Finally had an hour to do some checking. here is what I found today:

Cool Black by Ceramic Coatings, Denver NC 888-236-6079
They apply a ceramic coating in/on engine components and exhausts. The topic we focused on was factory side exhausts. His coatings can over a 30% reduction iin under hood temperatures. Cost to do side exhausts and manifolds (inside and out) is $400-$500. Comes in silver, but black is better product. http://www.calicocoatings.com/

MetalShield by HyTek,, Melbourne, FL 866-649-8324
They produce a powder type additive to mix into paint. Powder understates it. They are insulating ceramic microspheres. These are tiny beads that have a center with a sealed vacuum. Crushing strength of up to 60,000 psi. rather than 300psi like larger glass beads. Since they have the higher strength, they will not crush/deform under spraying or mixing. Dont let this scare you (jus kiddin)– but Metal Shield uses the same type of ceramic material used in the shuttle heat tiles. Al said it is heat 60/sound40 protection. He only noted its is a rust preventative, but nothing else as this application is for fiberglass. 6-8mil thk up to 20mils. Not a side product of another product waste. Intentionally engineered and produced to obtain the dead air space in each bead.

Insulating ceramic materials have unique energy savings properties that reflect heat while dissipating it. The hollow ceramic microspheres thermal reflective quality performs as a radiant heat shield that rejects heat away and outwards from the protected substrate, minimizing absorption into the surface. The hotter the external environment, the more effective the performance of Metal Shield in reducing internal temperatures.

HyTek says the complex blend of microscopic hollow borosilicate ceramic microspheres that gives Metal Shield its insulating and sound deadening properties are of a high shear strength exterior shell with a vacuum inside like mini-thermos bottles. The microspheres dramatically reduce heat and sound transfer.

The ceramic particles in Metal Shield compact and interlock as the coating cures creating a tight closed matrix of the vacuum ceramic spheres.
This tightly packed film reduces the path for heat, sound, air and water. A thin coating of these particles will protect a human hand from a blow torch flame held only an inch away. US Navy is using, Army, Ford, etc check their website = http://www.metalshield.com Costs= 1 gal = $50 5 gal = $250

PRO-20 by POR-15, 800 457-6715
I checked the website, and searched for heat. It gave me POR-20, but gave very little info. I called and someone is to call me on Monday. Up to 1400 degrees. But I am wondering if this rating is for the paint peeling or its barrier properties. Costs is $145/gal.


[Modified by kaiserbud, 6:54 PM 4/2/2004]

 

AFTER THOUGHTS:

A trans cooler would make a big difference.

If your cooling system is up to snuff and maxed out, an oil cooler would help.

A composite shift lever? On a hot day, mine gets so hot I cannot leave my hand on it.

Does anybody make an insulated shift boot?

 

I did some further research:

I need to make a decision as time keeps ticking. My car sat for 7.5 years and now after getting it running 3 yrs ago, it has now sat 14 months with the interior out. Got to make a decision – and I think I have. I will not be using the Reflectix. Those bubbles just bother me – I am only 6’-0 and 200 lbs, but I know that the bubbles under the brake pedals will be smashed almost immediately.

Anyway – my decision is to go with a ceramic glass bead mixture paint on the interior (and exterior floorboard later) and top it with Koolmat. I just have to finalize some things – like what ceramic paint to use (Most likely Mascoat) and ensuring the Koolmat adhesive is appropriate

No matter what – for informational purposes, please read the info at Mascoat’s website – see below.

Being in the pipeline industry, I mentioned my Corvette endeavors with my client. He noted that he too was using a glass bead ceramic in their corrosion/heat paint coating. He said that he would ask his su pplier for a sample for me. I await the sample, which supplier it is and Â…..


In regard to to the ceramic paints or insulators, some have great qualities, but just are not feasible:

Ceramic Raku Kiln Fiber Insulation:1/2" thick.. This one has great qualities but is .5” thick. 2300 or maybe as high as 2700 degree rated one roll (100 square feet) 60" (5 feet) wide by 20' long and it is 1/2" thick. The guy selling on ebay is Danny (703)963-5043.

I looked up “Aluminized Paint”, but did not find anything interesting.

Zero Clearance sounds nice, but…They have 3 products he first is Lytherm. No matter how effective it is, it is It is ¾” thick !!!! Way too thick – especially for a Corvette.

Their other product, Zero Clearance is 3.2mm (1/8”} thk. They say that using the Lythern AND Zero Clearance – you can get a 40 degree reduction. But not only the thickness is an issue, but also the dual need makes it less attractive.

I looked up “Ventinox”, but it is for fireplaces, is cylindrical and I never found any
thickness.

Mascoat

This company sounds good – I have yet to contact them directly, but will next week. Whether you like their product or not, their website offers a great overview on heat and conductivity. For the overview – see http://www.mascoat.com/Downloads/Hea...ing%20work.pdf

They apparently have 3 grades of product. The lowest level is for consumers – Paint-sulate, but the Weatherblock is the industrial version. I think it is a 10-12 mil thickness, reduces temps by 30 degrees and has a small –6 decibal reduction for sound.


Being in the pipeline industry, I mentioned my Corvette endeavors with my client. He noted that he too was using a glass bead ceramic in their corrosion/heat paint coating. He said that he would ask his su pplier for a sample for me. I await the sample, which supplier it is and Â…..


Cool car Ceramic sounds good too - but they never gave a degree differential. This a paint on style like Mascoat - will contact them next week.

................Will follow up




[Modified by kaiserbud, 10:18 PM 4/18/2004]

 

I made a decision - will be going with CoolCar Ceramic Insulation. In my research, I found Mascoat - which does industrial grade ceramic insulation/ additives. I believe from the conversations that Mascoat supplies the product to Cool Car. In my search, I noted that only Mascoat had enough ***** to state their competition - by name. One of the competitors he mentioned stated that he 'didn't know' of any names of competitors. The reason why I mention this is that, to me, it gave credibility to Mascoat. Mascoat was the most knowledgable and he also referred business to COolCar - noting that their product was more suited to my application. The main reasons were that it sprayed without an industrial equipment, it was harder upon curing and it also had greater sound deadoing capabilities. I am looking for a 15-20 degree reduction. Cool Car Ceramic's website is http://www.coolcarceramic.com

I may use Koolmat, but it will only be pieces that wil not interfere with the fit - maybe in the flat areas of the floorboard, etc.

 

I found this on eBay and it works great. For much less than the cost of Dynamat ($100 for 100sf) it is excellent for sound deadening and heat insulation. It's pretty thin, so I doubled it up. I bought it for sound, but it works equally well for heat.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2473800 770&category=50452