# Are you guilty of the "persistent use of cut-out" while driving? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [August 24, 2024, 8:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/are-you-guilty-of-the-persistent-use-of-cut-out-while-driving/195934 "2024-08-24T20:28:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LoudThunder](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/loudthunder/32/27769_2.png) [@LoudThunder](https://community.cartalk.com/u/LoudThunder)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 8:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/are-you-guilty-of-the-persistent-use-of-cut-out-while-driving/195934/1 "2024-08-24T20:28:45Z")
My old hometown Newspaper, the Albany, NY, “Times Union,” publishes articles in the Regional Section that appeared in the newspaper 100-years ago… This article appeared in the paper 100-years ago… I hope you are not guilty of “persistent use of cut-out”… (Whatever that is…) L 🤣 L . . . ![100 years](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/4/a/4aa813d87cb127367d35d4df52b9a05a31df4bec.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 8:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/are-you-guilty-of-the-persistent-use-of-cut-out-while-driving/195934/2 "2024-08-24T20:44:12Z")
My dad was ‘guilty’ of that. We had a 1911 Regal, and it had an exhaust cutout ahead of the muffler. I guess it was to get max power for climbing hills, that kind of thing. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 8:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/are-you-guilty-of-the-persistent-use-of-cut-out-while-driving/195934/3 "2024-08-24T20:47:04Z")
A cut out was a physical valve in the exhaust pipe to “cut out” the rest of the exhaust system and allow an open pipe. A friend of mine had one from J C Whitney on his 56 Ford. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 8:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/are-you-guilty-of-the-persistent-use-of-cut-out-while-driving/195934/4 "2024-08-24T20:54:38Z")
According to merrian webster, I’m going with #3 [Cutout Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cutout), intransitive verb 1 to depart in haste 2 to cease operating **3 to swerve out of a traffic line** ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 9:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/are-you-guilty-of-the-persistent-use-of-cut-out-while-driving/195934/5 "2024-08-24T21:00:14Z")
Many cars built before 1924 had exhaust cut-outs. More power, better fuel consumption, maybe early ruffians… When you only have 30 hp, most anything helps but it was not supposed to be used whence the horses, small children or people of mild disposition be disturbed! ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 9:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/are-you-guilty-of-the-persistent-use-of-cut-out-while-driving/195934/6 "2024-08-24T21:05:33Z")
From their loudness, I’d guess some of the motorcycles in this area still use exhaust cutouts. Haven’t noticed this on cars & trucks though. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 9:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/are-you-guilty-of-the-persistent-use-of-cut-out-while-driving/195934/7 "2024-08-24T21:06:23Z")
Nah, they have the ‘muffler delete’ option! ---
**Author:** ![LoudThunder](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/loudthunder/32/27769_2.png) [@LoudThunder](https://community.cartalk.com/u/LoudThunder)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 9:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/are-you-guilty-of-the-persistent-use-of-cut-out-while-driving/195934/8 "2024-08-24T21:12:05Z")
> [@texases](#): > > My dad was ‘guilty’ of that. > [@oldtimer-11](#): > > A cut out was a physical valve in the exhaust pipe to “cut out” the rest of the exhaust system I can see that, but I do not remember ever calling them that. When I started driving in the mid '60s, I seem to remember the use of “Lake Pipes” that were welded onto the exhaust pipes and usually extended out from behind the front tire and they had a cap that was bolted on and could be opened. And I remember even a few that were “hidden” and I think they had a wire cable, like the old lawn mower throttles, that could open and close the value from inside the car… When I wanted a “heathier” sound, I replaced the muffler with a Resonator (sort of a half muffler), the straight through “Cheery Bomb” style mufflers never fooled the police and you were guaranteed to get a ticket for “inadequate exhaust…” ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 9:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/are-you-guilty-of-the-persistent-use-of-cut-out-while-driving/195934/9 "2024-08-24T21:16:47Z")
Different from Lake Pipes, which were removable caps. Cutouts are valves, controlled be the driver. There were two levers on the floor of the Regal, now they’re electrically controlled. > **[Summit Racing SUM-670113 Summit Racing™ Complete Electric Exhaust Cutout Kits...](https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-670113?srsltid=AfmBOopdnJriuS0i0nuRCiLL-mTKVRh-wTopUIrOiOfwzetb1gpJW_2nlxk)** > > Free Shipping - Summit Racing™ Complete Electric Exhaust Cutout Kits with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Exhaust Cutouts at Summit Racing. ---
**Author:** ![LoudThunder](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/loudthunder/32/27769_2.png) [@LoudThunder](https://community.cartalk.com/u/LoudThunder)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 9:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/are-you-guilty-of-the-persistent-use-of-cut-out-while-driving/195934/10 "2024-08-24T21:22:41Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > Many cars built before 1924 had exhaust cut-outs. Granted, I am not a police officer of 100-years ago, but I would think that any vehicle that had this factory installed should not have a problem. Remember, back then Thompson Submachine guns were still marketed for home protection… ![sub](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/f/2/f2ec11d06a308df0338d83ad41c2a385a0473782.jpeg) ![sub 2](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/3/7/37c075aa5764535ac0062fadc238c59c956fdcce.jpeg) **But bust those “scofflaws” for their confounded Cut-Outs…** ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2024, 9:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/are-you-guilty-of-the-persistent-use-of-cut-out-while-driving/195934/11 "2024-08-24T21:37:16Z")
Local law enforcement back then looked out for the horses.