They look good
Header coating follow up
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 723
Likes: 0
From: North Port, FL
Header coating follow up
For anyone contemplating getting there headers coated I wanted to share my experience. I picked up my Jet-Hot coated headers from Evans Automotive in Columbus OH this afternoon. I had previously asked for advice from you guys for coatings ( http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...er-coating.htm ). Evans is a drop off point for Jet-Hot. It took two weeks to get them coated and it was well worth the wait. They look great and are guaranteed for life. I got the Extreme Sterling coating which is better suited for power adder applications like the 6-71 blown BB they are going on. They look like they are chrome plated. Below are the before and after pictures:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,247
Likes: 471
From: Glen Allen, VA
Mine looked that good too when I had them plated at a local company. They faded to a dull silver, which is still fine by me, better than the rusty they were before. Yours look great and will definitely spice up the engine compartment. In my case there was a noticeable decrease in interior heat also
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 723
Likes: 0
From: North Port, FL
I was surprised at how closely the finish resembles chrome. I am hoping that they stay looking like this. If they lower temps in the enjine compartment that would also be a big plus also.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Not to rain on your parade but I have had my headers ceramic coated since it first came out and every set looked like polished chrome and after a year or so turned a dull grey color which as mentioned above is still better than rust or flaked off paint and there is some thermal insulation.
The last time I got my new Hookers coated I told the guy they always turned gray after a year and he said he would put a special coating on the inside ( same stuff used on tractor trailer stacks ) to keep them cooler and prevent them from going gray, well they went gray again after a year or so. He said my engine must be running real hot to make them go gray
You paid more than I did, not much but more, I hope they stay that way for a long time
Shiny
Not so shiny one year later
The last time I got my new Hookers coated I told the guy they always turned gray after a year and he said he would put a special coating on the inside ( same stuff used on tractor trailer stacks ) to keep them cooler and prevent them from going gray, well they went gray again after a year or so. He said my engine must be running real hot to make them go gray
You paid more than I did, not much but more, I hope they stay that way for a long time
Shiny
Not so shiny one year later
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Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 723
Likes: 0
From: North Port, FL
Not to rain on your parade but I have had my headers ceramic coated since it first came out and every set looked like polished chrome and after a year or so turned a dull grey color which as mentioned above is still better than rust or flaked off paint and there is some thermal insulation.
The last time I got my new Hookers coated I told the guy they always turned gray after a year and he said he would put a special coating on the inside ( same stuff used on tractor trailer stacks ) to keep them cooler and prevent them from going gray, well they went gray again after a year or so. He said my engine must be running real hot to make them go gray
You paid more than I did, not much but more, I hope they stay that way for a long time
Shiny
Not so shiny one year later
The last time I got my new Hookers coated I told the guy they always turned gray after a year and he said he would put a special coating on the inside ( same stuff used on tractor trailer stacks ) to keep them cooler and prevent them from going gray, well they went gray again after a year or so. He said my engine must be running real hot to make them go gray
You paid more than I did, not much but more, I hope they stay that way for a long time
Shiny
Not so shiny one year later
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,911
Likes: 2
From: gold coast queensland
no joy for me either. chromish when new but 2 years later and a few oil spills, coolant leaks , transmission pukes , miles of rain driving and road kill splatter they have lost their luster.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Like you said evan if they turn dull they will look much better than with rust. Jet-Hot advertises the Extreme Sterling Coating to maintain its brilliance up to 1400 deg F and to protect the substrait up to 1700 deg F. They don't make a claim about retention of brilliance for the (non extreme) Sterling coating but claim it can withstand temps up to 1300 deg F. I am curious if your headers have the Sterling coating or the Extreme Sterling coating. BTW you have a very nice looking engine.
Anyway not sure about the Extreme thing. Like I said you paid about $100 more for yours. My guy says my engine must be running hot ( it isn't) because the coating will withstand 1400degs or whatever. Yes it does as it stays intact but the shine goes away. I keep going back to him though and like I said he put some coating on the inside of the pipes this time that he usually charges $100 for free. They still went dull within a year, well a few months is more like it since I don't drive it in the winter.
Any way the pipes look good, take lots of pictures and if you have good luck with keeping them shiny let us know
