Non-Stock Exhaust?

[shadetree77]

Anyone have experience with putting some kind of custom muffler on their stock 226? I was looking at several of the "old-school" brands (smithys, brockman mellotwones, porter). Never put custom exhaust on a straight six so I don't want it to end up sounding like someone farting in a can.  After listening to the sound of some of these brands hooked up to inline sixes on youtube videos and the like, I think I'm leaning toward a brockman mellowtone glass pack. I don't want it to be overly aggressive. Just a low, deep rumble.

[Gordie]

You should get a pretty good rumble  with the mufflers that you have.  They are far from stock!

[joefrazer]

Did you ever want to make your father really mad? Well, do as I did many years ago, swap the stock muffler for a Thush glass pack. While the car had a good crackle from the exhaust, looking back it was definitely out of place on the car. And, since the car belonged to my father, it wasn't long before the stock muffler was back in place and the Thrush found new life on my 6 cylinder Dodge.

[boatingbill]

I put a Cherry Bomb on my 51 Kaiser and it was quiet at idle and would have a deep rumble as I wound
it out in 1st gear. It did not have that raspy sound at all. I believe it was 24" over all with a 20" shell. It
looked like a piece of baloney. I did have Porters on my 65 Rambler Marlin fastback with the 327ci V8
4 barrel and it sounded fabulous when that 4 barrel opened up. The Porters were heavy gauge steel
and I never knew anyone who had them rust out. The Cherry Bomb is lighter, but it is seamless with
no end caps to collect moisture. I was told by a exhaust guy that the longer the shell of the muffler
the deeper the sound. I liked the Cherry Bomb because it fit perfectly in replacing the stock muffler
in the Kaiser's "X" frame. If I remember right John Haller had a glass pack on his Darrin and after the
exhaust pipe went over the rear axle it split in two and had dual exhaust coming out at the rear. I don't
remember the muffler brand but that 161 sounded fine.

[Corsairdeluxe]

This is a glas pac on a 4 cyl. Henry J I was interested in. It was not music from the spheres I assure you !

[shadetree77]

First off, thanks for all of the input guys! Exactly what I was looking for.

Bill, that's very helpful info. about the length of the muffler. That makes perfect sense. When I decide which brand to go with I'll take some measurements and get the longest one I can fit under there. All of these mufflers are tube shaped so they should all fit through the x frame nicely. I've also heard that the closer you can get the muffler to the engine, the better it sounds as well.

Chris, motor is not fixed. I was just daydreaming about what it'll sound like when it is fixed. Lol. But I think I've finally found a good block. I've been running all over the country trying to find a good one. I picked up a '54 engine and a bunch of other parts from fellow member Tom N. out in Iowa a few months back. That one turned out to be cracked too but the "price" of all of it together (ABSOLUTELY FREE!!) made it worth the trip. Got some nice parts out of that deal, thanks Tom!! Recently contacted a fellow member that advertised in the Bulletin name of Bob K. down in Kentucky. He sold me the engine out of his '53 Dragon and threw in a bunch of other parts free. Got it home a few days ago and pulled the head. NO CRACKS!!! WOOHOO!! I'm thinking this might be the one. I now own THREE 226's. Think I'll make coffee tables out of the other two. Anyone interested in one? Lol. Anyway, I got it put up on a stand last night and I'll be flipping it over to inspect the bottom half soon. If everything looks good I should be able to send it to get rebuilt in the next month or so.

To answer your last question, I will probably go with the Brockman Mellowtone. The longest one I can fit under there. The good thing about these types of mufflers is that they're pretty cheap. If I put one on there and it sounds like crap I can take it off and not be out that much money.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

Put on whatever you want.  Just remember the trade-off at judging and at value of the car.

[shadetree77]

Duly noted Jack and thanks for the concern. But judging and monetary value are things I'm not concerned with at all. Never have been and probably never will be. I just want to get this old Kaiser back on the road and have some fun with it!