Describe the sound of an idling HEMI in words....
I always think of a Harley when I think of potato-potato....
I always think of a Harley when I think of potato-potato....
potato-potato or bump-a-lump or??
- Thread starter dodgechargerfan
- Start date
68R/T
I got drunk and swallowed my teeth, now
Trying to describe a modded Hemi or anything else would be too difficult, there are too many variables. So, i can only get to the stock sounds. All bb Mopars have pretty much the same sound resonation because of their valve size and manifold configuration. As soon as you introduce headers the sound changes drastically.Back to your original question, the potato-potato sound is distintive to the Harleys because of their uneven firing order. About the same as pulling 2 plug wires from a 4 cyl motor. :doh:So, the big Mopes, the same as most other large valve & large displacement engines have the chug-a-lug sound. Most small block ford engines, (as 69.5 started referring to) cannot be included in this statement because of their odd firing order, which usually results in a more of a gurgling sound. The old Y-blocks, flatty as well as the big block fords, (except the later small blocks) have 2 cylinders on the same bank fire simultaniously, causing a "rapping" in their exhaust tone. This "rapping" becomes very noticable when glasspacks are installed. On a side note, my brothers 49 ford truck with a modded flatty, running headers and glass-packs thru 2.25 pipes doesn't sound anything like a flatty. It's not loud, because the valves are about the size of a dime. :bwuhaha: But it does have a very "smoothened" tone. Most people, when they hear it swear that it's a sbc. (like every other rod) 
I hope that I've thoroughly confused everyone with this, but I know what I meant.
I hope that I've thoroughly confused everyone with this, but I know what I meant.
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Diplomat_Wagon
Hiding In The Bushes While
Very strange sound indeed from the old Ford. :hmmm:
It's a boat though.
[video=youtube_share;bBpFd0jHJQ8]http://youtu.be/bBpFd0jHJQ8[/video]
Here's one better.
[video=youtube_share;9Ti4US9aSqU]http://youtu.be/9Ti4US9aSqU[/video]
It's a boat though.
[video=youtube_share;bBpFd0jHJQ8]http://youtu.be/bBpFd0jHJQ8[/video]
Here's one better.
[video=youtube_share;9Ti4US9aSqU]http://youtu.be/9Ti4US9aSqU[/video]
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Dr.Jass
Pastor of Muppets
I agree with 68R/T, but the Hemi definitely has its own burble to it.
That being said, you have not died and gone to exhaust-note heaven until you've heard an old (pre-351W firing order) small-block Ford with with factory over-the-top 180° headers piped into factory GT40 mufflers screaming 7 grand under load. There was a guy, many years ago, in 69.5's neck of the woods, that had an original RHD MkI GT40 that he would actually drive now and then. I was at a show for Year One back in '98, and the car was there. I fawned over it, and on the way home, he saw us in our rented Ford SUV. He waved, dropped it into a low gear and jumped on it. That little 260 (the original engine) made noise I cannot describe, other than to say it nearly made me weep. That screwball firing order matched with those headers is something to hear. It's one thing to hear one revved up at a show in neutral, but much like a T/F dragster, you can't really appreciate it until it's pulling weight. Amazing.
That being said, you have not died and gone to exhaust-note heaven until you've heard an old (pre-351W firing order) small-block Ford with with factory over-the-top 180° headers piped into factory GT40 mufflers screaming 7 grand under load. There was a guy, many years ago, in 69.5's neck of the woods, that had an original RHD MkI GT40 that he would actually drive now and then. I was at a show for Year One back in '98, and the car was there. I fawned over it, and on the way home, he saw us in our rented Ford SUV. He waved, dropped it into a low gear and jumped on it. That little 260 (the original engine) made noise I cannot describe, other than to say it nearly made me weep. That screwball firing order matched with those headers is something to hear. It's one thing to hear one revved up at a show in neutral, but much like a T/F dragster, you can't really appreciate it until it's pulling weight. Amazing.
68R/T
I got drunk and swallowed my teeth, now
I know exactly what your talkin' 'bout Doc. The 260/289/302/351 sb fords with those headers give a sound that reminds me of indy car but with a deeper tone. Through the years of hitting the shows I've seen a couple of Panteras with the "overhead" headers, it is a sound that makes the hair on your neck stand up. [smilie=2:
69.5CUDA
Blah Blah Blah
yeah thats another one that just doesnt compare to anything in the world...i have to agree with the "early" indy car analogy
ive heard some v10's and 12s of vintage stuff ie 60s early 70s all full on RACE...and it will make your legs weak as every hair on your body stands up
ive heard some v10's and 12s of vintage stuff ie 60s early 70s all full on RACE...and it will make your legs weak as every hair on your body stands up
So, the whole words describing the sound thing was me trying to figure out what labels to use for another guitar pedal build. 
Here's what I have. Everything that is white will actually be clear and the colour of the enclosure will show through. The enclosure is a HEMI-ish Orange. So, the white spaces in the exhaust - which was orange in the original picture - will show through the base colour.
The Bump and the A-Lump replace Ping and Pong and are the settings for an echo type of effect where they play off of each other. So, I was trying to figure out a pair of opposites to use, but then the idea of describing (part of) the sound of an exhaust note came to me. hence this thread....
Here's what I have. Everything that is white will actually be clear and the colour of the enclosure will show through. The enclosure is a HEMI-ish Orange. So, the white spaces in the exhaust - which was orange in the original picture - will show through the base colour.
The Bump and the A-Lump replace Ping and Pong and are the settings for an echo type of effect where they play off of each other. So, I was trying to figure out a pair of opposites to use, but then the idea of describing (part of) the sound of an exhaust note came to me. hence this thread....
Nope. That's not the idea.
Just the idea of the words to describe a call and repeat sequence or opposing words.
I wanted to tie to a sound, but it doesn't have to.
Ping Pong
Intake Exhaust
Just the idea of the words to describe a call and repeat sequence or opposing words.
I wanted to tie to a sound, but it doesn't have to.
Ping Pong
Intake Exhaust
J.C. Corbett
or something.....
The Hemi sound, in my opinion, should have a couple of personalities. From riding in and driving a pal's very nice 70 Hemi Challenger over the last couple of years, I have some fresh memories of the sound. On the bottom end, the Hemi has a real bellow, similar to a 440, but deeper. Up top, the Hemi simply shreiks without sounding out on the ragged edge like a wedge at rpm. On a side note, Fords in general have the most unique sound. Y block, what can you say? Stacked ports, funky sound. I love 'em. FE? Go watch Bullitt. It's the engine's definitive rapping sound.