OEM LS1 WS6 muffler, stock 2.25" V6 cat/piping incl. s-pipe (opens up direct @ muffler inlet). No rear seats inside so it's a little louder inside than if I had the seats in. I like how it's close to stock Y87 sounding (yes, it rasped STOCK). Definitely won't wake up the neighbors when I come home at night. Sounds damn good inside the car. Little to no drone when cruising. It's tough to make a V6 sound decent above 3k RPM! Any suggestions? (besides getting an LS1...)


P.S. Sorry for the lack of transitioning edits.

 

i think your out of luck i cant think of any ways you can make any gm v6 sound good above 3000 RPM

but on another note yours sounds better than about 95% of the other 3800's or other v6's around here where people just hack the exhaust off and let'r rip

nice work

 

No offence, but I think you should ditch the wing.

It's really cool that you're showing some Firebird pride and runnin' the V6, but in that case, BE proud of it, and don't use a Trans Am wing. The whole "Trans-Formula" look was neat the first time it was done, but after that, just got played out.

SLP has some interesting Firebird based spoilers you could go with too, to get something different.

As for sound.... headers, intake, cam.... all play a part. Look into Grand Nationals, see how they sound and if you like it. Play around with different exhaust setups (different length headers, different Y pipes, or true duals crossed over in different ways, etc), or perhaps do a LOT of research into custom cam grinds.

There's really not much out there for GM V6's, and what there is in generally for the GNs, which means forced induction.

In the end, it'll probably just be cheaper to drop in an LS1. But if you want the V6 to be different (which is cool), then as long as you don't mind paying the cost that goes along with being different, go for it. It would be really cool.

 

The GN v6 and 3.8II are completely different motors. The LC2 is a 60* motor and the 3800II is a 90*. Come on over to Fullthrottlev6.com if you want good advice on the lil v6. Trust me, that little motor has plenty of potential.

 

Yes, I am aware that the GN V6 is a different engine. I merely meant to suggest that, if he liked how they sounded, he could go the turbo route and *maybe* even use some pre-existing exhaust parts for them, and get a sound he liked while getting more power to boot.

Interesting to hear that there's an existing aftermarket/community for them. I'm a V8 guy myself, but I still think the idea of a hopped up V6 Firebird is pretty cool.

 

Looked, but they're all ugly as sin (yes, the impossible to find low-rise Firehawk spoiler included). IMO the stock V6 spoiler was a pain - not only was it immensely ugly, but water also collected on top of it and had no place to go.
P.S. No offence taken. I'm still sportin' the Firebird logos on the sides and in back. I could've polished that away years ago. I could've gotten TA/W68/WS6 bumpers, hood, and sideskirts too, but that's not what I want my car to be. The TA hatch just makes things look a little less ugly (even though these cars really grow on you), IMO. BTW, in all my travels, I have never seen a Formula/V6 with a TA hatch in real life other than my car, and no more than 10 online. I've seen lots of the TA guys switch to Formula hatches for weight savings @ the races, though.

There's a guy that showed up to a meet last weekend. His car looked like a Camaro SS with Borla exhaust, but it was in fact a V6. No way I'd spend that kind of money for that, although it's neat to be different...

I'm already on FullThrottleV6 and made a post about this exhaust before I got it on... People recommended this for the sound that I was looking for.

A lot of the aftermarket or bits-n-pieces setups have rasp/drone all over the powerband, not to mention a very loud db level. Very hard (if not impossible) to find one with just the right setup. Don't have the kind of money to mix-n-match exhaust/engine components; I need to have this pass Cali emissions without having to make some friends who like donations (read: too lazy for serious engine mod research). Plus I don't have a more reliable vehicle to drive if this one experiences downtime.

I tried to get an LT1 TA at first in 05, but the first reason of not getting one is that this was my first real car (100% paid off in full, only paying for gas/mods/maintenance now), now the second reason is insurance (long story - no accidents). Sigh.

 

Very nice looking car. I would give you an A for effort with the exhaust. Good cost effective way to get an exhaust that you can hear. It sounds better than the cars I've heard that had the muffler hacked off but IMO it still doesn't sounds good. I'm not sure if I would rather have a crappy sounding exhaust or one that was dead silent. Sorry if my reply comes off a little harsh.

 

ummm the GN 3800 and the series II 3800 are both 90 degree v6's they always have been

 

I had to pull my self up off the floor after that one because it sounds just like me and a buddy back in highschool, I had a Black V6 Camaro unhooked the catback at y-pipe and let'r rip!!!

 

Thanks, and no it's not harsh at all. The exhaust it had from the factory was quiet (even dual-outlet) but by the time you heard it it sounded pretty nasty (droning rasp). Imagine a small angry dog. It was a 2.25" version of the stock LS1 muffler that was made for the V6 models with the performance package. My mother insisted that it sounded like her late 60s VW Bug! AFAIK this muffler is designed very similarly, but is a little louder due to the .25in inlet diameter difference - definitely does not sound like a late 60s VW Bug any more. So while it still doesn't sound great, it's way better than it was, and didn't cost me an arm and a leg. I'll be doing some research to try and lower the amount of rasp it has but retain the volume levels/tone (I'll need a miracle). Just wanted to know if you guys/gals had any experience with this in the past...

 

Stick to the v8's you know.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1985-1...tional-gnx.htm

 

nice car, but sounds horrible imo...

 

Just to give the 3.8 a little respect....

this Firebird is running 8's:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0Wp1MbNp-8

 

yea when u held the throttle, sounded like a old school detroit 2 cycle

 

a flowmaster one chamber would help give you a deep sound or you could put a powerstick/turbo tube muffler in your i pipe since they are chambered they would deepen it up a little.

 

I have stock headers, stock y-pipe into a 3" dyno-max bullet muffler, and well that's it for now. lol But it killed the rasp (mainly caused by the CAT and the water-tank muffler) and doesn't sound bad, i just need to get it out out the back of the car, or out in front of the right rear tire.
I'd imagine if i were to buy pace setters it'd sound better. But, no mater what you do, you'll get a great sound at idle, (for a stock v-6 turd) and up until around 3k, up from there you're gonna get the 'high-pitched' v-6 sound. The only way to combat it from there is to drown it out with the whistle of a turbo or do a ls1 swap.

I got a video around here some where, but my camera's mic is very sensitive and the cars sound over-loads it causing it to sound worse than it is...lol