Put The Performance In Your Exhaust!
By Matt Keegan


The 1973 movie classic, American Graffiti, underscored what people thought about their cars: we simply love them! Featuring a heralded battle between a souped up '32 Ford Coupe and a sporty '55 Chevy, the movie projected quintessential American values of fast cars, good looking girls 'n guys, fast food, and lost love. The cars themselves screamed "pure hotrod" and it was in this tradition American car mania reached its zenith.

Since the muscle car era of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s changes have come about in the automobile industry where most cars can only dream about muscle car status. Environmental and safety regulations coupled with changing tastes have transformed the car market into one dominated by SUVs and boxy compacts. Fortunately, saner heads are prevailing and the newest mix of sporty cars on the road evoke many memories of the muscle car era.

So, how can you help your car achieve hot rod status? Well, unless it is already a sporty model, you have your work cut out for you. Nevertheless, current models including the latest rendition of the Pontiac GTO, the Corvette, Ford's Mustang, the Dodge Viper, plus select offerings from Cadillac, as well as trucks and SUVs like the Hummer and F-250 are being outfitted with the likes of Borla mufflers and Flowmaster Exhaust systems.