I have a 1990 Civic Si Hatchback
So I want to upgrade from the stock exhaust system, but I see a lot of Civics out there with the generic bolt on systems, and they all have that really deep sound that's also kind of muffled, but loud at the same time, and I hate it.
Really what I'm looking for is the best performance, not the best sound, but in terms of sound I also don't want the generic tone. I want something that sounds really open, even if the little backfire noises come through too, that's great.
I was thinking of a couple of things:
a) leaving the stock exhaust and replacing only the muffler with a high-flow or straight-through one, but will this give me a large increase in exhaust flow?
b) creating my own axle-back system by purchasing a series of mandrel bent tubes and a universal muffler and welding them all together
c) buying a generic cat-back system
I've heard that removing the cat significantly increases flow. Has anyone tried this? What about removing the resonator, is my car going to be way too loud?
Also, would anyone know the best exhaust manufacturer to buy a cat-back system from?
Thanks