Header Time :) :ORY or Catted?
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
Header Time :) :ORY or Catted? Hey guys, I was hoping to get some words of wisdom from the F body modding veterans out there 
I own a 99' TA and I'm doing some shopping around for headers and I'm trying to decide weather to purchase catted headers or just toss the cat now. I live in IA, so that means several things, 1. No emissions laws or vehicle inspections. 2. I only get to drive my car 4-5 months out of the year 
last year I barely got 1000 miles on her. 3. Some towns that I live by have noise laws after a certain time (9pm-10pm typically).
I"m not putting a muffler on it either way unless its going to be unbearably loud, because going deaf will be worth it if the last sounds I hear are a ground shaking V8
But im wondering cost effectivness vs. tunning issues vs performace gains vs installation hassle. Any input would be great!!
I own a 99' TA and I'm doing some shopping around for headers and I'm trying to decide weather to purchase catted headers or just toss the cat now. I live in IA, so that means several things, 1. No emissions laws or vehicle inspections. 2. I only get to drive my car 4-5 months out of the year last year I barely got 1000 miles on her. 3. Some towns that I live by have noise laws after a certain time (9pm-10pm typically).I"m not putting a muffler on it either way unless its going to be unbearably loud, because going deaf will be worth it if the last sounds I hear are a ground shaking V8
But im wondering cost effectivness vs. tunning issues vs performace gains vs installation hassle. Any input would be great!! Catless if you have no laws. But at least put a muffler on it. It's going to be ridiculous loud with no muffler, even with cats, and it'll also sound like crap IMO. Even a small muffler like a flowmaster 10'll sound better than no muffler
FormerVendor
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 890
Likes: 3
Since you dont have any strict emissions laws or inspections I recommend looking into our stainless 1 7/8s headers, and stainless off road y-pipe combo. Like others have said you definitely want to put some sort of muffler on it to help give it a better tone, and quiet things down just a bit. I would recommend something like a Dynomax bullet, or Kooks race muffler dumped right before the axle. This setup will give you the aggressive sound your looking for but add a little character to it other than just running it straight out.
Here is a link to the headers on our website.
http://www.texas-speed.com/p-291-tex...e-headers.aspx
Here is a link to the headers on our website.
http://www.texas-speed.com/p-291-tex...e-headers.aspx
TSP true duals w/sweet thunders here, take your cats and get them recycled from a member here on the forum in the "wanted" section.. he pays like $120 for them.. then use that to buy the exhaust, and if the texas speed 1 7/8 headers are available then I would get those..
You DEFINITELY want some type of muffler on there. There are numerous people on this forum that wanted a loud *** exhaust and got a SLP Loud Mouth or similar similar very loud exhausts. Most of them got sick of it real quick.
Bullets are pretty cheap and you can find them used regularly.
Bullets are pretty cheap and you can find them used regularly.
TSP Headers are a no brainer, stainless steel for their price???? Cant beat it. The exhaust is a different matter. I would have recommended the TSP true duals however since you have a Trans Am, would look kinda silly without the exhaust tips coming out back (JMO, you can do this if you want.) The next best thing would have been Kooks True Duals but I can't justify spending over $1500 just for an exhaust, not to mention you will probably have to buy their headers as well for about another $1000.
Hooker and Borla catbacks seem to be popular, a few have Corsa but I bit pricey. These will definitely give you the sound you are looking for with the LT's. Stay away from slowmaster, sounds like crap. SLP LM is a hit or miss. Like some of the other guys on here have said, it's pretty damn loud. I have that on my 99 TA with LT's and no cats and it's pretty loud but doesnt sound like ***, at least not to me anyways, get lots of compliments all the time. So how loud you want it is totally up to you.
As far as installation, the exhaust should take you no more than an hour. Might wanna take a good weekend to do the headers if you've never done it before. Usually takes 10-15 hours. Getting a tune will maximize your power gains but you can do without and still get a good amount of power. Hope this helps.
Hooker and Borla catbacks seem to be popular, a few have Corsa but I bit pricey. These will definitely give you the sound you are looking for with the LT's. Stay away from slowmaster, sounds like crap. SLP LM is a hit or miss. Like some of the other guys on here have said, it's pretty damn loud. I have that on my 99 TA with LT's and no cats and it's pretty loud but doesnt sound like ***, at least not to me anyways, get lots of compliments all the time. So how loud you want it is totally up to you.
As far as installation, the exhaust should take you no more than an hour. Might wanna take a good weekend to do the headers if you've never done it before. Usually takes 10-15 hours. Getting a tune will maximize your power gains but you can do without and still get a good amount of power. Hope this helps.
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Verdad Gallardo Btw my experience with installation was me and a friend. First time doing headers on an ls and it took is 8 hours taking our time. About 6.5 hours was just removing the old stuff. Bbl headers slid in perfect 
Me and my cousin have identical header/y pipe/catback combos with the only difference is he doesn't have cats but I have high flow bullet cats....believe me when I say you can tell the difference between the too...mine is really loud but his is a whole other level...I would make choice based on your typical cruising rpm bc his gives me a headache lol
Ory for sure i got one from tsp i also have no muffler either. had the stock one cut out before i got the headers and ory. no i regret no muffler. soundrs great at ideal and and high rpms but not low to mid-range. So now im gonna put a muffler in it and have cats welded in because i live in colorado and have emissions testing.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
As of right now my exhaust system is setup as a Flowmaster catback system, (previous owners doings)
But i had the honors of deleting that muffler and readjusting his shitty, crooked as hell exhaust hanging job. So now its just manifolds, cats, and y pipe straight out the back. I love the way it sounds now, but I've heard MUCH louder. And i've heard a few ls's with loudmouths, and i can't stand the sound. I think from the responses I've gotten i'll go with an ORY, I just need to find a good header for the right price and a good fittment and just run it out the back. If i can't stand it than can always add in a muffler later easy enought (I trust my welding skills 
) What are you guy's feelings on O2 dummy sensors? I just don't like seeing lights on my dash, and I can't justify a tune quite yet cuz I'm not done modding performance wise.
But i had the honors of deleting that muffler and readjusting his shitty, crooked as hell exhaust hanging job. So now its just manifolds, cats, and y pipe straight out the back. I love the way it sounds now, but I've heard MUCH louder. And i've heard a few ls's with loudmouths, and i can't stand the sound. I think from the responses I've gotten i'll go with an ORY, I just need to find a good header for the right price and a good fittment and just run it out the back. If i can't stand it than can always add in a muffler later easy enought (I trust my welding skills ) What are you guy's feelings on O2 dummy sensors? I just don't like seeing lights on my dash, and I can't justify a tune quite yet cuz I'm not done modding performance wise. 
i went with ory..but am seriously tired of it now....since it is not your daily car then deff go with magna or borla mouth..they cut a lil bit of the "bad" noise but still sound pretty loud. no muffler is just getto..
Many of the ORY setups I've heard/seen haven't really impressed me. Many of them sounded raspy and smelled like raw fuel. For me personally, catted y-pipe was the only way to go. Add a cutout if you want the sound.
