Has anyone tried installing a universal exhaust kit or a different kit other than a SHO cat back?  I am looking into doing something to the exhaust.  I thought about the Dynomax 49502 mufflers, x-pipe and downpipes.  Since I really going after sound, I don't feel like spending a ton of money of the bolt on cat-backs from Corsa or Magnaflow.  I use my car for business so I can't get too loud but want a little more growl.  Here are some kits I was looking at.   

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mpe-15894/overview/

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mpe-15896/overview/

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mpe-15893/overview/

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/fms-m-5230-v6/overview/

http://www.dynomax.com/dual-2-25-axle-back-system-ultra-flo-welded-mufflers.html

I'm sure it can be done. Of course you will have to take your car to an exhaust shop to chop it up and make it fit right. Look under your car real good before you buy anything. Those kits have a wider X section you'll need a kit with an x pipe that runs the dual exhaust pipes right next to each other from from to the rear differential then spread apart from there to the mufflers.

by the time you do a universal kit and pay labor to chop it up and make if fit you may spend the same money as if you got a nice one but installed it yourself.

I'm kinda with you on sound. I'll keep a stock muffler but maybe consider changing my downpipes and eliminating my third cat and changing my resonator to a smaller one or somethign different just for a tad more sound. You should check out the borla SHO on youtube. Personally I refuse to spend money on my exhaust if it's not going to give me more power or it's too loud.

Borla Exhaust on 2011 Taurus SHO part 2

Sweet! .....and I love the muscle car look of the bigger outlets!

yeah you need some for sure

I'd like to consider swapping my mufflers to GT stang stock mufflers. Should be similar dimensions, and larger inside than the bottlenecking smaller internal piping in our stockers but still keep a quiet sound.

The Bola exhaust doesn't sound too loud.  I'm thinking of starting with catted downpipes and see how that effects sound.  At least with this mod, it helps free up some restrictions on the exhaust and a few extra ponies.

pe:
the main difference from my studies between the borla & corsa catbacks & why the borla is quieter is it keeps the resonator. i decided to go with borla & have not been sorry at all. but both are not cheap with borla being less than corsa. main issue is lead time. my borla took me 6 weeks to get but they did run right on the schedule they told me. corsa was a week or 2. the size of the mufflers are basically the same & to my knowledge are straight thru. love the tips on the borla with name stamped into them. the main reason i went catback was it was a simple way to do something to exhaust, as I'm very low tech  & hopefully gain some hp but also increase the sound some. from the factory it was just too quiet.
mikev

Quote from: pejohnson on February 15, 2014, 08:57:03 AM
The Bola exhaust doesn't sound too loud.  I'm thinking of starting with catted downpipes and see how that effects sound.  At least with this mod, it helps free up some restrictions on the exhaust and a few extra ponies.

I wouln't expect too much if any added noise from catted DP's. Maybe a tad more turbo noise. Mybe if you also removed the 3rd cat and the resonator catted DP's wold sound really nice and not too loud with stock mufflers.

Quote from: 68_GT on February 16, 2014, 10:29:22 AM
I wouln't expect too much if any added noise from catted DP's. Maybe a tad more turbo noise. Mybe if you also removed the 3rd cat and the resonator catted DP's wold sound really nice and not too loud with stock mufflers.

DJE just deleted the resonator... which is just straight through... and the third cat... he posted the sound in a vid.  might give some idea of what you'd get. without the resonator the exhasust note will change without really getting louder.  He did use non-catted DPs.