Remove mid muffler or not?

[Mustang5L5]

I ran that exact setup on my old 2003 GT and loved it. Stock mid-pipe with Flowmaster American Thunder. Plenty of growl but not excessively loud. Does have a bit of drone at 2k rpm but I liked it.

When I finally get tired of the bone stock exhaust on my ‘00 convertible I’ll probably go that route again.

 

[Daryl]

FWIW, but you’ve probably realized already, a cat-back system is installed MUCH MUCH easier with the rear wheels off and ample clearance below.

Mufflers only… not nearly as tough. But should you ever go the cat-back route, you’ll see what I’m talking about very quickly!

 

[Mustang5L5]

If you do a cat-back, chock the front wheels and set a set of jackstands under the rear subframe ahead of the axle. Disconnect the quads (if still there), the main shocks and put a jack under the rear axle and let it drop as low as you can get it before it starts stretching bushings/brake lines/etc. Put 2 more jackstands under the axle there. Then you should have enough room to get the tailpipes up and over the axle.

If your stock cat-back is in great shape, draw some lateral lines through your cut zone (so it can be lined up and rewelded) and cut it off about 5-6" or so from the muffler on a straight section of pipe. If the exhaust is all rusted out/rotted don't bother. Some folks are on the hunt for stock exhaust systems for these cars given they are entering restoration age

 

[Daryl]

If you do a cat-back, chock the front wheels and set a set of jackstands under the rear subframe ahead of the axle. Disconnect the quads (if still there), the main shocks and put a jack under the rear axle and let it drop as low as you can get it before it starts stretching bushings/brake lines/etc. Put 2 more jackstands under the axle there. Then you should have enough room to get the tailpipes up and over the axle.

If your stock cat-back is in great shape, draw some lateral lines through your cut zone (so it can be lined up and rewelded) and cut it off about 5-6" or so from the muffler on a straight section of pipe. If the exhaust is all rusted out/rotted don't bother. Some folks are on the hunt for stock exhaust systems for these cars given they are entering restoration age

Perfect advice. And removing the wheels goes without saying. Gives you that much more wiggle room to finess the cat-back out especially if you’re removing each side in one piece.