header paint question
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,449
Likes: 0
header paint question
ive bought some hooker headers and side pipes, and was wondeering, instaed of dropping the $160 to hav then ceramic coated if there was a nother way to hav them painted (or some form of) black, i hav been told by 2 diff paint/powder/ceramic coating specialists and they said that powder coating WONT hold up
also i was wondering wut would give me the loudest legal sound for the muffler, i was going to get glasspacks, but ive heard about some called "cherry bombs" or something like that, basically i want to know wut would give me the loudest sound without cutout vlaves
Miles
also i was wondering wut would give me the loudest legal sound for the muffler, i was going to get glasspacks, but ive heard about some called "cherry bombs" or something like that, basically i want to know wut would give me the loudest sound without cutout vlaves
Miles
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,909
Likes: 26
From: Clymer PA
My Hooker side pipes are black. Basically I just took some course steel wool pads and removed the majority of the old paint, then went back over it with some fine steel wool pads to clean it up. I then washed the headers and pipes off really good. I used some 1200 degree ceramic engine paint (can be purchased at almost any parts store) and painted both sections. I did tape off part of the collector that slides into the side tube. They have been holding up great, I usually pull them every year or two and re-finish them because burnouts in the water box take there toll.
As for mufflers, I don't run any with the big block. I may put my JCL baffles in this year if the police give me problems though.
As for mufflers, I don't run any with the big block. I may put my JCL baffles in this year if the police give me problems though.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,577
Likes: 2
From: Long Island New York
I painted mine with Duplicolor 600 Degree black header paint and after 30 minutes of run time most of it had burned right off. Maybe I'll try out the 1200 degree stuff if I can find it, although almost everyone you talk to say that paint just doesn't hold up from the heat and you need to ceramic coat them.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,438
Likes: 2
From: Melrose Florida
I also use the silver very high temperature paint from a spray can, on my BB Vette and small block street rod (Custom headers with cutouts, circa 1960). It holds up fine, and is so cheap that you could redo about 30x for what jet-hot costs.
As far as I know, cherry bombs are just glasspacks, might have been a brand name way back when. I have these with headers on my '70 Olds 442 with a 455, and it has the best sound of any of my cars.
Steve
As far as I know, cherry bombs are just glasspacks, might have been a brand name way back when. I have these with headers on my '70 Olds 442 with a 455, and it has the best sound of any of my cars.
Steve
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,449
Likes: 0
new question
Originally Posted by halfmoontrail
I also use the silver very high temperature paint from a spray can, on my BB Vette and small block street rod (Custom headers with cutouts, circa 1960). It holds up fine, and is so cheap that you could redo about 30x for what jet-hot costs.
As far as I know, cherry bombs are just glasspacks, might have been a brand name way back when. I have these with headers on my '70 Olds 442 with a 455, and it has the best sound of any of my cars.
Steve
As far as I know, cherry bombs are just glasspacks, might have been a brand name way back when. I have these with headers on my '70 Olds 442 with a 455, and it has the best sound of any of my cars.
Steve
Thank you all VERY much!!! wut brand of paint are you using? how hot it is rated for?
Also, i know this is severly off topic of this thread but am i opening a can of worms by wanting to get a preformance cam? ive already got a bad valve spring somewhere on the right side, and was planning on getting a valve job done to fix the problem, but i thougth yle theyre in ther y not replace the valves cam and valve springs, or am i going to need to replace the rocker arms, push rods, and the list goes on and on to where im completely redoing my engine including my AC unit(a bit of an exageration but you understand)
Thank you all
Miles
Last edited by randommj; Dec 5, 2006 at 10:13 PM.
NCM Grand Opening Veteran
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 20,979
Likes: 384
From: South of giving a damn
St. Jude Donor '11, '17
Originally Posted by randommj
but i thougth yle theyre in ther y not replace the valves cam and valve springs, or am i going to need to replace the rocker arms, push rods,
??!!??? 
4th Gear
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Header Paint
There are no paints, that I am aware of, that will last more than a few hours on an exhaust header. I have had Jet Hot coated headers that last longer, but eventually deteriorate. Unless going ***** out for the low ET, there are just too many problems with headers if you plan on putting any miles on your ride. There is mega heat generated that causes all kinds of problems with spark plug wires and wiring. As an extreme example, I put a set of fenderwell headers on a 64 Nova. Blistered the paint on the inner panels, had to re-rout break lines and wiring. IMO go with the factory stuff unless you want to win the quarter mile.
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by Kawa
There are no paints, that I am aware of, that will last more than a few hours on an exhaust header. I have had Jet Hot coated headers that last longer, but eventually deteriorate. Unless going ***** out for the low ET, there are just too many problems with headers if you plan on putting any miles on your ride. There is mega heat generated that causes all kinds of problems with spark plug wires and wiring. As an extreme example, I put a set of fenderwell headers on a 64 Nova. Blistered the paint on the inner panels, had to re-rout break lines and wiring. IMO go with the factory stuff unless you want to win the quarter mile.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 194
Likes: 0
From: Appleton Wi.
After the original paint burns off,(usually about an hour of run time), I blast them and hand sand to a finish that will adhere paint well and use a spray can of black BBQ, high heat paint. Works great, 3 years so far, and driven about 5,000 miles a year.
TJ
TJ
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,458
Likes: 1,484
From: Little Rock AR
Originally Posted by Twistedpipes
you should all try grill paint about $8 bucks a can but very durable does not burn off good for about 2 years (just sand blast on used headers or wire wheel a new out of the box pair) or go with ceramic powder coating about $180-275 depending on the color you want mixed
Home Depot BBQ Grill flat black spray paint after a sandblasting will work for those on a budget. You will need to sandblast them to give the metal a rough finish for the paint to stick. Touch up at the end of the season and they will look pretty good for the money. The metal must be coated quickly after blasting or it will rust right away.
The paint they come with out of the box is only good to prevent rust before they are installed.
-Mark.