Powder Coating Headers
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 900
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From: New Bern NC
Powder Coating Headers
Has anyone powder coated their headers? I was thinking about having my stainless Kooks powder coated chrome, and was interested in feed back from the forum. Is there a more heat resistant product to use for this application or is it a no no all together? Pics would be great if available!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 900
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From: New Bern NC
I just wanted chrome which comes w/ the powder coat system. A friend of mine order a kit from Eastwood and has access to large oven. We are definately doing the brake calipers, and I thought it would be a good time to do the headers. I just want to know if it will hold up under the intense heat of the headers.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Lake Elsinore, CA
You need a much higher temp coating on headers than powdercoat can withstand. Get them bright ceramic coated and they will look similar to chrome and last for years. Here are the AR headers I had coated last summer.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Gone
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St. Jude Donor '03
The popular ceramic coating shops offer a chrome-like 1300* finish, that will undoubtedly look better than anything you might powdercoat "chrome".
And remember, anything you want to "look like chrome", must be polished to a mirror-like finish before applying the coating. That's the prepwork you pay for when you send a part in for chrome plating.
Just spraying a piece of rough metal with "chrome" powdercoat...expect it to look no different than had you sprayed it with a silver paintcan. Suffice it to say, it won't look anything like chrome.
And remember, anything you want to "look like chrome", must be polished to a mirror-like finish before applying the coating. That's the prepwork you pay for when you send a part in for chrome plating.
Just spraying a piece of rough metal with "chrome" powdercoat...expect it to look no different than had you sprayed it with a silver paintcan. Suffice it to say, it won't look anything like chrome.
Race Director
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From: Gone
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St. Jude Donor '03
Hey Ed...those look great. 
I hope to get my AR's back from coating sometime this week. I had them do the X-pipe too. I'll be a happy guy if they look as good as yours.
I hope to get my AR's back from coating sometime this week. I had them do the X-pipe too. I'll be a happy guy if they look as good as yours.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Danville Virginia
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Le Mans Master
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From: East Las Vegas Nv
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Not on either liberal coast.
While I prefer and have only used the services of JET HOT, another ceramic metallic service company to research is HPC. Both have plants around the USA, so find out where the closest one is to save on shipping and turn around time.
Both offer a variety of colors and some textures, but the bright silver seems to be the most popular.
Both offer a variety of colors and some textures, but the bright silver seems to be the most popular.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: Baltimore suburbs Maryland
There's also Airborne Coatings. If you have the equipment I think they can sell you the stuff:
http://www.airborncoatings.com/index3.html
http://www.airborncoatings.com/index3.html
Race Director
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St. Jude Donor '03
There's lots of ceramic coating shops out there, and they all offer the same basic finish options. Do a local search, you can probably find one near you.
Mine were done by a local shop here in WI. I just dropped them off and picked them up in person.
Mine were done by a local shop here in WI. I just dropped them off and picked them up in person.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Belleville Il
I've powder coated parts my self(don't know about any new coatings for us average Joes) In general powder coat "flows out" at about 400 degrees. I'm sure ,at least in the port area,temps are going to exceed that by quite a bit,melting the coating.The ceramics are far superior,including some chip resistance,plus it offers a significant under hood temp reduction.Car craft did a dyno test which showed well over 300 degree drop at 3000 rpm,somewhere around 175 at idle.Worth looking into
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Not on either liberal coast.
There are new high temperature powder coating products available now that were not available just 2-3 years ago. The problem will probably be finding a shop that uses the new high temperature powder coatings. Most fence powder coating companies probably won't.
Powder coating used to be limited to a metal host. Now, powder coatings can be applied to even a polymer host.
Powder coating used to be limited to a metal host. Now, powder coatings can be applied to even a polymer host.
