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| | | Forums66 Topics128,162 Posts1,056,917 Members48,458 | | Most Online14,466 Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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#66450 09/25/2006 8:34 PM | Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 455 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 455 | On my daily 235 with Fenton headers I started out years ago with generic muffler store brand glasspacks 30" - too quiet, no tone.
Been driving around with repro Smithy's 22inch for two years now - still too quiet. These are not anywhere close to the original steelpacks they got their reputation from lasting until today. Ask any rodder from the days. The repros have thin cheap metal and have a dead plastic thud sound when you knock them. That's also how they sound even after 2 years of break in. The old water into hot mufflers or burning the fiberglass with gas or lighter fluid tricks also don't work like with 60s glasspacks.
Tried straight pipes, but too obnoxious for a daily...two words: raw thunder, peeling off the skin of your face if you get too close. Cool for shows or meets though.
If you want an amazing tone treat yourself to Brockman Mellowtone mufflers !! These are made to order and cost as little as smithy's. They make them from 12-30 length with either glass or steel or NO packing. 4 rows of louvers twisted into a spiral. These guys are artists!
I love my new 17" steelpacks. Idle, revving, going uphill and deceleration sounds amazing. You really know you got a straight 6 going onto the freeway with WOT.
I make instruments for a living and finally I can enjoy the true 'musicality' of my inline 6.
I am not affiliated with these guys in any way, but gotta let others know about them. Great people - really into what they are doing. | | |
#66451 09/25/2006 9:36 PM | Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 14,522 Moderator: Welcome Centre, Southern Bolters, Legion Hall | | Moderator: Welcome Centre, Southern Bolters, Legion Hall Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 14,522 | | | |
#66452 09/25/2006 10:34 PM | Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 455 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 455 | I always use Google.com if I am looking for anything... Here is a direct link to their muffler page .. http://www.brockmancustomparts.com/page2.html They also got all kinds of nice and shiny custom rod parts. Great dedicated people who care... | | |
#66453 09/26/2006 12:52 AM | Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 45 Junior Member | | Junior Member Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 45 | hey i decided to get a header for my chevy but i noticed that the headers made for the truck are 2 peices where do u get the exhaust parts for the to piece flanges is there pre bent pipeing ? thankyou derek | | |
#66454 09/26/2006 5:23 AM | Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,820 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,820 | I have bought from Brockman and I'm sorry to say it has been awhile.  But the good news is that they are GREAT! Mrs. Brockman is a very nice lady and knows her stuff!! She calls me their "Texas Connection"  , but as I said, it's been awhile since I have talked with them. I have always believed that STEEL PACKS are a better choice for Chevrolet sixes.  To me, they are the REAL sound of the fifties six cylinder Chevrolet!! Once you have steel packs, you will never go back!! Joe
"Truckin' Around .......... Since 1937!" My name is Joe and I am addicted to Classic Country Music. I just can't hep myself.Operators are standing by to take your calls! Now cruising in the Passing Lane | | |
#66455 09/26/2006 5:39 AM | Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 279 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 279 | Joe,thats EXACTLY what my dad says.When On the Road again first posted this I told him about the steel packs and he ORDERED me to buy him a couple pairs.
Gangster whites and straight pipes.....
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#66456 09/26/2006 4:04 PM | Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 455 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 455 | I heard the original Smithy's were really heavy and packed with metal shavings.
Huth Mufflers in the Valley, which is still around today since the 50s did my pipes and first set of mufflers and remembers they used to fill them with gravel from the back alley for guys who really wanted them to rap.
Glad you can still have fun nowadays and somebody cares and makes them right. I gotta give credit to the rod enthusiasts at the H.A.M.B. forum - so much great info there... I first heard about Brockman's steelpacks there. Check it out. | | |
#66457 09/27/2006 6:06 PM | Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 637 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 637 | I worked at Huth Mufflers in Burbank back in the early '50's, still have a Huth muffler. I always ran Porter steelpack mufflers, they had great tone and not as harsh as Smithys. Steelpacks always have a better sound than glasspacks and don't burn out and sound harsh like the glasspacks. I am making my own mufflers these days, just like Porters with steel shavings packing. Not hard to do, just use a 4" tube and make the center pipes with perforated metal rolled into a cylinder, fill with steel shavings and weld on the ends. | | |
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