[RenaissanceMan]

So, I've had my '93 Spider Veloce for a couple months now, and am really enjoying it. However, I must say I'm quite surprised at how quiet and docile this thing sounds. Looks like all of the exhaust componentry stock, but I still expected a little more tone out of it. Is this pretty normal for a series 4 spider? If so, what exhaust systems do y'all recommend to get this thing sounding a bit more 'Italian'???

 

[Giorgio68]

Ansa exhaust has a nice sound.

 

[RenaissanceMan]

Ansa exhaust has a nice sound.

I had pretty good luck with Ansa in the past with my older BMW's... They don't seem to be too terribly expensive, either. $162 from this site:

Discount Exhaust Systems - 1993 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce 4 Cyl 2.0L Ansa

 

[Giorgio68]

That's a good price!

 

[RC Hiatt]

A cheap cherry bomb was my favorite, and was on my 73 when I got it. Replaced because it was a bit too loud, but it did have a pleasant note that I rather miss, but then it is still in my garage. Are all Alfisti cheapskate hoarders?

 

[GuyC]

another option

The Ansa rear muffler does produce a nice note, Centerline Alfa also has a "Stinger" that is simply a straight pipe to go in place of the existing rear section

Stinger

 

[bianchi2]

my 84 has 2 small magnaflow resonaters one behind the axle, and one in front of the axle, lots of people at local euro sunday say my car sounds the best( as a 4 cly )

 

[RandallM]

I had the shop remove the resonator and place a straight piece of pipe in. I just use the stock rear muffler and I like the sound.

 

[Frank S]

Love to hear some exhaust tunes.

 

[bianchi2]

i can send you a tape

 

[Forzaguy]

"my 84 has 2 small magnaflow resonaters one behind the axle, and one in front of the axle, lots of people at local euro sunday say my car sounds the best( as a 4 cly )"

Could you be more specific, i.e. Magnaflow model #'s.

 

[bianchi2]

forzaguy.. will get the part in the morning..it's dark out there, and we have zombi ,saber tooth squrrels out there...

 

[Vintre]

Here is a good thread with video.

Straight pipe v muffler

I switched this year to Centerline's stinger and am happy with the sound.

Centerline Stinger

Good Luck,

Vin

 

[themick]

On my '91 spider, when the rear muffler went out I replaced it with the stinger from Center Line, I also removed the cat. converter, since it was falling about, so now I am running with the front muffler and a straight pipe from there to the rear, sounds really nice, not so loud that it is annoying....

 

[aralfa8589]

That's how it's supposed to be, I think.

 

[seventy1]

Just tried to install my Centerline stinger this morning and I couldn't get it to fit - anyone else have this problem? The loop over the axle is about 1" higher than the stock pipe and it hits the underbody.

 

[RenaissanceMan]

This is great info. Thanks for the replies so far, everyone.

Fellow S4 owners, was it also your experience that the stock setup (if you ever had it) was completely underwhelming in terms of exhaust noise? I mean, my car has a really quiet exhaust note, even at WOT... Looks to me as if there is a center section muffler as well as the rear muffler. I'm assuming this combo is what is super-baffling the noise, correct?

 

[dabigboy]

I'll chime in....my S3 has the dual-tipped ANSA muffler, IAP headers (love 'em) and what appears to be a replacement cat. I'm not sure about what sort of cat is on it, since the exhaust job was done before I got the car. At any rate, I get a great sound with the ANSA and IAP combo. Reminds me a little of the old Ferrari Testarossa sound from Need for Speed (old PC game.....I realize the two cars use vastly different engines, but if anyone happens to have ever played that game, well, there ya go). The idle rumble is nice, and the car produces a sweet voluminous little mini-roar when it winds out, if that makes sense. Sounds pretty sweet also when you come off the gas at high RPMs.

I'm also told that the S3s had particularly poor-breathing stock manifolds, and that aftermarket headers help. No way for me to test this of course, but it's a good reason to go with headers (not sure how badly the S4s are affected by their stock manifolds).

Matt

 

[conedriver]

Adam,

My opinion of the stock system was the same as yours, so I installed a Centerline Stinger pipe to replace the rear muffler. This had a nice sound at part throttle but I decided it was just a little too "Ricer Boy" sounding at higher RPM so I had a small Flowmaster resonator welded onto the stinger. The result is still louder than stock, but less noisy than with the stinger.

This is great info. Thanks for the replies so far, everyone.

Fellow S4 owners, was it also your experience that the stock setup (if you ever had it) was completely underwhelming in terms of exhaust noise? I mean, my car has a really quiet exhaust note, even at WOT... Looks to me as if there is a center section muffler as well as the rear muffler. I'm assuming this combo is what is super-baffling the noise, correct?

 

[gigem75]

do you have to pass smog?