Not at all. Your only significant differance will be with a CUTOUT there is a reason why so many people run them. Once you start to make over 400 wheel 1 7/8 longtubes are a must. When I upgrade from 1 3/4 to 2 inch I'll post the graph of me picking up 20 - 30 wheel.
Like Squale said Flowmasters barley make more power than a stock muffler.
Here is what my car did when it was a h/c car with the cut out open and closed.
http://s165.photobucket.com/albums/u57/playwithlinn/?action=view¤t=LinnCutoutvsStockMuffler.jpg&newest=1
good luck fitting much else under the car. When people do the x pipe it dumps before the rear axle.
This is the last time I'm going to say this to you. The cheapest way to make the most power is Longtubes, ORY and a cut out.
Are you sure the BBK headers you got are 1 7/8s? The only ones they sell on their website are 1 3/4.
You want the Y to be atleast 3 inches and if you are looking for the best performance you should have listened to my first post in this thread.
Power under the curve 1 7/8 headers make more power not to mention that is a stock cammed car. Any one that wants to make big power will always make more with 1 7/8
Any lsx car this is going to go H/C will make more power with a 1 7/8 header over a 1 3/4.
For any artical you find I'm sure I can't find twice as many people who either ET better with the larger exhaust or made more power on the dyno.
I would just do it right once. Buy good long tubes that are atleast 1 7/8s an ORY and then if you can do the work yourself make a cat back. Alot of people start to complain about the SLP loud mouth once they do headers.
I like having the option to make my car quite when needed and love having an E cutout.
With a cut out open, nothing is going thru the stock exhaust but, if you want the car quite you can close it.
When you say tru duals are you talking about running an x pipe? Can you do all the work yourself?
Slag = extra metal left over from welding.
If you want to make the most power buy 1 7/8 headers ORY and a cutout. Leave the stock cat back on your car.
For example: here is how my car sounded with Flowtech 1 3/4 headers ORY cut out open, stock axle back and a cam.