[1970TA]

Has anyone tried their crossflow exhaust system for the 70-74 Trans Am? They have a stainless steel system for $630.00 I have heard the muffler and it sounds good.

[Z Code 400]

Never heard of them....

[RicksGTO]

Waldron produces the VOE replica mufflers the Hand's designed and they now make the Crossflow again like the one Rocky and Jim Rotella used on their '72 T/A. The free flowing crossflow he offers now is supposed to be pretty close to the same muffler he helped produce for Pypes. Unless you need every ounce of performance for racing from your engine I'd think the compression bent pipe with that muffler would still be a nice improvement over the stock, restrictive systems these cars originally came with. Joe at Waldron's estimated the cost on a 2.5" crossflow system for my Formula a couple of years ago if you wanted to go for better flow than the 2.25" system. I ended up getting the Pypes Crossflow system as I wanted the X and mandrel bent pipes but it was very temping to go with Waldron for the improved stock-type system and reasonable cost.

[Z Code 400]

The Pype's non-polished 409 system used to be only $450.00...Robert

[RicksGTO]

now it's $599 plus $129 for headpipes, or $992 plus $129 for the stainless with headpipes for comparison. I chose the Pypes for the better flow plus I caught it on sale, but $630 for the Waldron's factory type system in stainless with that muffler and headpipes included is a good price. Neither system comes with tips so those are extra either way

[Z Code 400]

Yep....Still a very good system. It's too bad they don't offer the intermediate and tailpipes separately, but I guess they need the money...Robert

[stevep]

Joe at Waldron is a great guy and has a good product.

[geezer1]

Originally Posted by stevep

Joe at Waldron is a great guy and has a good product.

That is absolutely true! We had a problem with the system on my '70 and Joe drove the replacement to us! I really needed the help as we were thrashing to get it done. Great product and really great support.

Geo Turner

[Z Code 400]

Wonder if you can get the intermediate and tailpipes separately from him?????

[Tom Hand]

Mr. Turner, is your car the one they used in the magazine to feature Joe's VOE system? Or, was it the guy in Florida with another similar colored 70?
Thank you,
Tom

[Tom Hand]

Mr. Turner, Seems it was Don Keefe's magazine wasn't it?
Tom

[geezer1]

Originally Posted by Tom Hand

Mr. Turner, is your car the one they used in the magazine to feature Joe's VOE system? Or, was it the guy in Florida with another similar colored 70?
Thank you,
Tom

Hello Tom,
I'm not sure what car you saw. I'm not running VOE.

Geo Turner

[Tom Hand]

Thanks, it was one that looked to be balck or dark green and they did a full install on it. I'll try to find it later this week and share it.
Thanks again!
Tom

[JLHarper]

Tom, I think his name is Mr. Brooks?

Green 70 GTO, not sure if its a Judge or not but had decals and spoiler, I recall. Lives in FL?

BTY, a very nice product. I read the article and the parts looked first class.

Were the vacum cans hard to find a supplier for? Just curious.

I need to find a car to install this on...lol. None of mine came OE with this and trying to stay correct.

This would be one option I "might" break from tradition with, though and have some fun.

I used a Waldrons OE style exhaust system on my 68 GTO convertible resto, and it was a well thought out, and put together kit....I was impressed.

Jeff

[Tom Hand]

Jeff,
Not sure who did the canister but Joe got the factory blueprints so he could do it all correctly. He spent a lot of money recreating the original switch from the original drawings and was able to make it from better material and it works well.

Waldron is not a competitor to PYPES, as such; they are sort of like Gardner in that they do more stock-style stuff so I do not mind sharing information/bragging about them. Joe is a good guy and loves Pontiac's (has two himself).

Tom

[JLHarper]

Thanks Tom.

I may have to find a driver to put one of these on. I like!

Reading some of the info posted, it talks of a triple tube in normal mode and the flow being "in and out" for open mode.

If its 70dBA closed and 78dBA open, but "twice as loud" outside of the car when open does that mean that the higher the number of decibles equals a considerable gain in "outside noise"?

I have a set of Ram Air exhaust manifolds bought from PY I have with this car.

I wonder if those would increase the idle noise a considerable level or just a little?

*BTY: I didnt have a Waldron on my 68, but the "other one", its been a while....thanks for the diplomacy surrounding that slip.....

Thanks , Jeff

[Tom Hand]

Jeff,
My Barracuda has stock manifolds and trust me, there is a significant increase in sound level between open and closed, even with a smaller 340 cu. in. engine. Fortunately for you Pontiac folks, the 400 and 455 really rumble with the mufflers open. More cubes adds more sound level.

Yes, in closed mode, they are pretty standard three pass tube mufflers. They sound almost like stock mufflers only a tad smoother because of the acoustic absorption materials used in them (mine and Waldron's). When open, the exhaust comes in and travels down one long tube and then pretty much runs right straight out. If it was not for a few little "distractions", the open mode would be a straight pipe but these little restrictions knock a lot of the edge off the sound.

My car is about the same ratio as Waldron's when loud versus quiet. It is odd that when open, the sound level on my 340 is the same as the Flowmaster 40 and 44 Series of about the same size and configuration, very high. And their air flow capability is very similar, not very high but OK. And to listen to them, they are very loud although not as crackly because of the way they are built. When closed, they match the sound level of the stock muffler.

Sound level measurements are not linear, they are logarithmic so 6 dBA is twice the sound pressure level (unless my headache medicine made me recall the wrong data). Will look into this.

Yep: An increase of 6dB of a sound means "twice as loud."


Go listen to the mufflers on YouTube; look for VOETOM.

Hope this makes sense.

Tom

[1970TA]

I am leaning more toward this exhaust. My 70 TA will be painted in the next couple weeks.

[Tom Hand]

1970TA,

Sorry for swaying your original question off topic.

You will really enjoy the "upgraded stock" version Waldron made for Rocky Rotella's Dad, if you chose to go that way. I saw some of the original plans and prototypes and they did a super job creating it.

But, if you choose to go for more power and "less stock", PYPEs' version is a great choice.

Either way, I am confident you will enjoy what you ultimately choose to install.
Tom

[1970TA]

I believe I will go with the Waldron when I get there. This project has really gone over what I expected it would cost, but most do. Luckly I have a good friend that really has done a good job on the body. He had to bring the tailpanel back from the dead. It is going into the paintbooth next month.