header back routing and size! 97 vortec

[Dobby97]

Now i know there are many many post here about all this, i feel i have tried to do a great bit of research prior to making my own post ( you tube, google, FSC, GMT) and several more places!
im just finding it hard to piece together all my info to complete my project so any help will of corse be 100% appreciated!

OK, gettin down to it.
ive got my LTs ready to install
Currently i have stock exhaust and have added a magnaflow 2in 1 out muffler, i believe 3'' out but not exact on that and its duped in front of the axle.
its a 97 vortec 5.7 and has the exhaust in the stock "dual" configuration. passenger straigh back through 2 cants and into one inlet on muffler. driver side crosses over, runs along side passenger through 2 cats and into the other inlet.

now i wondering if i install the LTs and run the pipe just the same with the same muffler but using 2.25' pipe and no cats will that give me the correct setup?
should i go for 2.5?
would this setup be better to run the driver side back a little more then under the tail section and into the muffler? i would prefer to reuse my magnaflow to cut some cost down and i really like the sound already.

If none of the suggestions are correct could some maybe tell me what im doing wrong? possibly using a Y ,H ,X pipe?

What im looking to get out of this setup will be lower end power and good sound. i absolutely dont want the raspy glasspack sound if at all possible!
im not worried about emissions for this truck so im fine with out being legal.


another possible stupid question is... if the muffler has turn down or dumps, will that give you a different tone then if its run out the back with tips?
all my trucks have been dumped so i have no experience. im sure it would have less cabin noise just taken the sound to the back but i dont want tips or to bring it to the rear i just want a good sound quality. I say stupid question because in my head im thinking more pipe may be quieter but not sure of the actual tone of it. Watching hundreds of youtube videos it does seem that some that are carried out the back seem to not have a very raspy sound (of course depending on mufflers and such)

i know this may be alotta questions at once but i like to do things correct the first time and would rather plan them out once!

and again thanks for any help you may contribute!

 

[96Z71ECSB]

Cross over the drivers side under the trans tail housing. The collector on the header is usually too long to properly cross over where the factory did. Besides, you don't want a quick bend right after the header.

The headers themselves will change the sound from the magnaflow. Usually slightly quieter and yes, installing a tailpipe will change the sound also. Tips bigger than the actual tailpipe will change the exhaust sound too.

No "X" pipe needed. The magnaflow does that for you.

I would run 2.25" pipe to the magnaflow. Any bigger is a little too much for a fairly stock small block.

 

[Dobby97]

Here is a link to the exhaust I'm refering to but ill have cut off all tge bends and mufglers just to use the straight section. Not sure if the link worked I'm trying this from my phone.
And not really sure if this is even a good idea but like I said its just laying around, free and its some nice tube!

http://www.google.com/search?tbm=is...UpT7POPo2AWg5YCgCA#biv=i|43;d|dzy3LjOuUAaiuM:

 

[Dobby97]

Not sure why my first reply don't post..
Here it is again.
That's the way I'm thinking of doing it just like you said.
In a nut shell, replacing the stock pipe with 2.25 in the same lovation but bringing the driver side back and across the tail section then both into the magnaglow and dumped out like it is now.
I also have a new camaro exhaust laying around
Consist of an H some straight peices and 2 resonators.
It's all built just like my exhaust now and would tie into the muffler perfect (after cuting all the bends and such off) and would only have to fab the pipes off the headers.
I was considering this way because I've heard the resonators will cut out some of the raspy sound that I don't want. But unsure if this will be to restrictive.
I figure I can try it and see. It's free, nice tube am I have a welder and lift so I could always just cut it back off if need be!

 

[GMstrong]

If your running a single id do 2.5-3".Imo I think it would soound best with a bullet.