Best Header Paint ?

['68OrangeSunshine]

Just blew a hole out on the drivers side of my Hedman 69230 headers. Sucks cuz it's my fault I went and wrapped them. Lifetime warranty void.
I had them DIY ceramic coated with some goop from Eastwood, I airbrushed on, and prebaked in my Mom's ex Hotpoint oven.
They were new in '99, I had them cleaned/sandblasted and did the Eastwood thing in '07 and that lasted thru to '18.
I thought with the ceramic job, they wouldn't rust with DEI 2" mummy wrap.
I was trying to lower underhood temps. Also got a hushed effect too. They got much quieter. But they blew out anyway.

Eastwood no longer sells the ceramic stuff.

Looking for something more durable than spray-on VHT. Also bored with black.
Application is 350 SBC in '71 GMC 4x4 Jimmy, Manual Trans.
Any ideas?

[Captainfab]

For many years I have used high temp stove paint with excellent results. It is available in many colors too. I can typically buy it locally much cheaper than I see it online these days. Back in the early '80's when I started using it ,I could get a gallon for $20.

http://forrestpaint.com/stove-bright/

I would never wrap a set of headers that I wanted to last.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

For many years I have used high temp stove paint with excellent results. It is available in many colors too. I can typically buy it locally much cheaper than I see it online these days. Back in the early '80's when I started using it ,I could get a gallon for $20.

http://forrestpaint.com/stove-bright/

I would never wrap a set of headers that I wanted to last.

Thanks for the link. That is a varied pallate.
Do they have to be cured in the oven?

I have learned my lesson.

[68gmsee]

If your headers have lasted 15-20 years, that's not bad. And if the coating lasted more than a few years of daily use that's also not bad either.

I've found out that there is no sure-fire method to coat or paint an exhaust that will last forever. Even chromed ones will show burnt spots eventually. In the past I've tried all sorts of high temp paints but they will all eventually fade or burn off after some time.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by 68gmsee

If your headers have lasted 15-20 years, that's not bad. And if the coating lasted more than a few years of daily use that's also not bad either.

I've found out that there is no sure-fire method to coat or paint an exhaust that will last forever. Even chromed ones will show burnt spots eventually. In the past I've tried all sorts of high temp paints but they will all eventually fade or burn off after some time.

I live in a very dry climate. The headers on my 292 L6 in a '68 C/10 Stepside, were first installed in '78. Clifford Research ''Vipers'', long tube 1-7/8'' three-into-twos. After crushing one of the down tubes offroading [#5] I had the tube resectioned and a 3/8'' flange mated on. Only ever used VHT spray. They ran 250,000 on the old engine then got hot tanked and beadblasted and repainted and went back on the truck with a fresh 292 in 2005. Maybe a few freckles of surface rust. Still OK.

[GRX]

Ever notice old school hot rods paint their zoomies white? That is because it is Titanium based paint. Holds up better. That said, not all brands use Titanium anymore. So check those MSDS sheets.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Here are pix of my busted hedders.
Pass side is OK, but I'm not running an L4.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by GRX

Ever notice old school hot rods paint their zoomies white? That is because it is Titanium based paint. Holds up better. That said, not all brands use Titanium anymore. So check those MSDS sheets.

Smokey Yanuck's headers were always white. Never knew why. Thought it was about style. Everybody was wearing ''White Levis'' then.
That is a cool look. Jegs and Summit do not post the MDS on VHT paint though.

Originally, I thought I only had a small hole caused by the rubbing of the lower clutch pushrod on the @7 downtube. I intened for my buddy to weld on a patch, and I would rewrap the headers in DEI's new Titanium banding and spray over it with their titanium spray bomb. It had a goldish look. Alas, no more wrapping headers now. Actually the clutch action did not pierce the tubing.

[suville]

KBS Coatings has something to consider

[Captainfab]

No they can be cured on the engine. You just want to warm them up a little 2 or 3 times to get the paint to cure. When they stop smoking, the paint is cured.

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Thanks for the link. That is a varied pallate.
Do they have to be cured in the oven?

I have learned my lesson.

[Jrainman]

another DIY 1200 deg temp paint that I have been using for years is made by Dampney engineered coatings under there brand name Thurmalox is comes in spray can or pints ,quarts ect. and they have a lot of colors to choose from . really good stuff and holds up well . they have primers and clear coats witch I have used in conjuction with ther paints .the clear coat is a great choice to apply to a raw intake manifold keeps in looking new forever.

[Mudder]

I used some company in Oklahoma that branched off of Jet Hot. I cut the flanges out of the box and then sent them to them. For the life of me I can.t remember the company name. After 17 years they don't shine like new but they look pretty good. This is not a daily driver.

[Jrainman]

Originally Posted by Mudder

I used some company in Oklahoma that branched off of Jet Hot. I cut the flanges out of the box and then sent them to them. For the life of me I can.t remember the company name. After 17 years they don't shine like new but they look pretty good. This is not a daily driver.

If that company has a warrenty like Jet HOt you can send them back and for the shipping cost they will recoat them , My friend just recently sent his headers back to Jet hot after about the same time (17 yrs ) as yours and they recoated them he just had to pay the shipping . he got them back in about 3 weeks , and he was also able to change the color with no extra cost.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

No they can be cured on the engine. You just want to warm them up a little 2 or 3 times to get the paint to cure. When they stop smoking, the paint is cured.

I still have my Mom's old Hotpoint. Packrats may have chewed off the internal insulation. That could make it interesting.
Protocol is:
30 min @ 250F
30 min cool down
30 min @ 400F
30 min cool down
30 min @ 600F [I think the Hotpoint maxes at 550F so @ Full Blast]

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by Mudder

I used some company in Oklahoma that branched off of Jet Hot. I cut the flanges out of the box and then sent them to them. For the life of me I can.t remember the company name. After 17 years they don't shine like new but they look pretty good. This is not a daily driver.

I guess my title should have read, Best Header Paint w/o professional ceramic coating. That being said, I welcome your input. Them's some purty headers. Dog is cool too.
There's a JetHot facility in Tempe, AZ, just 90 minutes north. They want about $300 more than the parts for their service.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by Jrainman

If that company has a warrenty like Jet HOt you can send them back and for the shipping cost they will recoat them , My friend just recently sent his headers back to Jet hot after about the same time (17 yrs ) as yours and they recoated them he just had to pay the shipping . he got them back in about 3 weeks , and he was also able to change the color with no extra cost.

Well my 'Hedders' are beyond warranty with a big jagged hole in tube #7 from wrapping, which is specifically forbidden in the warranty contract.
JetHot does some fine work, but they are not cheap. For their retail rate, I would expect no less service than your friend got.
Several years ago, I talked with them about coating my headers for some project. Since I'm on the NW side of Tucson, I wanted to drop off and pick them up at their Tempe, AZ outlet, ~100 miles North. They insisted on shipping.
I decided it was too much money.

[Myself]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

I still have my Mom's old Hotpoint. Packrats may have chewed off the internal insulation. That could make it interesting.
Protocol is:
30 min @ 250F
30 min cool down
30 min @ 400F
30 min cool down
30 min @ 600F [I think the Hotpoint maxes at 550F so @ Full Blast]

This is how I've done it several times with VHT and the Duplicolor stuff with ceramic and the headers look great for years. Wifey doesn't like coming home to the smell of paint cooking in her oven though

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by Myself

This is how I've done it several times with VHT and the Duplicolor stuff with ceramic and the headers look great for years. Wifey doesn't like coming home to the smell of paint cooking in her oven though

I saved myself from any domestic friction by telling the appliance guys -- who would have taken my Mom's old Hotpoint ''away for free'' when she got a new one-- to just leave it in the backyard as I had other uses for it besides cooking.
I then had to wire a 220 v drop to the appliance. You might shop on craigslist for a cheap one. And avoid titanium-flavored brownies.
Some of my ceramic coat was flaking off after 11 years under mummy wrap.

Just ordered a new pair of Headman 69230 -USA-made- hedders from Jeg's. Same p/n as the old ones, so it should bolt onto the old exhaust pipes w/o modification.

Eastwood has an interesting internal header spray-on ceramic coating with a 24'' spray nozzle that shoots a 360* blast inside the tubes. P/N: 13795ZA, $27.

Still not sure about the outsides. Maybe white, maybe silver. I wanted ''Titanium Blue'' like the SR-71, but I don't see it anymore. A light color would dissapate heat faster though.

Some pix of the ill-fated mummification. It did look neat.

[DieselSJ]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

I guess my title should have read, Best Header Paint w/o professional ceramic coating. That being said, I welcome your input. Them's some purty headers. Dog is cool too.
There's a JetHot facility in Tempe, AZ, just 90 minutes north. They want about $300 more than the parts for their service.

You can get commercial ceramic coatings way cheaper than that. Get them sprayed inside and out. I got the straight-6 header done for our desert racer and it was about $100. Place was right on the Tempe/Scottsdale border.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by DieselSJ

You can get commercial ceramic coatings way cheaper than that. Get them sprayed inside and out. I got the straight-6 header done for our desert racer and it was about $100. Place was right on the Tempe/Scottsdale border.

By the location, it sounds like the old JetHot shop. Maybe JetHot reorganized.

What kind of L6 and headers are you running? I have some 1978 Clifford Research long tubes on my 292 in a '68 Stepside. It's their 2nd engine.

My $300 plus figure was derived from the retail price of factory coated headers as opposed to the same headers with burn-off paint.

[DieselSJ]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

By the location, it sounds like the old JetHot shop. Maybe JetHot reorganized.

What kind of L6 and headers are you running? I have some 1978 Clifford Research long tubes on my 292 in a '68 Stepside. It's their 2nd engine.

My $300 plus figure was derived from the retail price of factory coated headers as opposed to the same headers with burn-off paint.

This was a shop that does all types of coatings - ceramic, oil shedding, dry film lubes, powder coat, etc...

This was on a Jeep 4.0. I forget the actual brand of header. I remember buying a raw header and having it coated was less expensive than buying a coated one.

['68OrangeSunshine]

My new headers came today. Still made in USA.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by DieselSJ

This was a shop that does all types of coatings - ceramic, oil shedding, dry film lubes, powder coat, etc...

This was on a Jeep 4.0. I forget the actual brand of header. I remember buying a raw header and having it coated was less expensive than buying a coated one.

DieselSJ, do you have a phone number or email address for those guys?
Might be less hassle than doing it myself.

[DieselSJ]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

DieselSJ, do you have a phone number or email address for those guys?
Might be less hassle than doing it myself.

http://azceramiccoating.com/ceramic-coatings/

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by DieselSJ

http://azceramiccoating.com/ceramic-coatings/

Thanks. I called them, and a guy quoted me $250 for the pair.
Still debating.