hey guys, new to the site to ask a question that may sound really basic, but i want the best sound, and "bang" for my buck...

Just got an 01 Bullitt, love the car of course. My only mod so far is a Pro 5.0 shifter. I FINALLY saved up enough for FULL exhaust but after researching it so much, I just can't decide on a good combination of names and products. I really want to be able to take it to the track eventually, so I'm definitely investing. I just don't know the major differences between the makers of LT Headers and (I'm assuming i'll go with off-road X pipe) X pipe names. Also, is a pro-chamber really all their cracked up to be? I have a friend that swears by them, but the one dyno I saw on a Bullitt with a MAC pro-chamber wasn't THAT impressive.

Please help the young and inexperienced... remember, i'm sure you were all there once yourselves.

Jen

hey jen, and welcome to the site...im partial to the sound of flowmasters, and im looking into an x pipe aswell, let me know if you get one, i have 40 series 2 chamber flows on my 97 right now...

Hey Jen, Welcome. I do think that an x pipe is the way to go. If the Prochamber was the best thing since sliced bread all of the racers would be running one, they don't. If you care more about power then price. Then I think Bassani makes one of the best exhaust's on hte market. It's not the cheapest though. Here is a site that might help you out some. http://www.mustangexhaust.com/  

I have an 01 GT with a Steeda Cat back and every show or cruise I have been to everybody comments on the sound.  I do have a BBK off road x-pipe that made it sound a bit deeper.  If you want a good sounding exhuast that doesn't sound like everybody else (Flowmaster, which sounds like someone beating on a tin can) go with the Steeda.  It's all stainless steel and will give your car a far better sound than anything else I have ever heard.  The actual mufflers are made by Borla but they have been specially tuned for Steeda.  The price has come down since I purchased them, but they are still worth every penny.  

thanx guys,

I was definitely looking into Bassani. I have never heard the sound of Steeeda cat-back and I don't know anyone around where I am that has one.

One mroe question. My mechanic thinks that LT headers would definitely add a ton of power. I have also heard that the gain would be minimal and I should hold off on headers (do mid-pipe, cat-back and then with the ex money do pulleys). Then down the road look into equal length headers.

Any comments on those two routes??

Jen

I have been wainting for some equal length shortys from BBK since June of 03.  I hope my paitience will pay off with a gain of about 20 hp.  Since my car is an automatic the shortys are the only options for me.  The gain you would recieve from the headers will be more substantial if you do have a better exhuast.  In Oklahoma we have no vehicle inspections so I can get away with a BBK x-pipe with no cats.  The headers will be a big investement that will pay off in the end, but if you are looking for some cheaper hp look at a set of pulleys.  I installed the BBKs on mine and noticed more of a gain than what I ever though possible from them.  The BBKs are the piggy back syle,  but I have had no problems.  I purchased a  Diablo chip for about 250 and gained about 25hp.

The Long Tube headers will give bigger gains at high rpms, while the shorties will give low rpm torque.  I suggest going w/ 3" exhaust all the way out and using long tube headers.  Long tubes give you a deeper sound than short tubes. Also, when you choose a muffler go w/ Magnaflow.  It has a good deep sound that is louder than three chamber Flowmasters and quieter than two chambers.  I make heads turn w/ my exhaust since no one around here has one that sounds like mine.  

Do yourself a favor, stop giving advice on modular GT's, that last post has too much false information in it.

If you understand exhaust dynamics at all you would understand that long tube headers outperform shorties EVERYWHERE in the RPM range, shorties headers are designed to be an upgrade over stock manifolds and are usefull in tight spaces where squeezing the most performance out of your car isn't your goal.

3" exhaust in a GT or N/A 4v car is overkill and will not provide enough backpressure.  You mention low end tourque, 3" exhaust on a 281ci. motor is a good way to kill it.

Joels98 is right.  3 inch exhaust is even overkill on most n/a 5.0.  Go with 2.5" and go to www.mustangexhaust.com (loads of sound bites of most major exhaust brands).