@R Thorpe posted:I'm thinking about a Speedster replica but I'm not interested in a loud "glass pack" muffler. I would like the VW big bore to sound like an original car. Any suggestions? Thank you.
Dang, why am I always drafted to write the dissenting opinion?
By most accounts, the A1 is the best bang for the buck for our cars. It's designed to have - as much as is practical - equal length headers for each cylinder to help the 'extraction' process. The headers are then merged in a way that takes advantage of the cylinder firing order.
Everyone says they add maybe 10% more power compared to stock.
The main downsides are that they're made from lots of plumbing (making them hang a little low) and they're, well, maybe a little loud. You won't think they're too loud of course, but your passenger might. They sound pretty quiet on the cruise, but every time you put your boot down, they sort of go blat-blat-blat. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)
But what was the poster's question, again? Something about sounding like an original car.
A company called Vintage Speed (not Vintage Speedsters or Vintage Motorcars) makes a line of high-quality stainless exhausts for VW motors that look and sound original. They won't drag on driveway ramps or raise a ruckus when you put your foot down. But they also won't add 10% more power - even though they are designed for good flow.
I think what it comes down to is that, in choosing an exhaust system, as in so many other life decisions, you must first decide who you are. What defines you as an individual? Are you a responsible citizen who is also sensitive to preserving noble traditions? Or a self-absorbed hooligan for whom decadent indulgence is all that matters in life?
Here are sound clips of the two exhausts: