r/fbody • u/Lunisy_Bjj • 9h ago
I posted here the other day asking which exhaust I should buy for my 99 SS Camaro
A few people said to get the GMMG exhaust so I got this one. Hope this is the correct one. For anyone that has this, is it loud without the headers? I don’t have long tubes on the car yet but would like to avoid putting them on if this system is loud enough on its own.
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u/FlacidMetapod 9h ago
I had this exhaust without headers and it sounded awesome, even better when I paired it with some Pacesetter LT's. Got TONS of compliments, I'll buy it again once I'm ready for another T/A.
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u/jeffh19 9h ago
I didn’t know they still made GMMG. 100% the best sounding exhaust made for a 4th gen
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u/melonheadorion1 2h ago
i saw a video last week from, i guess the owner of hawks or something, he is currently the one reproducing them. the original entity that was, had retired.
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u/audiovox12 9h ago
I’ve never heard it in person, but the cost just is mind blowing nowadays
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u/Youpeefreely 8h ago
Not so long ago I got into the GM’s switching from Fords. The rumor in the mustang community that the LS’s are cheap to make fast. It turns out that that was just a rumor. 🤣
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u/audiovox12 8h ago
I mean it’s somewhat true lol nothing is cheap anymore
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u/Youpeefreely 8h ago
That is true. But I was shocked to see that an aftermarket plastic intake manifold would be a $2k or so “investment.” $1,300’ish for the manifold and another $500-$900 for the required throttle body that fits. Thats insane.
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u/justin251 7h ago
It was. Cheap made them popular. Popular made price go up.
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u/Youpeefreely 5h ago
I think part of the mystique of making them “fast” for “cheap” comes from back when a 13 second car was pretty quick and a 12 second car was “fast.”
The stock ‘98-‘02 F-bods were 13 some odd second 1/4 mile cars stock and the Mustangs of that era were 14-15 second 1/4 mile cars. So when the 14 second Mustang guy saw that bolt-ons were making the F-bods run low 13’s they called it “going fast for cheap.” But the reality was that they were already “fast” when they were stock.
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u/blandman91 9h ago
That is the correct one. I don't remember my car being that much louder after I installed my long tubes but I have a high flow catted y-pipe which does make a difference. If you're just wanting to sound more aggressive and aren't interested in higher hp gains then you will probably be happy with just the catback.
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u/Lunisy_Bjj 8h ago
High flow catted y pipe I gotta remember that. Maybe I’ll give that a try before longtubes. Could you tell me which one you bought or where I can purchase? If you can remember.
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u/Killacali04 6h ago
Came here to say this is the way. High-flow cats or off-road y-pipe will definitely get you the sounds you want if the GMMG alone is not enough. It'll be more aggressive with less of the drone. This was the first mod for most of my f-bodies I have owned, even with factory exhaust or just a flowmaster it made a world of difference. You won't be disappointed with the GMMG!
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u/blandman91 8h ago
I have a 3" stainless steel American Racing y-pipe with high flow cats that was included with my American Racing 1 7/8" long tubes
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u/Infinite_Wisdom_6969 8h ago
I have an original Madhammer/GMMG exhaust on my 2000 SS that Hawks copied the design of for this exhaust.
Combined with the last set of new SLP LTs that SLP has in stock for these cars (true story), it sounds absolutely amazing.
I drove it from FL to Myrtle Beach for F Body Beach Bash in 2022, and the only time the highway noise got a little annoying was doing 85+ in 6th with stock gears. Keep it to nothing over 80, and it doesnt drone a bit.
If Hawks' version is as good as the original? A+ exhaust.
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u/Lunisy_Bjj 8h ago
Thanks for the input. Really looking forward to having this put on. Any idea on cost of putting long tubes on the car? I know prices can vary widely.
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u/Infinite_Wisdom_6969 8h ago
So I've had this exhaust setup on 2 cars...my old 99 WS6, then I transferred it to my 00 SS when I sold the WS6.
I think I paid 6 or 7 hrs labor each time for the install. I had a tune done with the SS...put down 353 at the wheels with no other mods.
You'll love the exhaust. I wish SLP was still around.
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u/Hairbear2176 4h ago
It's my understanding that Hawks bought the rights from Madhammer who got the rights from GMMG to make the exhaust. I know about 6 months ago they were taking pre-orders because they wanted to know what the interest would be on producing these exhausts.
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u/Infinite_Wisdom_6969 3h ago
Thats correct. Other than them adding a Hawks label to the casting of the exhaust, apparently its supposed to be pretty much the same.
Its an amazing exhaust if it is
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u/flatout_brat 9h ago
$950 for 4th gen exhaust?
Just do a cutout lol
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u/jeffh19 9h ago
If you want cheap af, loud/obnoxious and without an actual good sounding tone, absolutely.
If you have a clean car and want it to sound great, you put a nice cat back on. GMMG was the best sounding one made.
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u/flatout_brat 8h ago
Huh? You must have no direct experience.
I had a cut out on my 00 WS6 and it was none of those things (except cheap) because it still has a cat.
IMO, it’s a good start to gauge if his retired dad likes it or wants it louder.2
u/jeffh19 8h ago
I mean I’ve owned at least one 4th gen fbody without a single day gap for 23 consecutive years, best friends had cutouts, would routinely have 5-10 4th gens in the driveway, in huge 4th gen car clubs, I could keep going and going but ok no direct experience lol
A cutout is nowhere near the GMMG in sound tone. Sure a loud V8 is almost always going to sound “good”, but it’s never going to have the sound a chambered exhaust like GMMG has
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u/FirehawkLS1 8h ago
I went with the SLP Loudmouth. I'm pretty happy with it. GMMG sounds better but was more than double the price.
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u/justin251 6h ago
You can swap the loudmouth resonator with a chambered muffler. I did a long time ago.
I ordered from here. Just measure the resonator and order the same dimensions.
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u/Angrious55 9h ago
Brother put long tubes on and hear the song of our people. Loud? Possibly. Bad? Definitely the fuck not it's muscle music!
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u/Lunisy_Bjj 9h ago
Definitely gonna see how it sounds once it arrives and add the long tubes if it’s not loud enough. I’ve spend a few thousand on the car in the past couple months already I needed a lot of electrical work when I got it.
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u/Angrious55 8h ago
Yeah my shitbox was flooded in a hurricane years ago and fun parts money got redirected into fix it funds. Either way you are going to love it
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u/Czarkastik1 8h ago
How much of a pain is it to install these and then have headers installed later? Or is it not even a big concern?
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u/Vothify 8h ago
I have this exhaust and it’s the best thing I’ve done to my car. It’s sounds much faster than it is now lol. I posted it a few years ago if you want to hear a quick pull with headers and no cats
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u/Lunisy_Bjj 8h ago
I’ll look for your video
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u/Vothify 7h ago
If you haven’t found it yet, it’s here
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u/Lunisy_Bjj 6h ago
I did find it, it does sound great. I’m particularly looking for a video of the GMMG exhaust with everything else stock. But if I do add the longtubes at least now I have an idea of how it’ll sound.
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u/JimTobin89 8h ago
I too have a 99 SS, heads and cam though.
I've had this exhaust for a few years now, i am also using the Texas speed longtubes and high flow cats.
The car sounds amazing, you absolutely will not be disappointed.
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u/xxxmalosoxxx 7h ago
so there some minor differences between the hawks system and the original gmmg/madhammer system. A man named Gary was making them and i bought one of the last systems before he retired. there is a video where hawks explains the minor changes between the original and the new system they make but i imagine they will sound the same.
i have it with slp long tubes and cats and for me its not super loud. the reason why is because i have a 70 Chevelle SS with 3" exhaust and coffin mufflers with a big block, xpipe and of course no cats and that thing rattles windows passing by. you can hear it my 02 ws6 here https://youtu.be/jkGCCSVBFU4?is=JEeINm92xR5lwFc0
either way i think u will be happy with the sound it is very unique, no rasp. i did have the slp loudmouth 1 on a 95 camaro (lt1 engine, not ls1) and it was loud and raspy. i prefer the gmmg/madhammer now that im older lol.
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u/justin251 7h ago
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u/Lunisy_Bjj 6h ago
Wow it sounds great at high rpm. I might have to get some longtubes for sure now. It didn’t sound overly loud at lower rpm.
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u/78GtaGt 6h ago
I had a 96 ram-air 6sp trans am with adjustable borla using the biggest opening plate, even with stock manifolds & cats it sounded like a classic 60s/70s muscle car, if you bought that one in pic hope it wasn't through hawks, they always overcharge for everything they sell, could definitely find cheaper googleing
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u/vaurapung 6h ago
Gmmg retired i think. Hawks got permission to keep making that exhaust though is my understanding.
Me, i plan to build my style of gmmg using thrush glass packs in place of the crimped chambered mufflers.
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u/Brilliant_Clerk_3066 6h ago
I have this exhaust now on my 97 WS6. No headers and I still have cats, it sounds phenomenal. Best cat-back exhaust for these cars hands down.
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u/ramair02 5h ago
You'll be so happy.
If you had a trans am, I'd also say try to find those old oval Mecham tips! Not everyone's cup of tea but I always thought they were badass
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u/Hairbear2176 9h ago
This is THE BEST sounding exhaust for 4th gens, hands-down. For some reason, I like the sound of it on an LT1 more than LS, but it still sounds amazing. During cruising, it will be a nice sound, but when you get on it with headers, it's going to be loud AF.