Best finish for stock exhaust manifolds??

What's the best way to finish stock exhaust manifolds? Almost ready to install a '49 331 CAD motor into a '32 Ford and need to do something with the exhaust manifolds to pretty them up.

 

I like to have mine Jet Hot coated.
I the ones on the roadster and now the 3W done. The ones on the roadster 10 years old and still look almost like new.

 

high heat ceramic paint is cheap enough, those ram horns on Deuce Roadsters car looks sweet

 

Define "best"

low cost? most shiny? longest lasting? something that matches the look of the rest of the car?

 

I chromed mine....

 

Me too!!!

 

I used Eastwoods stainless steel coating right over the rust!

 

I use POR 15 grey manifold paint. Excellent results!

 

It's all personal taste but I actually prefer the SS brush on coating from Eastwood. Cheap and easy and it has held up well for several years if prepped correctly. The expensive coating looks too phony for my eyes. I'm just weird.

 

me too........whid

 

For cheap, flat black Bar-B-Q paint. Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

I am another one to vote for the POR-15. I have done several different manifolds, and they look great, without dis-coloring over time.

 

I've used both Eastwood and POR-15 and both work well!

 

[

QUOTE=kwoodyh;7056038]I've used both Eastwood and POR-15 and both work well![/QUOTE]

Me too !

 

I had great results with "Hot Stuff" exhaust dressing from Speedway. I used a small wire brush then a scotchbrite pad to smooth them out. It still looks good after a couple of years.

 

The Iron Lord guys have some inside track on resonable (CHEAP!) plating....you guys suck....they look so classy........ it's just not fair

Yes, I know it will discolor a bit, but I still think it's the coolest old time "Autorama" finish.

 

Dude, don't envy us, we have to put up with a tweekish plater that ducks your phone calls then tells you "tomorrow" then ducks your phone calls some more, haha! And then sometimes he might do something like chrome an exhaust outlet gasket still stuck to the manifold. There's always some crazy story to go with it too. Awww man, my cat had puppies and it ruined the tanks... JJ knows, hahaha!

Chrome is worse than drugs. But I prefer a blued chrome exhaust manifold over paint any old day of the week.

 

Hey if you want the shiny plated look without the bluing, I recommend a nickel finish. Nickel doesn't discolor. Although it will tarnish over time and needs maintenance similar to bare aluminum. I've done a few sets of custom made Lakes style headers in nickel and they looked great.

This finish will work on cast manifolds just as well, although polishing time may be more depending how well you want the rough casting polished out.

 

I wish I knew what the PO used on the exhaust manifold of my Falcon. It's painted white and looks great. Maybe the old-style VHT paint I've heard so much about.

-Dave

 

potbelly stove paint