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What is best paint for painting headers

broncoP

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2001
Messages
890
Anyone had any luck painting headers, if so, what kind of paint did you use? I know it has to be for high heat, maybe one works better than another?
 

Bradsp8

Sr. Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2005
Messages
599
Try the high temp paint in a spray can at most auto parts stores. I've also heard that some use the spray paint in the hardware stores for BBQ grills as it can withstand the high temps also.
 

Smokeater11

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 14, 2006
Messages
1,971
Loc.
Auburndale,FL
I had a set sandblasted and then sprayed them with VHT and they looked like they were brand new. They held up pretty well considering they were on a circle track racecar burning 112 octane fuel and bolted to a motor that was all tricked out. I chose to have them sandblasted again after our 18 week race season but it wasn't because they were messed up I was gonna make some changes to them and wanted bare metal to work with. Did the work, cleaned them real good and sprayed them again. Looked like brand new again. If you'll have them sandblasted and then spray them with the VHT it'll stick just fine.
 

broncnaz

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 22, 2003
Messages
24,341
Circle track is way different than everyday real world driving in a 4x4. Paint burns off period. While usually the bottom end of the headers may stay looking good the top end near the head will turn white. Now if you paint the headers white then it wont be as noctiecable. There are some ceramic based paints but still unless you prep the headers correctly like sand blasting it wont stay on either.
 

JIMS74

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2008
Messages
412
Loc.
PORTSMOUTH, VA.
I sandblasted a set of old headers that had a flame spray aluma coat on them, and had rusted up pretty good. Painted them with rustoleum 2000 degree high heat silver and it has held up with no flaking or peeling for about 1000 miles in last six months. The paint has stuck well to the sand blasted surface so far.
Jim
 

Sac '68 sport

Bronco Guru
Joined
Apr 9, 2004
Messages
1,176
Loc.
Orangevale
After all the OG paint burned off mine, I "blued" them. Get them hot, a little oil on a rag, hold your breath and start wiping...They got a nice dark blue color and don't show any surface rust at all after 5 years. The paint looked better for the week or so it stuck but the bluing looks much better than flaking paint and rust.
 

Hawkdoc

Full Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2006
Messages
280
A friend of the family restores antique tractors and he swears by the 2000 degree BBQ paint. Thats all he uses and with great results. Gotta sandblast them first though.

Hawkdoc
 

67ster

Bronco Guru
Joined
Feb 18, 2002
Messages
1,572
Old dirt tracker trick from the 40s-50s, clean the surface by sandblast or chem. stripping , get hot and wipe castor oil on surface , heap big smoke and it might have to be done several times to build a carbon layer but it works .
 

VT_Don

Sr. Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2001
Messages
365
I'm continuely amazed how many people offer suggestions with absolutely no first hand experience.
Having tried nearly every product on the market, the only ones I've had long term success with are, thermal spray and professionally applied ceramic coatings. Lot to be said for TIG welded stainless.
 

RubberTramp

Jr. Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2009
Messages
97
I used the VHT high temp then I wrapped them with header wrap havent had a problem in 8 months with these header that i have on there now!
 

Hal9000

Bronco Guru
Joined
Oct 12, 2008
Messages
1,324
Loc.
Flagstaff, AZ
Dunno how well it would hold up, but there were a few guys on the cosworth/mercedes forum that I used to spend time on who would use permatex ultra copper spray gasket to coat the stock cossie header (which didn't need anything since it was stainless to begin with!). It took a little while to set and become not sticky, but seemed to create a hard shell durable shell once it did.

I never saw the need to try it myself.
 
OP
OP
broncoP

broncoP

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2001
Messages
890
Thanks for the replies. What is VHT paint, never heard of it. The truck i'm redoing right now came with headers that were painted and are starting to flake a little bit, so I thought i'd repaint them since I already have them and don't want to shell out another $350 or so on another set of ceramic ones since I'm not keeping the truck anyways. I have ceramic ones on my own truck.
 

broncnaz

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 22, 2003
Messages
24,341
If your not keeping it just spray it with what ever you have locally and dont worry about it.
 
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