07-27-2015, 09:29 AM | #1 |
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Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Knoxville
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My Headers are Rusty
Hello,
I'm trying to dress up my engine bay a little and my headers look terrible! I was thinking that I would take them off, blast them, and paint them but I've read that paint probably won't last. Any thoughts? These are apparently cheap headers, so now I'm looking at new ones. I have a 350, a 350 turbo auto trans, I plan to lower the truck 2.5 - 3" in the front and level the rear. I have looked at old threads with some luck. I am curious what exact headers you would recommend for my truck. I want something that won't rust in the future. |
07-27-2015, 10:27 AM | #2 |
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Southern Oregon
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Re: My Headers are Rusty
I've never known headers that lasted all that long. On my BBC I have headmen headers and they are still in surprisingly good shape as far as paint goes...but these are from 10 years ago! Before everything majorly went to crap. I'd blast them and put a good thick coating of VHT header paint on it and see what happens. SBC headers are cheap so if they rust in the future its not a big expense to change them out.
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1966 Chevy C10 "Project Two Tone" http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=596643 1964 GMC "Crustine" semi-build:http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=665056 My youtube channel. Username "Military Chevy": https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_h...fzpcUXyK_5-uiw |
07-27-2015, 10:47 AM | #3 |
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Re: My Headers are Rusty
I would also use VHT with ceramic. If they are solid headers, thick flange, no leaks... no need to crack a good seal. Remember the next set might not fit right.
Use aluminum foil to mask off areas not to be painted. Leaving headers of course. Check faq section for part numbers. Remember not all fit. I ran into that myself. Yea it fit someone else's truck but not mine.
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07-27-2015, 10:47 AM | #4 |
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Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Arizona from Overland Park Kansas
Posts: 3,968
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Re: My Headers are Rusty
You might look into stainless steel headers. The will not rust but might turn different colors.
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07-27-2015, 12:43 PM | #5 |
Enjoy your truck
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Newmarket, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,066
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Re: My Headers are Rusty
I bought Hedman Headers for my '63 back in October. I sandblasted them right out of the box to get their cheap metal protective paint all off and then I used VHT header paint (cast iron colour) to coat them. They look great so far.
Greg.
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07-27-2015, 10:02 PM | #6 |
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Location: Knoxville
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Re: My Headers are Rusty
Ive been pricing headers. I guess I'll just get new ones and forget it. I guess stainless would be the most trouble free?
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07-27-2015, 11:20 PM | #7 |
Post Whore
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Alabama
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Re: My Headers are Rusty
Ditto....stainless
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07-27-2015, 11:34 PM | #8 |
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Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: calgary alberta
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Re: My Headers are Rusty
if you use VHT spray them and bake them in your oven for a hour or so and then repeat and then when the engine heats them up the coating wont burn off
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07-28-2015, 12:04 AM | #9 |
meowMEOWmeowMEOW
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: MKE WI
Posts: 7,128
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Re: My Headers are Rusty
I had to reread where yall said "ceramic paint" above...cuz for a second I thought yall were actually spraying headers with the stuff just referred to as "VHT" aka, track prep or Pimp Juice. Reading comprehension fails me again.
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07-28-2015, 04:57 PM | #10 |
Fabricate till you "puke"
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Ill
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Re: My Headers are Rusty
Wait till you get a little older...it will jack with you more Just messing with you BR3W....longhorn
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69 longhorn,4" chop,3/5 drop, 1/2 ton suspension/disc brakes,1 1/2" body drop,steel tilt clip, 5.3/Edelbrock rpm intake/600 carb, Hooker streetrod shorties,2 1/2" exhaust/ H pipe/50's Flows , 6 spd Richmond trans,12 bolt/ 3.40 gears.... |
07-28-2015, 11:51 PM | #11 |
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Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: central California
Posts: 2,778
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Re: My Headers are Rusty
Years ago and thousands of miles past, I prepped and sprayed my manifolds with Rustoleum cold galvanizing compound. It won't burn but it will scratch and flake a bit. This is how they look today.
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07-30-2015, 12:13 AM | #12 |
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Wenatchee, Wa
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Re: My Headers are Rusty
A thorough sandblast and high temp paint you are good to go....it really is all in the prep....the painting is the easy part.
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