better again.
 
AlpineII

AlpineII

Donation Time
I don't have a lot of real driving hours yet but like what I hear so far. I have twin zeniths driving the KB grind from Delta and original headers going into a full 2" system with a muffler, one of a pair, my mechanic friend was going to use on his flat-head V8 resto-rod project. I had been thinking glass pack but man, this sounds sweet right now!
 
britbeam

britbeam

Donation Time
FrankenPine said:
Yep, Got a mix match Alpine Series V w/series IV manifold and carb, after market wiring loom, etc, etc, It's got a Stainless steel exhaust system with a few leaks (for now) at a couple of the joints, nice ! BUT it's got NO BRITISH CAR SOUND.. (exhaust has the flat oval like muffler)....Any way to return to the sounds of yesterday w/o spending much $$..???

Thanks, Fred
Click to expand...

My series 2 had the SS exhaust original style muffler/no resonator and monza tips. Sounded great . That was pre V6 mod. Still sounds good more like the Healey 3000.
Dwain V6 Krazy
 
skywords

skywords

Donation Time
At the 2003 100 year anniversary Harley Davidson celibration rally BMW put up a billboard that said "We would like to say congradulations Harley Davidson but were not sure that you would hear us".
 
SIVAllan

SIVAllan

Gold Level Sponsor
Read this thread with a good measure of excitment.

Finally have the S IV to the point where it cranks and idles...

With Zenith/coopers, 1725 engine, running a stock S V header, stock SS system to the resonator, then a VB resonator (much smaller)...

Needs some Zenith tuning but I LIKE what I am HEARING!

BOOMba BOOMba BOOMba just like the good ole days boy am I happy!

Allan
 
AlpineII

AlpineII

Donation Time
Ok, I now have some miles on the car and have some comments on the exhaust sounds. The system that was on the car sounded great to me, what a great rumble at idle and that thundering at acceleration from about 1500 to 3000 RPM was incredible. Of course I live in the country and didn't think I would have to worry about it too much. :eek:

First issue: The wife would not drive in the car! This is a real problem for me as she is the one woman I actually want in the car with me! The car is simoply too looud for her,m especially as we take off from a stop! :D

Second Issue: Wakes up all the locals when I come home late and keeps their kids up late when I take it for an evening spin. :p

So this last weekend we went the route of trying to quieten the Series II up a bit. Ended up installing a K-Car muffler in addition to the resonator I had on it, it met the 2" ID input and output pipes. Man they are long round suckers (21") and required some great pipe welding work. It now sits between the springs on the drivers side and the gas tank.

But the car is now very quiet! :( The wife and neighbours are happy but it just doesn't feel right to me!

I gotta get my V6 project going!!!
 
Nickodell

Nickodell

Donation Time
Why not fit a cutout ahead of the muffler? If you're not familiar with the term, a cutout is a valve that allows most of the exhaust gasses to bypass the muffler. You'd need to run the pipe from the cutout exit either via a second exhaust pipe out the back of your car, or to the side ahead of the rear wheels if your state vehicle Construction and Use regs. allow it. They are usually operated by a cable.

Many performance cars in the early part of the 20th century used cutouts, for example, the Mercer Raceabout, so as to be reasonably quiet in built-up areas but let it all out on the open road. The power increase is negligible, unless you have a choked-up muffler, but it sounds as if it's going faster, which is why companies like Borla are doing a roaring trade with young car owners.

JC Whitney used to sell them but I don't know if they still do.
 
SIVAllan

SIVAllan

Gold Level Sponsor
Nick - 'back in the day' speed shops here in Jawja sold something like that. Not a valve though. It was a piece of exhaust pipe that had a door in it, that could be turned shut or opened.

I understand the authorities frowned on them in this state, but there they were for sale. I have looked at several but never actually tried one on for size <s>.

In addition to possible performance gains, such a valve or doorway could be tweaked to adjust for sound.

The speed shops of old exist no more, sad to say, but new ones do exist.

Allan
 
Nickodell

Nickodell

Donation Time
Whitney has a whole range of them. The basic one, at $32, is:

Exhaustcutout.gif


The top of the line, at $235, is electrically-operated. Some ideas just never die.
 
Nickodell

Nickodell

Donation Time
Great sound, but rather like a Triumph, or in fact any twin. The real Norton sound is from a 500cc single, like a Manx Norton, with a wild cam (zero torque under 4,000rpm) and megaphone exhaust. That combo dominated motor cycle racing, including the Manx Grand Prix, for years until first the Italians (Gilera, MV Augusta etc.) and later the Japanese swept all before them.
 
Nickodell

Nickodell

Donation Time
NOW ya got it!! In the 1950s my bro and I (he was 4 years older than I) used to go to motorcycle races all over Britain, and once to the Isle of Man (Manx) TT races, the #1 venue for m/c racing worldwide in the years up to the 1960s. We rode identical Royal Enfields ourselves.

My dad had a Norton 500cc single with sidecar attached until he got his first car.

There was an interesting hybrid called the Triton at one time, mating a Triumph twin engine and a Norton "Featherbed" frame, giving the optimum performance and roadholding.
 
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