Trying to mount mid mufflers on S197 is something I don't get? No offense to the OP, but like others have said, there are plenty of great sounding mufflers/exhaust set ups for S197's that sound great!
On a side note, take it from someone who has both Gen's (S197 & Fox), I went to dumps on my fox & HATED it! The drone, vibration was horrible. Sure it sounded like a monster, but not worth it to me when I had to sit & drive it around. Just my .02, good luck!

 

Vader GT I understand were the OP is coming from. Though I am a little different in that I have spent thousands of dollars on your typical axle back mufflers and many different mid pipe configurations. It sounds like the OP has only really tried one set of mufflers. These motors will never sound like an older 5.0 or a 2v/4v. I know this has been said so so many times on these forums, but you will ALWAYS have an amount of trumpeting or some drone with the axle back setup. No matter which axle back you choose. People do put mid mufflers like pypes or weld in some resonator type muffler in the mid and it still to me at least does not sound all that good. Again that is my personal opinion as all this im typing is. I know what the OP is looking for but they will not find the same sound as you get with the other motors with mid mounted muffs. You will however get a new sound that not many people on the forums have and that maybe enough as some people strive hard to be different than the masses!

 

I have looked into other setups, the only other one I thought sounded good was the stingers, I have been looking for a used set on ebay for a decent price but have yet to find any, I guess stuff sounds different in person than on youtube too so its hard to tell what I will like and what I won't. Theres pretty much no one around here with modded s197's for me to hear. Also I wasnt looking at dumps under the car with mid mufflers, I was still planning on having pipes come from the mufflers and back over the axles like they are now. The main thing I dont like about the flowmasters I have now is the trumpeting sound it makes, not necessarily just the fact that it trumpets or drones, if it sounded like I wanted but still trumpeted and droned I wouldn't care, my old car sorta trumpeted but it wasn't like my s197 that just has this crazy un-controlled trumpet from the flowmasters. I guess ill just have to keep trying stuff and see what sounds good to me :/ anyone live around newark ohio thats got a good sounding exhaust I can hear?

 

Mid mounting some pypes m80's will cure that trumpeting. They are also cheap.

 

Like I said before, I have the stingers and love them. There is a little drone around 2k but its not bad. I generally listen to music so I don't notice it.

 

Mid mounting those with the flowmasters I have? or just having those only?

 

I think your off-road H pipe is the real culprit. I tried several exhaust setups and ended up back with the stock catted H pipe to get rid of the trumpeting. The off-road H is leaning against the wall in the shop with stripped out oxygen sensor bungs. My favorite so far was just with the Mac axle-backs on the stock system, but after trying several things I ended up with the Macs and M-80s in the mid-pipe location. Still sounds good but a touch quieter than the Macs by themselves.

 

you can also midmount borlas

if you midmount M80's or Borlas, i wouldn't run any other muffler in the back bc it'll be too quiet.

here's my setup:
BBK LT's, BBK o/r x pipe, M80's midmounted, MBRP deletes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfxQMhtcfYg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrfrnwggL1s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYhMy839dxQ

 

LTs + high-flo cats = all problems solved

 

I guess one way to look at it is that this engine has it's own unique sound. Down the road, people will probably be trying to figure out how to make some newer generation of Mustang sound like these ;-) I do love the sound of my buddy's 1994 5.0 Cobra, but I love the sound of my 4.6 3V too, even though they are two completely different animals...