I have built a set of headers for my model b motor and can't decide if I should ceramic coat them or just paint them... Has any one had any luck with header paint or should I just cough up the dough and get them coated?..
Just my .02 and since you asked. Header paint looks totally at home on any sixties-seventies car. Not on a banger.
Depends on what you can afford . Ceramic coating can be quite of an expense . While a can of header paint will only cost a few bucks. In the long run I would ceramic coat the header .rattle canning it will look ugly once exhaust heat cooks it.
Anybody do powder coating in your area? Not as effective as ceramic, not usually as expensive either, but both of those options are better than header paint
I have been using rust as a coating, for about the last 35-years. It seems to work well, is easy to maintain, and it is not only traditional, but period-correct.
Make sure you use the high silicone/high heat powder. Regular powder coat wount take the temp for long.
If exposed (hiboy) get them coated. If not (fendered) hi-temp paint will do but sand blast the headers before application of paint. The ones on my daily driver truck ('96) have lasted this long.
I have a coatings business and do a lot of headers. Post a pic and let me see how they are built please. I dont advertise header coating a lot because my main business is firearms and archery equipment. I may even do them for you just to let people here see my work, so let me know if you may be interested-----Lee
My headers are powder coated with the high heat coating. No problems so far. It don't come off if you brush against them. I had a set done with regular powder, it stayed ok, but if you touched the hot it would come off. Price was 35 bucks, since they were ready to coat. Lee
eastwood has a high temp header coating, haven't used it but they stand by it...may not be as expensive as cermaic
There's about 10 threads on this. I used VHT Hi-temp header paint and mine are STILL looking good. You have to follow the instructions to the letter. It's all in the prep. A spray can runs about $9.
Even high temp powder is a waste of time for headers. Its not designed for those types of temps. Use either Ceramic or some VHT / BBQ paint.....
ATF, of course! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=787145 read Prewarpete's post on it in the thread above.
CCP, will that work on carb bodies? I have some weber IDA's that grey to the left of the gold sample would look killer, and no fuel stains.
I would use the VHT paint and follow the instructions to the "T". Then if it doesn't work out get them powder coated using the proper coating. It is only a $9 investment and if it doesn't work it doesn't hurt your wallet much! Jay
There is a POR-15 product to paint cast iron manifolds to look as cast. Freind of mine used it on a set of chevy ramhorns three yrs. ago and they still look good. You have to sand blast them first though.