Time to clean up the rusty cast iron. In the past this has involved a couple days of wire wheels, grinders, prep, and paint. Then watch the paint slowing burn and flake away over the next few months. I've read about Cerma coating, but I'd like to hear from anyone who's had it done. How's the durability? Cost? Color retention? Would you do it again?
Had my "Lakes style" megaphones powdercoated in a cerachrome type of finish. ( See my Avatar ) They've held up real well for the last 1000 miles. Powdercoating CAN be cheaper than Jet Hot, etc;...takes the heat just as well IMO. My 2 cents only.
Post Script: Eastwood has a product line that will work for exhaust components also. see: Eastwood.com for more info. Good Luck to you!
Cermacoat is jet hot, hpc etc. It a ceramic coating originally used in turbine engines. The original name was cermatel w. I do every set of exhaust. I hate that brown crusty stuff that gets in your eyes when it's 2 a.m and you're flat on your back under your hot rod. They usually bead blast it , then coat it. Take off all the casting flash you can. It will lay out smoother. It usually runs between 125-150 bucks for a set of stock manifolds. It'll last for ever if you take care of it. Look at the front axle on the Fly sometimes.........
That's waaaay cheaper than I thought it would be. I'm starting to get to the point where I'll spend money on stuff like this instead of putting in all the hours and clean it up myself. You're right about that stuff in your eyes. Usually only happens to me after I just get in the right position to work on that difficult spot after worming my way under the car. The exhaust manifolds on my 292 stick up next to the heads. I just finished a set of big valve heads, going to get them painted up, put on the 3x2, and it'll all looks pretty ****py next to the rusty *** manifolds!
Same here. The smoother the manifolds are before you turn them over for coating; the better they will look. (there is now a grade of ceramic coating that almost looks like chrome! ) One word of caution; treat them gently when you first get them back, the coating is soft just after they come from the heat fussion process. (this is experience talking; have a big scratch on one header because I wasn't carefull! ) It takes some time and heat (running them on the engine) before the finish hardens completely. And for the HI-PERF fans; the Ceramic coating works wonders on piston crowns. (every NASCAR entry on the tracks do it) The coating keeps the heat in the combustion chamber where it can produce more HP.
Had my shorty headers done cost was 80 bucks but that was three years ago. I attached a pic. Here is the web site so you can get an ideal of the different parts they do and cost. www.processcoatings.com
I had my lakes headers done at a place called Extreme Coatings--then they tumble them in a big drum of "BEADS"--the guy told me the coating lasts lots longer because it kind of hardens it
You could do porcelain as well. There was a place in Tenn. called Porcelain Industries. We did several cl***ic manifolds for restoration through them. They also do colors. The Duesy green comes to mind, but they match up old stoves and such too. Takes decades for that **** to wear off. Just an idea.
We use a place called Moores Power Coating in Waverly Nebraska. A small company but very high quality and reasonably priced. Their finished product almost looks like chrome and doesn't seem to dull and if it does they have a purple polish that brings back the shine.
Stop by Finishline Coatings off McLoughlin on Silver Springs in Milwaukie.(Across the street from The Bomber) Lona can show you examples of several different finishes and their ***ociated costs. Russ Meeks is one of the pioneers in the business and is just darn good people. He is an old school rodder and a hell of a fabricator. He worked with Sam Foose for Gene Winfield in the early 60's before coming back to Milwaukie and opening his coating and fabrication business. I've been very happy with his product. Everyone I know, car wise, uses him for coatings. www.finishlinecoatings.com
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