Corvette Exhaust Buyer's Guide
Many Corvette owners look for a way to personalize their cars and increase engine performanc. Installing an aftermarket corvette exhaust is a popular choice for many Corvette owners.
One of the most popular ways to change the exhaust of a Corvette is to have aftermarket mufflers welded in place of the factory mufflers. This is often the least expensive way to go about changing a car’s exhaust. Because the mufflers are welded in instead of using bolts, the changes are going to be harder to reverse if the owner decides to either re-install the factory mufflers or go with a different setup.
A Corvette catback exhaust is another popular way for an owner to go. Instead of just replacing the mufflers, a catback system replaces all of the piping from the catalytic converter back to the tailpipe as well. The advantage of this is that the piping is generally of a pretty high quality, and some horsepower can be gained here though it should be noted that Chevrolet built the exhaust to be as efficient as possible, so any gains should be minimal. The other and arguably more significant benefit is that catback exhausts can be bolted on and removed relatively easily, so changes can be made without cutting and welding.
Other more in depth options include installing aftermarket headers. Headers collect exhaust as it comes out of each cylinder, and runs it back through the rest of the exhaust system. Usually there is some power to be gained here as well, but it’s important to know that the more you replace, the more expensive the new system will get.
Another option is to replace the catalytic converter with a high flow cat, or test pipe. Replacing the catalytic converter can sometimes offer significant power and gas mileage gains, but because the catalytic converter is an important component of the emissions equipment, doing so might be against the law. So be sure to check your local laws before purchasing anything.
It’s important for many owners to make sure they are getting the exact sound they are looking for out of their aftermarket Corvette exhaust. Below is a compilation of Corvette exhaust video clips to compare with one another.
A factory C5 Corvette Exhaust
A factory C6 Corvette Exhaust
C6 with a B&B Bullet TriFlow exhaust with Borla X-Pipe
C5 Corvette with a Borla Exhaust
C6 with a Corsa Sport catback exhaust
C6 Z06 with a Borla catback exhaust
C6 Z06 with a Corsa catback exhaust
C5 Z06 with B&B Bullet catback exhaust
