I have a 1996 Chevy Cavalier, four door, with a 2.2l in it. I have upgraded to a Spectre conical air filter and have increased performance somewhat, but I got a Smithy's glasspack for free. It will all fit and everything, but will installing it help much? I've read that it will lower low end power, but increase top end power, so I'm not too sure. Can anyone shed some light on this?

You won't gain noticeable power anywhere with just a muffler, or an air filter for that matter either. It is all in your head, the louder your car is the faster you will think it is - but take it to a strip or a dyno and you will quickly find out that those will not do anything but change the sound.

My original filter was also dirty, but it actually has had some effect, the motor no longer bogs down when I gas it.

The muffler won't help. And probably won't sound good. It kinda a hillbilly exhaust (no offense to anyone). To start noticing small gains you would have to do full exhaust because most of your restriction is coming from further upstream rather than from your muffler. Hope this helps

I used to run just a glass pack and it didn't sound half bad actually. People used to tell me it soundd like a 4cyl but you could tell it wasn't a ricer.

don't run just a glasspack as a muffler. you'll hate it after a month.

yes, i speak from experience.

I'm mainly looking for less restriction. And it'd be cool if I got a low throaty sound. Nothing high and whiny.

do not run just them, the owner before me put those as mufflers on my 96 gt, looks terrible and they are already rusted out


...you want a pic, then help me build something worth taking a pic of....

Ok, maybe i'll trade it for a "turbo" muffler.