cutouts + high flow cats or catback?

im going to start saving my pennies so i can do something to make my car sound meaner/perform better by next school year. i can probably afford to spend maybe $600 or exhaust and ill be buying a CAI at the time also(moroso). i need to know a few things though:

a) when i get a cutout, will i need one or two? ive read that mounting it after the cats and before the mufflers is a popular spot. that would mean one cutout right? i'm leaning towards a QTP electric cutout.

b) i'd need to order a PAIR of random tech cats right? or would i be better off keeping the stock cats and get a set of coated hooker headers for a bit more $$?

c) would the stock y pipe really restrict the cats/cutout option? or should it be replaced too?

someones has to have an idea but i sure as hell dont. if you wanna spend the cash i would say exhaust system and if you dont get a cutout so when your at a stop sighn and theres an old lady walking really slow in front of you you can pop the cut out open (comsidering you get the one that has the "open" handle that is routed into the car) and rev it and watch the old ladys diaper fill up and hope she dosnt throw it at you...... :evillol:

Yo man, your gonna wanna buy the flowmasters. If you want a nice sound quality you should do the flows, but if u dont wanna spend $$ then you could do a cut out and take the restictor plates out of your muffler but it wont help your car any and when inspections come around your gonna be screwed into new pipes.

Mikes71Cam.

a cutout completely bypasses the muffler. i've been figuring out prices, i think ill just get a cutout only (between the cats and mufflers) and that way i will have a stock-like sound until i open it up. i want to build a sleeper :evillol: this would be an awesome way to start such a project. i think once i get the cutout in, ill save up for a random tech y pipe + cats to add and possibly some headers after that. until i get a new rotating assembly, i think ill hold off on other stuff. but i think the cutouts will sound sweet :smokin:

Are cutouts not located right at the Y-pipe? (built into the Y-pipe). I thought thats the whole point - to bypass the cat, mufflers, everything...

you could run dual cutouts and do that, but honestly i dont think i would be able to stand that kind of noise. plus its cheaper to get it in the i pipe right before the up and over the axle.

Cutouts at the headers or a single at the y-pipe. Gonna be just a touch louder at the headers, but not by much.
I was thinking about going with a stock catback and cutouts. Changed my mind though. True duals here I come.


Oh, and BTW....QTP makes stainless cutouts now!!!!!

Yo man, your gonna wanna buy the flowmasters. If you want a nice sound quality you should do the flows, but if u dont wanna spend $$ then you could do a cut out and take the restictor plates out of your muffler but it wont help your car any and when inspections come around your gonna be screwed into new pipes.

Mikes71Cam.
Flowmasters are good if you want them to die out at a certain point......I dont like that feature.
Want sound all the way around.

my american thunder system sounds great at all rpms. but thats just my opinion.

so lets go by the letters.

a) there is no point in cutouts behind the muffler, on the twin tips, so you would want a single cutout located on the main pipe. i would install it on the Y-pipe before the catalytic converter.

b) if you replace the cats go with the the two units. but the high flow cats arent really nessesary. To me the money would be far better spent on the headders.

c) an aftermarket Y pipe will flow more air, but its not really nessesary if your penny pinching.

I heard that headers are a pain, cause you have to remove them to change the gaskets every 6k miles... is that true?

Also I know someone who are selling cut outs like these for 40$:

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/data/500/215906Cutouts-thumb.jpg

Are they worth trying? Do I need both or just one for main pipe?

just one, and they're $25 new. i'd rather do that than spend $40 for two.

you dont have to change the header gaskets every 6k miles unless you buy cheap gaskets. copper gaskets should hold up just fine.

It appears I may come upon some money soon, possibly some LTs are in my future :grinyes: Where can I find some Pacesetter LTs or midlengths? I'm only real familiar with Thunder Racing...

Pacesetters are flogged on eBay all the time. As low as $290 for some models.

http://motors.search.ebay.com/LT1-headers_W0QQfromZR8QQsaspiZ2QQsamcmZ6000

I've heard before that they sometimes don't line up right, and I really question the quality and super cheap price, and that black paint would have to get sandblasted off before getting them coated...

But nevertheless, I can't help notice how straight the pipes are in some of their models. And they're the same 16-ga mandrel bent 1.75" primary's like all the other companies.

They seem to be getting more popular.

Aprox. How much would it cost for header instalation?

Im guessing around 3-400 dollars.....but just guessing

Does anyone have a sound clip/ video of a camaro with cutouts? I am curious how it sounds.

Does anyone have a sound clip/ video of a camaro with cutouts? I am curious how it sounds.
Ive heard it on V8's, and personally it sounds like crap.....mufflers are the way to go.