I managed to catch my exhaust system on a manhole in a construction zone. So I'm contemplating a few things.
My current exhaust design is a 3" stainless steel pipe from the catalytic converter to the 'fart can' on the back of the car. The car wasn't loud but it's louder than I like. This was the setup. It's bent and icky now and ripped my O2 sensor off, damaged brake lines and evap hose when it went sideways and out the passenger side of car.

I was wondering if putting a 31" glasspack in the long strait run then a stock muffler on the end would make the car quieter? Rather than just pipe and a stock muffler. Or just go with the stock muffler.
Will the glasspack reduce the noise a little before it gets to the muffler or will it just increase the noise?

I can get a 31" glasspack for 10$ which isn't much more of an expense if the car is quieter. Would like to get an idea before I weld stuff in.

 

Glasspacks are designed to increase the sound, just in case you were unaware.

 

I put just the glasspack on after the catalytic converter and it did reduce the noise by about a third. If it's just strait pipe it's not going to reduce noise at all and any reduction in noise before the muffler will help without output sound. My thoughts... I admit I'm a putz but from the reading I did said the longer the glasspack the less noise there would be. There are no baffles in the glasspack I found so I welded triangular pieces of metal on the inside lips to deflect some of the sound waves back toward the engine... every little bit helps I guess.
Drove around yesterday and today with just the glasspack on and it's loud but not as loud as with nothing but the catalytic converter on there. I can feel it in the car but the sheriff at the speed traps and cops passing didn't pull me over. Maybe just pity.
Muffler and pipe came today so I'm going to see how it sounds with the exhaust pipe in there and than with the muffler.
Gotta experiment and learn. Can always cut the glasspack out and put strait pipe in later.

 

It purrs like a tiger, and I love it. Nice and quiet with a little purr, even at WOT. Only tack welded the pipe on there and welded the hangers in there for now to make sure I had enough clearance and there would be no clanging against the frame and trailer hitch. Everything from the cat back is new and perdy.
Would it be a good idea to sand then paint the exhaust system with high temperature rustoleum paint? Or just leave it?

Tomorrow I'm going to pull the exhaust off and weld it up. Gas tank is spos to come tomorrow too so I can swap that out at the same time. When the muffler hit the gas tank it scratched a hole in the side and bottom of gas tank. Fun stuff

 

Went and bought a $20 camcorder and did my gas tank. Lots of other icky stuff to replace.

 

I run a TTi LTH / 31" glasspack / Walker Quiet Flow for DOHC

This is all on my SOHC and its just a tad louder than stock at warm idle and only is loud after 4000rpm. No rasp at all. No highway drone.

k3v

 

I'm running a SOHC with the 31" Thrush Glasspack and Thrush Turbo 14"x9" muffler.
Don't get her up to 4000 rpm very often but there is a nice quiet purr.
On the highway and while drive in the city the noise from the sending unit in the fuel tank is the most prominant. No drone or rasp. Very happy.
Hope replacing the rotted out firewall the fuel tank hangs off and installing rubber between the new fuel tank and body will reduce the drone from sending unit.

Anyone have any experience putting skid plates on a Neon? Especially around the oil pan, fuel tank and where the catalytic converter meets the exhaust by the firewall. So the exhaust doesn't get snagged and ripped off again.
The car sits low. When I take my son to school there is a bad spot in the schools entranceway... you go up a 15* grade once you hit the peak you go down a 40* grade. I bottom out when I go over it every day, even at 5mph or slower. I have 14" tires.
The oil pain, gas tank and frame rails have taken a beating over the last 18 years.
I have some 27"x24" 12 gage stainless steel plates and was thinking of welding nuts to the frame and bolting on the plates.
Winter is coming and with it pothole season.

 

Just replaced my steering rack and went for a test drive down the road....
Yes the muffler is hanging. I had just taken it all off and put back up quick to to make sure my steering wheel was on strait.
Now it's time for a new oil pan and skid plates.

 

Generally the idea behind why you aren't supposed to drive through water covered roads.

 

I didn't drive through water cover roads. I turned around in a turn around area... and drove around the puddle. It was the parking lot for the empty mill. Cops sit there... speed trap.

The cross member was bent back 3" and the metal bar did scratch the back of my oil pan. Bent the frame back and used the MIG welder to patch the hole in the oil pan.

Old oil pan is beat up and needs replacing. Plan on buying new oil pan and gasket this week.

Picked up some angle iron to reinforce the front cross member and frame out skid plate for under engine area. From the front cross member to the K-frame.
The front of car only sits about 6" off the ground even with 14" tires. As seen in the video I can barely get the little jack under the the front frame where the front motor mount attaches.

It would be nice to be able to raise the car up. Even if it is only one inch to get some additional clearance. Any ideas there?
Any ideas or examples for skid plates for the car? Perdy pictures and stuff. Have access to all types of metal for doing this. Best thickness to use to reduce weight and still keep protection.
I live in upstate NY and the roads here are terrible and when winter comes the roads will only get worse.

New exhaust, steering rack, fuel tank, gas and brake lines... basically rebuilt the engine last spring. Just need to replace the body where the gas tank straps hang from and do the skid plates. Put vids on youtube to give you an idea...

I know it's an older car but she's so fun to drive and wok on and the gas mileage is awesome. Even driving over the spike thing coming out of the ground... It's just like WOW and can't help but laugh. "Your not supposed to drive over ground obstacles." lol yeah, true. Some of the strangest things do happen in life. As bad as things seem in the present. When you look back and laugh at it later you always laugh.