Thread: Painting Headers....

Tweet

OK,....here's a new one for me...(they're all new for me :_)

I've spent alot of time masking off parts of my engine and compartment and painting them.
Everything is getting real nice except the headers......they are Hooker headers and have light surface rust coating them.
They are huge,....and they're is virtually no space around them to get to (454 in a 73 Nova SS....see gallery)

Is there any trick or easy way to paint them while still on the car?
Or is the only (and obvious) way to remove them and paint them.

?

Thx!

Then, when you get tired of screwing around with them, and watching the rust return someday, take them to a company that can do a good coating of ceramic (e.g. Jet Hot coating, but they're not the only one) both inside and out. Also known as high temperature coatings. Not only will they look better, they will last longer, lower temp in engine compartment, and give a marginal increase in power (not big enough to brag about, but there anyway). The more skilled companies have a choice of colors nowadays, beyond the traditional "silver".

OR..... Remove them (sorry there's no way to clean them propery while there still installed). Have them sand blasted, spray them with good VHT and cure them with a torch (I have used one of the small hand held propane torch in a pinch). Ouyt here it usually lasts 3-4 years but I'm in a generally dry climate.

Alright ...it is established they must be removed,....

Streets..there's NO way they would fit in an oven...they are huge.

They also seem to be welded to the exhaust pipe,...;.all the way to the muffler. (3" flowmasters)....

This definately seems like a job for a 'shop'.....I am not equipped to remove them....

Buying nice new ones,....might be an option...but I will have to investigate that,,,,,.......

Thanks guys,...

btw - The coating does seem like a good option,...especially if it reduces heat (anything that reduces heat I am a fan of)

For a long lasting finish coating is really the best way to go. It also has the advantage of not discoloring like chrome.

OK rookie!

Here's what the headers would look like coated, pretty much stay that way for life.

Then if you're REALLY nuts, you do the whole exhaust system!!

Yup .....
Those look pretty sweet....do you actually drive the car?
Looks to me like you could eat off any part of the engine or undercarriage.....

Ideally, I would love to have my headers look that way..........just gotta check the ol' budget. Something tells me that is the MOST expensive way to go.........

Like you tell your boss............................quality costs!!

Look in my gallery, you'll see why it looks so clean......................it's in the assembly process. That being said, it's also being built to be easy to maintain that way without treating it like a trailer queen. Those anti-sway bars ain't there for looks.

OK Fine...so ya got a huuuuuge oven and Bob has a huuuuuge garage.

Your both lucky I am way down here in florida or I'd be at your door everyday with a case of beer beggin' for free car advice!

btw - Streetz your a short hop from Rochestor right? I'm re-designing a TV station there ..RNEWS, a 24 hour news station....do you get that one?

My problem powered car has only very minor issues,.....it has come A LONG way from when I bought her.....and she deserves R-E-S-P-E-C-T! Im logging 2-3 hours a night plus weekends working her inside and out.

And my daily driver is a 03 Jeep Wrangler Sahara thank you very much!....

Schnapps is good too, although I havent drank for a few years....memory serves well.....

You gotta be kidden 'bout your garage right?.....