X or H pipe?

[Triplegreen500]

So, my '70 Charger (stock 318/2V with factory manifolds) has a cobbled-together dual exhaust on it. Uneven tips, true duals, no crossover, a couple of rattling hangars...and Dronemaster mufflers. I want to say it's 2.25" pipes, but may be 2.5 - I haven't measured yet.

I'm looking to a) get rid of the drone and quiet it down some, and b) do the whole system so it's "right", not this "cousin Clem" hold-my-beer-while-I-weld setup that's on it now.

I'm looking at TTI, they make full systems for the 1970 Charger, smallblock, manifolds-back (that's the hard part to find - everyone else is crossmember-back), with super turbo mufflers, in either 2.5" or 3". 3" would be too much for a stock smallblock, but I'm thinking about one of their 2.5" kits. Question is...X pipe? Or H pipe? They offer both. I understand they sound slightly different...basically I want it to sound like a '70 Charger, not like my '14 Grand Cherokee (silent). I don't want silent. But...I don't want drone, annoying, noisy. I like a deeper tone, but not sure if going deeper would be more drone-prone. Reading online, it looks like an H pipe will be deeper, and an X would be more crackly?

It's a 318/2V, with a 2.76 rear - I'm not after every last horse here. It isn't a racer, it's a cruiser. So, I'm not concerned about a half-horsepower difference one way or the other between H or X...does it make a sound difference? Or do I just pick one, and go with it?

Anybody have any other sources for manifold-back, besides TTI? Just for comparison's sake? And no, I actively do NOT want headers.

No rush, this will likely be a winter, off-the-salty-roads-for-the-season, project. But I figure I'll start worrying about it and collecting info now... TTI wants part numbers off the manifolds anyway - where they hell do they stamp these things?

 

[Billccm]

I think X is more flow efficient, but to me H sounds the best.

 

[Jerry Hall]

H pipe for me. I think it is about balance and tone and to me the H pipe allows you to hear each engine bank, while still having some balance. The X pipe makes for a smoother flow, but that loses some tone and the V8 rumble.

 

[BeepBeepRR]

Literally no difference in performance.

 

[Curiousyellow71]

We have a x pipe. For what your doing I would do the H.

 

[diesel_lv]

2.5 is the "Absolute" largest for even the most hotrodded 318. 2" maybe 2-1/4" and H pipe in the TTI and you will have all the flow you ever need, no drone and easy clearance.

 

[66 Sat]

I'm having a new "manifolds back" system made up locally in stainless steel and I'm probably going to ditch the H pipe. I had it fitted about a year or so ago and it quietened it down somewhat but listening to recordings of my car idling and taking off before and after, it sounds a lot better without the H. To each his own.

 

[65-440]

Here's another one for H-pipe..

 

[440Coronet500]

H pipe would be my recommendation! 440'

 

[PRND21]

Only thing I can add to this is that on the earlier Bs is that an H pipe gives you more room for your parking brake cable. Might not be a problem for your 70, something that you might look at though.

 

[Don Frelier]

My opinion would be neither.
Just dual pipes would be fine.

 

[66 Sat]

One more thing to consider is maintenance or repairs are easier with no H or X pipe as you can drop one side of the exhaust independently of the other.

 

[Triplegreen500]

If I have to drop exhaust, I have bigger issues. Cutting and clamping an H pipe is easy. And, TTI only offers full systems with one or the other, not a full-split system.

And they're still the only ones offering a manifold-back system, that I can find.

 

[66 Sat]

If I have to drop exhaust, I have bigger issues. .

Not necessarily. Last year I had a leaking manifold to downpipe (blown gasket) and the stud in the manifold was rooted and needed changing. Of course it was on the driver's side with the power steering box and everything in the way. Removing the manifold from the bottom was more difficult as I couldn't easily get the exhaust out of the way. It was a $20 repair, but I was cursing the H Pipe.
On the flip side, when I had the H pipe originally installed I thought it was a big improvement in sound (volume) - easier to hold conversations when driving down the freeway. I'm supposedly more mature now and thought it was great, plus the scavenging benefits and likely more efficiencies. However, over time, I'm leaning towards removing it and getting some glasspacks, as at a recent car show I felt mine sounded too quiet compared to a lot of the other cars.
Your car, your choice. Just offering up some experience.

 

[496 polara]

For your application I think an H pipe would be warranted.

 

[oldkimmer]

I have run a H pipe on a few cars and trucks. The simplicity of it makes it a no brainer for me. It mellowed out the tone at idle. Kim