[DeTomaso] Pantera headers and mufflers - Another source

MikeLDrew at aol.com MikeLDrew at aol.com
Thu May 30 13:20:30 EDT 2013


In a message dated 5/30/13 6 36 36, asajay at asajay.com writes:


> Well that's not cool.  I was aiming for a set of these but now I'm not
> so certain.  Most of my driving is at freeway speeds around 70 MPH.  I'd
> hate to have that resonance playing most of the time.
> 
>>>You probably cruise on the freeway at about 3000 rpm, well out of that 
range.

Almost all header-equipped Panteras (of any variety) will have that 'boom' 
between 2000 and 2500 rpm.   It's just the nature of tube headers on a V8.   
(Your Mustang probably does the same thing--I distinctly remember getting 
my ears blown out inside a '72 Mach 1 with a 351C when I was in high school, 
at certain rpm).

Proper noise isolation techniques (covering the firewall and engine cover 
with Dynamat or Lizardskin, coupled with a traditional heat/noise insulation 
barrier) does away with almost all of it.

My Pantera has the ANSA GTS system with the mufflers gutted, and is among 
the quietest Panteras (inside) I've ever heard.   Outside it sounds great 
though.   However, I do have some very minor boom at 2500 rpm, which got more 
pronounced when I switched engines.

The amount of noise generated is also a function of the nature of the 
engine itself.   A bone-stock engine will tend to be much quieter, whereas if you 
have a high-compression stroker with a monster cam, additional noise goes 
with the territory.   The first Wilkinson system I ever heard was in his 
shop, mounted on a bone-stock car, and it was actually quieter (outside) than 
the system that preceded it.

Mike


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