White headers-next best thing to chrome

While i don't ever claim to be a fabricator, i can't say i'm proud nor embarassed over making these headers. Making the primary tube curve into the megaphone did prove to be outside my talents. Only my second attempt at headers. Whadda ya think?

 

Works for me

 

I think the white looks BETTER than chrome. It looks "just like the 60's bro"

 

Looks great! What kind of header paint did you use? You'll get a real hot spot opposite where the center port pipes enter the megaphone.
More pics of the car please , it looks wild!
Flatman

 

top notch, hope mine look that nice

 

i like it!!!

 

Looks better than chrome!

 

kinda reminds me of when i used to play super mario brothers, the original version.

is that thing ready to fire yet?

 

they look good...the car, now...GGGGGREAT!!! I can stare at, no...INTO this car for ever...and still have a chubby...I LOVE those crazy sixties...I LOVE this car...

 

Looks good!!!
I was going to stop by today i was just down the street but did not have your card on me to call. Keep up the good work
Dave

 

VHT. Sandblast them real good and don't touch before painting. I fast idle the motor for a minute or so, until a little smoke comes off the paint. Let cool to room temp and repeat. 4-5 times. Then it's good to go. Steel wool and touch ups periodically keep them pretty nice

 

I really like the white, too - it totally fits the '60s vibe of your car. Shit, chrome would probably turn blue, anyways!

Malcolm

 

Close. First i have to build an exhaust system. I have to dip a carb, send the pieces to be recolored (Zinc Dichromate?), install lifters, puhrods, rockers, intake, then fire/drive it

 

Hey Groucho they look killer. Is it a 2x4 389 intake you are after? Egay 270144033482 it is almost over just a few minutes.

 

Money's gettin thin! Single quad as pictured with the old Edelbrock P4B intake, and that Cal Custom "shark" scoop. I'd like to finish the inside, and worry about the induction way later

 

Just trying to help it is only 100.00 and is over in minutes.

 

A buddy of mine is running headers like those. I made him up some baffles from a couple of old trouble light shades to fit into the end of the megaphone behind the end cap to guide the exhaust gasses down through the full exhaust system. Suprisingly, it did make a difference
Just though I'd pass it on.

Flatman

 

White is the best. Does anybody know of a coating like jet-hot available in white? If you do have to repaint them at least they look easy to get off. Very nice.

 

I have always loved white headers but have never seen them last. I will wait to see how your process works, I hope it does as it gives me hope

 

those look good to me plus i think the white will really set of that paint not that it wont on its own

 

One of the coating companies (Jet Hot, I think) will coat them at one of their plants. They weren't very enthusiastic about doing it though. HPC told me to coat the headers in their standard coating and paint the white header paint on top of that.

 

IMO you've done the correct prep. Only thing I've ever done different to make the paint last is to hang them collector down and point the tip of my o/a torch up into the collector for about 2 minutes (or as you stated until smoke starts coming off the paint. Repeat 2 times with cool down in between and your ready to install. Followed by a few start-ups to final cure
When using the torch you only need a fairly hot flame, not full blast with the torch roaring like a blast furnace, and hold the tip a few inches below the collector. Your just trying to get the pipes hot not melt them. the heat will rise up the tubes and distribute the heat.

Frank

 

Don't get me wrong. I appreciate it. But, i OWN the above mentioned pieces, and money's TIGHT

 

Hell, i wish i owned a torch. That's a lot better than my way, while trying to break in the cam at the same time

 

The white looks great! Chrome would just blue,anyways.

 

That's gonna look dirty in a minute, I thought you were against white on the engine?

 

I LIKE it on headers, not motors. White on the engine's a bigger pain than the headers. ONE-you just steel wool em from time to time and touch them up easily (way easier than if the motor itself needed a touch up). TWO-they come off and on, if needed for a major cleaning. THREE-if i get sick of "chasing" them, they're just a few bolts away from chroming them. The ones on the Gasser stayed pretty good for the year and a half they were on with NO touch-ups

 

They look great, I wouldn't change a thing!!!

 

They look great.

 

I like the white. The early 60s style rod I am restoring had "aluminizing" to whiten the headers. Does anybody do that anymore?