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I'm getting ready to work on the exhaust system from the exit of the manifold back. In the boxes of parts that I got with the car there is a round muffler (5" by 35" with 2 1/4" inlet and outlets). The muffler brackets on the car are 4" in diameter. What diameter muffler did the 901's have and did they have a resonator?

Resonators (not by that name) were used on later Super Eight and Twelve models (and perhaps on the 9th Series Twelve) but were intergral with the muffler, no separate resonator on your 901 though there may be a resonance chamber built into the muffler as it is on my '34 Eight unit. Muffler diameter is 4". You could probably have one made to OEM pecs in stainless by Borla East who made the one for my '34 Eight. Waldron might be another possibility.

I had one made by Borla for my 1003, it was very very expensive. Give silvertone exhaust a try, you can find them on the web. They just made one for a friends 42 180 that was great for $145. just give inlet, outlet and diameter and they will custom make it. Don Simmions 519-485-1966.

Not certain about '32 and '33 Eights but the muffler used on the '34 Eight, while certainly not complicated as compared to the Super Eight and Twelve units, is not all that basic and simple either - nothing someone is going to make for $145. First photo shows an original which was dissected for the purposes of making a replacement, shown in the 2nd photo.

Just for comparison, the unit used on the '34 Super Eight and Twelve is shown, from the 1934 Service Letters.

These are not inexpensive units to manufacture; decades ago when I needed my first replacement muffler I bought a Kepich unit which was a pure POS but they refused to take it back so I lived with it until Turnquist (Hibernia Restorations) promised better - but his was still horrible. It was only after I "bit the bullet" and bought the correctly made unit from Borla that I got excellent results.

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Ahh I see - Actually what I see is nothing is easy when is comes to restoring a 1932 Packard. One question always leads to another one or more. So I can see that I'm going with a diameter of 4", but not having the original muffler does some one out there able to provide me with the length.

I've been in contact with Waldron. My 901 was upgraded to a downdraft carburetor in it's distance past. They have a sample for a "1932 with a 1933 exhaust system". Their sample does not match the angle of the flange of my 901, which slopes about 15 degrees when compared to the floor. I've given them information about the angle of the flange and waiting for them to get back to me.

Thanks to all for the info that you have provide.

I know the point you are making Dave, however for a lot of people in the hobby to pay over $1,000 for a muffler made by Borla to fit a 33 Super Eight is just out of reach for some people. I can afford to spend what it takes to keep four of my six Packards on the road as I work on number five. For people in the hobby on a smaller budget a $145 muffler will last for quite some time on a car that is driven just hundreds of miles a year. The extra 800 plus dollars can be used for other projects on the Packard. Also thanks for the help with the spelling in the past, even though I have dr. after my name I have always been a poor speller.

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Dell, that's one really sweet-looking Packard!!

Dell, the car is an absolute Beaut! While a grand wouldn't be a major issue it might be hard for my Scottish roots to justify for a part that is out of sight when it would still look correct from the outside & be functional.

A truly correct muffler dimensionally or in appearance wasn't as important to me as the quality and quantity of sound. With the Kepich and Hibernia mufflers, when decelerating from 40 or 50 mph with your foot off the accelerator, it sounded like a Stuka in dive-bombing formation - it made normal conversation very difficult. Now it's nearly silent and I really regretted why I had waited so long to get a correct muffler, the cost for the Borla muffler in stainless steel was $375.45 in 2010.

Dell - tell me more about the color(s). Packard did love their grays in that era (and so do I!), I believe 7 were offered; Mt. Vernon Gray, Storm Cloud Gray, Chatillion Gray, Musketter Gray, Roanoke Gray, Sea Shell Gray (just for striping), and Silver Fox Gray.

FYI I just finished talking to Borla. They have moved their offices and no longer offer custom manufacturing. In addition, they do not carry any round mufflers that are 4" in diameter. Borla suggested Stainless Work in Ohio, but they don't have what's needed. SW has a 4" dia., 2.25" inlet/outlet that is ~30" long, but it would probably be a little loud. I have calls into Waldron & Silvertone.