Hub454

I am looking at putting hooker side pipes on my 68 but need to know if stainless or ceramic coated will look and last longer. What are your thoughts?

Learning_Curve

Stainless should last longer, but may need polished from time to time. The stainless will discolor, especially in the primary tubes near the engine.

You thinking Hooker brand or cheap knock-offs?

3JsVette

Polished stainless does turn yellow.

72SLEEPER

Obx heard good things

540 vette

I had Hooker ceramic coated on my 77. Didn't discolor and looked great. It had a 540 in it. The car sounded great. But if you like to smell like gas fumes they do the job. I used to pull up next to someone and they would roll up their windows.

commander_47

That is the scent of POWER

REELAV8R

You can get the hooker headers directly from Jet Hot ceramic coated. The ceramic has the additional benefit of keeping the under hood temps down. I have a pair and the quality of the ceramic coating is excellent.

worship79

I'd go stainless. My ceramic flaked off (hooker factory applied!) and then rust kicked in. Wont happen to you with stainless, which also looks better imho then the ceramic coating.

Mod75

I had the chrome Hookers on my 75 for 6 years, the Chi-Town salt started to eat up the collectors within two years, at 5 years they looked ugly.

Batvette71

get used to getting your legs burt at least once . after that you will never do it again

Learning_Curve

Wear jeans. No grown man looks good in shorts...

Hub454

Has any one tried the Obx headers? Or are the other side pipes worth looking into? I want them to look good 5 yrs from now.

Learning_Curve

Search OBX and you'll come up with a slew of threads. I've happy with mine so far, but my car is not on the road yet. I had to take a dremel to a few of the bolt holes to get the bolts started in the heads. I would suggest lining a gasket up to them and checking BEFORE their installed.

BTW, I'm fabbing up a junkyard rack and pinion, so I can't comment on steering box clearance.

mikey

i bought hooker stainless and then had 'em jet hot ceramic coated inside and out. the stainless are lighter, won't rust, and the ceramic coating in/out keeps it cooler than anything else.

slofut

Smells better if you run aviation fuel or sunoco race octanes!

SuperBuickGuy

It depends on the muffler you use that determines if you get burned.... reversion mufflers keep the tubes cool

I had my Hookers ceramic coated locally - I've spilled enough brake fluid on them to say that it holds up great to all sorts of abuse.... plus you get the option of other colors beside black or chrome (I went with tungsten)

aaroncorvette

I never warn any chicks about the side pipes and they always burn themselves

..then I come to the rescue