Hey guys and gals,
I am looking at getting an exhaust system put together in the next week. Please post which route you have gone with yours...out the back or dumped on the side. Pics would be great! Thanks!!

 

Is this for a pic-up or panel? A panel needs it out the sides because of the "station wagon effect". A Pic-up really doesn't care. The fumes aren't going to roll in the back door seams like a Panel would.
The sound however tends to be mellower coming out the back due to the longer pipes compared to the side dump method. The side dumps also tend to emphasis the sound of only half your cylinders compared to the stereo effect of routing them out the back.
Listen to a few of each and see what I mean. Also, pay attention to the diameter of the pipe used. The larger the pipe....the deeper the tone. The type of muffler used will effect the tone as well.
Hope these pointers help ya out at least a little bit.
Capt'n

 

I went all the way out to the back. Here's a few pics:

This shows the glass packs and the crossover tube:


Here's the back before I mounted the back bumper. Keep in mind that I had an idea of the bumper dimensions so we set up the tailpipes to clear the future bumper:




Here's the look with the bumper installed...you don't see much of the pipes:

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14428778@N08/9160967589/

 

Mine is out the side, but having owned so many vehicles with side pipes in the past I knew that it was going to be loud and would sound like a 4 cylinder out each side. This time I went with an X-pipe to mellow the tone and change the 4 cylinder sound.





I recently did a quick redneck wire job and fired it up. Definitely doesn't have the 4 cylinder sound out each side, but the jury is still out on how loud it's going to be once it's pulled out of the confined area of the garage.

I must say I'm amazed at how different the sbc sounds running with the X pipe.

 

What is the advantage of having a crossover pipe compared to true duel pipes?

 

Block hugger headers then 2 1/2" aluminized slip joint pieces with SS clamps, hangers, with twin SS, ceramic and glass pack mufflers, up and over the axel, and out the back. Easy no welding, and can come apart for tranny removal. Throaty but not overly loud, and no droning in cab.

 

Properly done they smooth out the "pulsing" of the exhaust notes from the two cylinder banks and aid in scavenging. This increases torque and horsepower, particularly at given points in the power band. Improperly done and they have the potential to be a waste of money at best. The hot rod magazines used to say that one could use standard Krylon paint on a dual exhaust and where the paint quit burning was where you put the crossover pipe (H-type) for best scavenging. The proper calculation of exhaust designs is, actually, rocket science.

 

Hor has it right. V8's don't fire alternating banks, so the exhaust pulses are not symmetrical in dual exhaust systems. In a nutshell, the X pipe relieves some of the "backup" when one bank fires twice in a row by diverting some of the exhaust pressure to the temporarily underused side.

 

I say go out the back with straight tips. Out the side will hit anybody parted next to you and out the back with downturned tips will shoot up a cloud of dust when you start iy up. I go to a lot of shows and the guys set up like this get a lot of flack from the other attendees. JAG

 

But turned down tips are a lot quieter, depends on what is more important to you.

 

Besides, with mine, you can check to make sure your tips are open. [In my best Eddie Murphy voice:] "I ain't fallen for the old banana in the tail pipe trick!" Jag