MelloTone Mufflers?

[skink4president]

Stopped by the local "Custome Exhaust" shop today to get a quote on some duals for my '73 K5. The guy at the shop was pushing "MelloTone" mufflers and completely ripping Flowmaster. "Flowmasters are garbage. They used to be good but have been bought out. No warranty. MelloTone bought their patent for the chambered design and gives a lifetime warranty, etc, etc." Anyone know how true this is? I was really set on a pair of Delta 50's! Also, I was quoted 4 hrs work and 200+ dollars to "install" my headers I asked only so I didn't have to drive across town with a wide open exhaust to have the remainder done. I think I'll be installing my own headers

Another question, apparently no one does mandrel bending in the Central Florida area due to the cost of the equipment. Anyone ever use one of the prefab kits by Hooker (or any other company for that matter)?

 

[Cornfield creations]

No one bought out flowmaster, they had a 10 year patent on their design and once that patent was up everyone grabbed about their deisgn, starting making their own mufflers, cheaper. They are practically they same mufflers, but flowmaster doesn't warrenty any of their mufflers, (they never have as far back as I can remember) and we have been selling them for a while. There are a lot of rip off mufflers right now, thats why flowmaster is marketing so heavy on sticking to the original.

Mandrel bending equiptment is expensive and as far as systems, the only ones I have seen were in like LMC, and they don't fit very good. My buddy bought one to put on a catalyst truck because we don't take off the convertors for legal reasons. He installed the kit but we had to play around with it and bend it better in some places.

 

[83suburbman]

You can get a mandrel pipe (pre bent) from the muffler back over the axle thats what I found out by going to midas but they wanted $1000 to do the exhaust. SO I went to a mom & pop muffler shop and told them about midas's mandrel pipe. she went to a new catalog she had just got from Xelerator I think thats how its spelled and she found them.There is diffrent bends went with the 45 degree out the side almost like stock and I went with duel 3 inch. Now I wish that i went with 2.5.

 

[PsychoticDeadGuy]

why not get the hot rod kits....they come with many different bends and plenty of pipe...they are about $300-$400 on summit. you will need a welder though.

 

[ak bandit]

They were ripping Flowmaster because they were selling a different product. I just put dual Delta 50's on my '96 Z71, and they sound bada$$! I bought the truck with dual cats and straight pipes. The tone just wasnt "clean" enough. You do pay for the Flowmaster name unfortunately. But worth every penny IMO.

 

[350k5]

From my understanding a lot of off brands have virtually identical designs as the Flowmaster. To me there's nothing in a name, if they copy the design and use the same materials you will get the exact same thing. Only difference is the name... and of course the large price tag for the Flows. I got two off brand Flowmaster 40 Series and they are really nice, look just like the Flows.

 

[86chevybanshee]

i bought a dynomax header back dual 2 1/4 for my 86 pick up, fit good and sounded good throuh 2 40 series, i think it was round 100 from jegs

 

[425 Xpedition]

I have been running a set of the Mellotones for about three years. Sound great and have had no problems.