Back in "the Day," all cars were characterized by the unique sound that their engines made. I could tell without looking whether a car coming up the street was a Chevy, a Ford, or a Mopar. Oldsmobile V8's had a distinctive sound, as did the 289 Mustang.
The four-cylinder sports cars from Europe also produced pleasing sounds, whether it was a TR4, an Austin Healy, or even a Fiat 124 Spider. (Won't mention the VW bug).
Oddly, the Japanese have never made cars (or motorcycles) that seemed to pay any attention whatsoever to their sound. Most of their cars sound like sewing machines, even now.
But the age of the catalytic converter changed all that. Very few cars now have a pleasing sound, and one is forced to go into the aftermarket to get something to accomplish that goal.
Obviously, if a car is equipped with a catalytic converter from the factory, it can't be removed without increasing one's Carbon Footprint and probably violating a few laws as well. Here in PA, you simply won't pass inspection with the Cat removed. In my county, the state inspection includes a full computerized emissions check.
I have (among other things) a 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser with the H.O. 230HP turbo. If you listen closely, it sounds like the engine could have a pleasing sound if the exhaust system were modified to allow it.
I checked on the Magnaflow website, and they sell a kit for my car called, a "Cat-back" exhaust, which I'm inferring means this is a set of pipes and mufflers that go from the Catalytic Converter back to the outlet. My questions are:
(1) Is that what a "cat-back" system is?
(2) Can I assume that this is something I could install myself (possibly requiring a cutting torch)?
(3) Would anything have to be done to the car's computer settings, to adapt to the lower back pressure?
(4) Would performance be affected?
(5) What other companies make similar products, and how can a consumer compare them? The objective is to get something that sounds good.
The four-cylinder sports cars from Europe also produced pleasing sounds, whether it was a TR4, an Austin Healy, or even a Fiat 124 Spider. (Won't mention the VW bug).
Oddly, the Japanese have never made cars (or motorcycles) that seemed to pay any attention whatsoever to their sound. Most of their cars sound like sewing machines, even now.
But the age of the catalytic converter changed all that. Very few cars now have a pleasing sound, and one is forced to go into the aftermarket to get something to accomplish that goal.
Obviously, if a car is equipped with a catalytic converter from the factory, it can't be removed without increasing one's Carbon Footprint and probably violating a few laws as well. Here in PA, you simply won't pass inspection with the Cat removed. In my county, the state inspection includes a full computerized emissions check.
I have (among other things) a 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser with the H.O. 230HP turbo. If you listen closely, it sounds like the engine could have a pleasing sound if the exhaust system were modified to allow it.
I checked on the Magnaflow website, and they sell a kit for my car called, a "Cat-back" exhaust, which I'm inferring means this is a set of pipes and mufflers that go from the Catalytic Converter back to the outlet. My questions are:
(1) Is that what a "cat-back" system is?
(2) Can I assume that this is something I could install myself (possibly requiring a cutting torch)?
(3) Would anything have to be done to the car's computer settings, to adapt to the lower back pressure?
(4) Would performance be affected?
(5) What other companies make similar products, and how can a consumer compare them? The objective is to get something that sounds good.
