Power loss from 180-degree mufflers?

I'm considering going to side exhaust on my 5.0 to free up room for supsension and to stop melting my back bumper cover.

The way it's designed, I really need to use a 180 degree muffler (the type with the inlet and exit on the same side). I figure by going up to 3" pipe, I shouldn't loose any power with the extra 180 + 135 degree bends that'll be added over the rear-exit.

No, dumps are not an option. When I picked this car up it had dumped Flowmaster 40s and those things melted my brain at cruising rpm.

If I go this way, I'll probably use magnaflows, for whatever that's worth.

Goals for this car are 90% handling. If I do build the motor, I don't see ever pushing for more than 300whp. This is a Cali car, and I intend to stay 100% smog legal (that means keeping the stock h-pipe and cats).

Any thoughts/suggestions? Am I screwing myself out of a considerable amount of power? WIll the noise make me insane if I have to drive it up to the track (~2.5 hours @ 70mph+)?

Thanks!

I think Spin Tech has a muffler like what you are looking for

I figure the mufflers should be halfway common, being that's how C5/C6 Corvettes are set up:

You'll have at least 90 degrees less turns in your exhaust than the 'vette, right?

oldopelguy wrote: You'll have at least 90 degrees less turns in your exhaust than the 'vette, right?

Heh, yeah

Thanks, now I just need to talk to my muffler guy.