Any old timers here remember Smitty mufflers from the fiftys?
Anyone running the new smitty mufflers on your y-block?
If so, do they sound as good as they did back then?
I`m thinking about putting on a couple Smittys but do not want
a loud cracking sound. I prefer a rumbling sound. Hard to remember
how sounds sounded that long ago but they sure sounded nice.
Never did like glass pacs as they never lasted very long and not at all familiar with the new flowmasters and etc. I know this is all subjective, but maybe
some of you young bucks can suggest a muffler with a medium loud
rumble from the lineup of todays mufflers. An old timer Thanks Ya!

 

I have a set on my 51 F1 and I have them running out the back of the truck. They do crack and pop when I let off the gas, but I like the sound that a flathead makes, but your question was for a Y-Block. My dad has a 55 ford fairlane with a 272 in it and he went with a set of Thrush Cherry Bombs. He didn't run them to the back of the car. We put a set of 2" pipes that are about 3 to 4 foot long. They just stop in front of the rear end of the car. It has a nice rumble sound to it and it don't crack and pop when he lets off the gas. The car looks all original but it has that racey and deep sound to it when he reve's the motor up. He had pipes run out the back and the car sounded toltally different. So we took the pipes of and put the shorter pipes back on. The car sounded good with just the mufflers to and no pipes at all but it was to loud or deep sound inside the car for my mom so we left the short pipes on. I quess it's all in what you want your's to sound like. Hope this helps out some.

Scott B.
1951 F1
239 Flathead V8 3 on the tree

 

My brother had a set of dual with Flowmasters put on his truck (83 F-150) about 6 months ago. The thing sounds awesome, nice low rumble, no crackle. I think the Flowmasters have several stages for how much rumble you want.

I think Albuq-F1 is running Smittys on his flathead, maybe he can give you some info

Bobby

 

Yep, I have the longer ones (28"? I forget) They aren't loud on a flatty, very mellow. Shorter ones might "crackle" a little.

 

I had a pair on my 46 Ford Custom Coupe flathead in 1952. They were mellow and not too loud. Did crackle on coast down.

 

I put a pair of Magna Flows on Teddy. That 289 never sounded so good. Jag

 

Hey Scott B.
Are the cherry bombs glass pacs? If not, Are they readily available?

Ross,
I think the 28" is the longest. Not to much crackle. Music to my ears!

Thanks, fking1.

Great forum. Thanks guys

Gary

 

Hey Jag Red 54,

Run your `54 by my house a few times. I`d sure like to hear those Magna Flows.

Gary

 

All right Gary, I just went by. Did you hear me? Did your house shake? 289s are small but mighty!

 

Jag
Was that you! Wow.
Gary

 

The cherry bombs are made by Thrush. You can pick them up at Auto Zone. They are either $19.95 or $29.95 each. They are not a glass pack, you can look striaght threw it. They do have a spiral design going around the inside of them. I believe the one's on dad's 272 is 25"-27" long. If you like I can measure one out for you. The shorter the muffler the louder it will be. The one's on my flathead are only 12" to 15" long. I think that is why the pop and crack so much when I let off the gas comeing to a red light or going down a hill. When I'm going down a long hill they really start to talk to you.(popping and cracking) I'm not sure what a flowmaster or a maga flow would sound like on a Y-Block. I'm sure it would sound good, but I think the sound of my dads car is a great sound. Like I said the pipes stop just in front of the rear end on his car and I like the sound 10 to 1 better than when It was run out the back of the car. It has a lot deeper sound to it now than it did with the pipes out the back. I wish I could figure out how to send a video of it running and him reving it up some so I could send it to you. I looked at your truck in your gallery and I could imagine your truck with the way you have it set up that would be the perfect sound for it. You have headers on your truck so I think it would sound alot better than my dad's car would b/c he has the stock manifolds on it and it sounds great. Let me know if you want me to measure them for you.

Scott B.
1951 F1
239 Flathead V8 3 on the tree

 

Scott B,

Thanks again for the info. Measurements wont be necessary as I`m sure
I`ll go with something long anyway. What is on `56 now is about ten
years old and I don't remember what they are. They sound O K but would like something a little louder. At least louder than Jags!!!!!

Gary

 

Hearing me talk and hearing the truck is two different things, so here's a video of my 292. CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO ONE

The video description tells my setup.

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO TWO

 

When I was a kid in the 50s my Dad had a 32 3W with a flat motor and Smitty's. I remember the tone was real "crackly ?" and high-pitched. He removed them later and I ended up selling them at a Pomona Swap Meet in the 70s.

They were REALLY heavy ! Like 25 lbs each.

Dawgie

 

bessie has thrush's the ol' skool straight through's . they were on it when i got her . sound real dain good as i have no idea when they were put on but nice rumble and the duals end at the diff . i am considering straight pipes all the way out as i have had a few of my ol' fords and one dodge with 'em just dont know what a flatty will sound like that way .