New LS1 Owners - Newbie Tech - Hooker

Is Hooker an ok brand? I know that usually brands are just names, but sometimes that is not the case, and I don't want to buy something that's going to shit out on me.


I want this (http://www.ws6project.com/user_stor/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=235_82_49&products_id=652&osCsid=b3cabd49f340beb8429eff5e12ef94fe) exhaust. Would that be ok for my 2000 Trans Am?

the hooker products are good stuff. the hooker headers are nice quality and the hooker catback is actually one of the favorites on here. its supposedly pretty quiet, but it has a very deep rumble..sounds really good. i was actually gonna go with the hooker catback, but decided to go with the magnaflow catback because the stainless steel.

Going off the thread title, I was hoping this thread would be a bit more entertaining.

I've had really good luck with every Hooker header I've used. Unfortunately the same cannot be said about Hookers.

You said it's quiet? I don't want a quiet exhaust. How loud is your Magnaflow, and how much did you pay for it(if you don't mind sharing)?


Thanks for all your help.


Sorry for the lack of sex in this thread.

Hooker Headers have been around longer than you have!

yea hooker catback is NOT quiet at all, its just quieTER than most other ones with long tube headers and offroad y pipe. But its still loud as hell at wide open throttle. Which is a good thing, sounds awesome has a deeep rumble and not THAT loud in the low end to medium acceleration (so cops to hear you from 10 blocks away) AND it is awesome when you floor it (flows exhaust relatively well). Im looking for a hooker catback right now because its one of the nicer sounding ones other than a $800 Borla or Corsa system in my opinion...jus my .02 hope this helps :judge:

how is the drone on a hooker catback? i have flowmaster on my mustang and hate it

I have hooker LT on mine now and I like them but I am not so sure about the borla exhaust I have , at the time when I bought the headers I was like you not sure what would sound good . There is a difference after the headers are put on no matter what you get, I think the muffler's are what you really need to get a deep rumble. I would look at the flowmaster muffler site, they have sound bites there to help you out. If you want louder and deeper than the headers and exhaust. I would suggest getting a cam, this will really improve the sound.

If you go with hooker headers I recomend getting them jet hot ceramic coating and make sure that you don't hit them with anything when installing them, they will rust in that spot.

I would not recommend the Hooker catback if you are planning to run it with stock manifolds and cats. It will be very quiet - just slightly louder than stock. I had it on my T/A for a while, and it did not "scream at WOT" like some people claimed. My friends could barely tell that I had even changed the exhaust! The Hooker is a fine choice if you are gonna install headers - it gets quite a bit louder then. The quality is also fine for the money. I would run one of the loudmouth systems, the GMMG, or maybe the Borla with stock manifolds and cats. :headbang:

I've heard some cars w/ stock everything, and a hooker catback, and I think the magnaflow sounds cleaner and it's also stainless. I got the Hooker Super comp LT's, ORY and magnaflow catback. It is a very nice sound. No where near as good at just the Hooker LT's and no other exhaust at 1am w/ my foot all the way to the floor. That shit will wake you up, lol. But, I will say that the hooker catback and everything else stock does sound nicer than everything stock. You may be able to find some sound clips, but the best way is to find someone in your area and hear it in person.

how is the drone on a hooker catback? i have flowmaster on my mustang and hate it
What drone??? :jest: There is none with the hooker catback, I dont know about mustangs though.

Hooker flows really well and is quiet at cruising speeds. However, it screams at WOT (with LT's of course, and even with cats). :devil:
Good catback and great price, Oh and the tips look better than magnaflow's IMO.

Exhaust is hugely opinion based. As a starting point, check out ls1sounds.com to get a general idea of what the different exhausts will sound like outside the car.

Some people love the SLP Loudmouth.......I personally think it sucks because of the drone.

You need to answer some questions so that we can give you better advice.

What are your primary goals you're looking to achieve with the catback?

Loud exhaust with no regard to drone inside while driving?

Are you planning on headers in the future?

FWIW, hooker is a good quality catback.

i just recently installed a hooker catback along with LT's and ORY. I am very happy with it, for a DD. its not loud if you dont want it to be. its quiet for the street at night, til about 2200+ it starts really picking up sound. WOT is a very nice sound. I also have a cutout in it, so i really wanna be obnoxious i just open that up. I changed over from having stock manifolds and cats and a SLP loudmouth. The drone i had with the loudmouth is nonexistent, and it sounds jsut as good as WOT.

I have LM2 exhaust and everyone ive talked to said Hooker LT's were the way to go header-wise. I want me some Hookers!!

i have a hooker cat back with longtubes and ory. and its some what quiet when you want it to be, but from what all my friends tell me its pretty loud. I can hear my exhaust echo off of buildings and cars passing by. to me it sounds better than a loudmouth with Lts and ory. loudmouth is too raspy

I've got LT, ORY and a hooker cat back on my Trans Am, and it is perfect for daily driving. It sounds good at idle, and at WOT it sounds really good, and for the money you cant beat it. Its all in what you want, some people like there exhaust to be loud, some want a low key exhaust that still has some balls. LS1sounds.com would be a good place to research this question.

how is the drone on a hooker catback? i have flowmaster on my mustang and hate it

i have longtubes and 3" catless ypipe and there is no drone.
but i have some strange vibration noise on low rpms that came after i put longtubes on..i had the hooker catback on before that. when i installed and started up the car after the hooker catback install i could barely hear the difference..but when you go WOT its craazy

I have a Flowmaster cat-back, however I'm running Hooker long-tube headers and an off-road Y and I can attest to the quality of the headers. Unfortunately, the original owner of my car bought the headers painted (instead of jet-hot coated), so I'm starting to get a little surface rust, however I've had no problems with fitment, rattles, leaks, etc.