RE: How do I make my Spider exhaust note throatier?

["Ken Ross" <Kdross@domain.elided>]

Warren:

The problem is that my car has absolutely no exhaust note and sounds just
like a Honda.  I just want to add a little Italian character to my exhaust
note and give it just a little bit of noise.  In my opinion, this is in
character with the car.  In no way do I want to add cut-offs or glass packs
to my car and turn it into an American muscle car.

Ken


- -----Original Message-----
From: Warren Nicholson [mailto:warren@domain.elided]
Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2000 9:34 PM
To: alfa-digest@domain.elided
Cc: Kdross@domain.elided
Subject: Re: How do I make my Spider exhaust note throatier?

 "Ken Ross" wrote:

While I love my 1990 Spider and find the engine to be great,
the exhaust note is very muted and sounds like a Honda.  How
do I make the exhaust note throatier and sound more like a
1960's sports car?
<SNIP>

Allow me to voice a dissonant note about exhausts (ahem...)

In spite of the expected and normal advice Ken will receive
about straight pipes and glass packs, etc. I would like to
state for the record that, when faced with this same choice
after the last performance exhaust went to rust heaven, I
analyzed and researched a good deal before finally deciding
on....  a factory exhaust.

Reasoning:
1. I give credit to Luigi and his friends who designed the
Lucretia in the first place. I bought her new in '73 and
have found very few reasons to quibble with their design
decisions.

2. The design decision they made regarding the exhaust was
toning down the noise while sacrificing very little
performance.

3. Although ripping, snarling car noises appeal to the
emotions and cause heads to snap around as you go by, some
of those heads belong to the men and women in blue who
write speeding tickets for a living.

My opinion: In this arena, the less attention you draw to
yourself and your wheels, the better.

Lucretia and I can still be found flying below the radar and
occasionally waving to folks on the side of the road who are
enjoying the tender ministrations of the local fascista who
are complimenting on the testosterone-drenched sound of their
car which is currently being ticketed.

One man's opinion.

Faithfully,

Warren Nicholson
Alfa Romeo Association
Santa Clara, CA
'73 Spider (Red 'n Ready)
'74 GTV (Running and Waterproof)

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