How much exhaust noise should my 280se make

[cadurning]

Among other things on the barn find the rear muffler has a small place where the muffler is rusted through and the front muffler looks to be on it's way out. The pipes have a nice "ding" sound so they appear to be structurally sound. I'll have a muffler shop replace the mufflers.

The question is, how much noise should my w108 280SE with a M130 engine make?

Right now it makes a gnarly rasp that I would be proud to hear coming from a SL. I'm thinking that the 280SE should have have a quiet sound that is more dignified. The muffler shop says that he can supply mufflers to give me any sound that I want.

Any opinions?

[bwostosh]

A low rumble at idle going silent at freeway speeds.
You know the engine is running but not a straight-thru sound. Blat-Blat is for Harleys and Jags
I put a complete ANZA aftermarket on and like it. Head pipes to tail pipes, Do correct bolts, nuts and seal rings at the manifold and be ready to tighten while hot. 12mm and 13mm wrenches.
You cannot go wrong with factory muffler and resonator.
Only the sound of air at speed.

Must have the correct chrome tips too.

[wbain5280]

It should make a slight crackling noise too.

[t walgamuth]

Very little noise from the exhaust except at very high rpm from a stock system. The motor and intake will make some noise though. They sound pretty good with one muffler but on those its a two pipe sysetm from the factory, right? ...so that's a little tougher to blend factory with aftermarket local muffler type stuff.

[mbgingerbread]

The exhaust on my 71 280se is new from the manifold back-found it thru Peach. The reason for removing the system started from the need to replace the intake/exhaust manifold gasket. You can cut the system up fairly easily and when installing be sure to get new copper/nuts and washers for the exhaust manifold studs if you get to that level. It's really not that hard because everything is so well engineered in that part of the engine. Just write down each step and keep your parts separated.
Another trick is to fit the individual exhaust pipes from the manifold to the exhaust hangar by the auto transmission-I left the hangar loose until the whole exhaust system was fitted and in place.
You would do well to fit your pipes together on flat ground before you crawl under the car the way I did.
Best-of-luck
Turner