To coat or not to coat ATR headers?

[mr go fast]

I have a set of ATR headers that look like crap. The question is....Do I coat stainless or do I just clean them up?

 

[billsgn]

I have a set of ATR headers that look like crap. The question is....Do I coat stainless or do I just clean them up?

Function over beauty....however in your case you could have both. Ceramic coat the headers for a nice finish AND cooler temps.

 

[toofastforyou]

I have a set of ATR headers that look like crap. The question is....Do I coat stainless or do I just clean them up?

You can do both, but if you choose to have them polished, they'll be shiny for a while, but will still get yellow over time. I chose to have mine ceramic coated and they've held up pretty well and still look good...

Claude.

 

[Red C5]

If you want short term, low cost, just polish them. If you want them to look great for a long time, have them coated.

 

[K Beauchamp]

X3 on the ceramic coating. I've used it on both buicks. Looks good hold the heat in and durable.

 

[Red Regal T]

Sounds like ceramic coating is the way to go. I don't know how nice you can polish up a set of ATR headers, but if they're anything like stockers, they're never going to look anything but dingy unless you ceramic coat them. I'd coat them.

 

[sackracing]

I had my coated when they were new with 1600 degree ceramic coat from HPC, and it was peeling after 2 trips to the track. Just had them done by aesthetic finishers in ohio in 2000 degree black, but I haven't run them yet. They had the best price by a long shot.

 

[Red Regal T]

They say that the black is more durable than the silver, thus it's safer to go with black, actually. Depends what you want. If mine peeled off after a couple trips to the track, I'd take them back for another try, for free.

 

[sackracing]

Silver only comes in 1600 degree, the 2000 degree comes in black and gray. Seems like Aesthetic Finishers did the headers and crossover for 250 bucks.

 

[JDSfastGN]

if money is short, get them sand blasted and paint them with VHT flame proof paint and follow their directions (applying after being heated in the oven and then baking them as well) I know nobody thinks paint can hold up, and it won't compared to ceramic coating but I did this to some stock manifolds on our T and 5000 miles later and a lot of track passes and friendly runs on the street they still look very nice with no signs of chipping or peeling.

 

[Slow91z]

I don't know how nice you can polish up a set of ATR headers, but if they're anything like stockers, they're never going to look anything but dingy unless you ceramic coat them. I'd coat them.

They are nothing like stockers...You can make them look like mirrors if you have the time/inclination.

I personally don't like the silver/black whatever look, polished headers with a mirror finish and some color from the heat look sweet IMO.

 

[aminga]

Ceramic is surprisingly cheap and applies with a touchup gun

 

[tsm3089]

If you go to your local welding supply house and get some pickeling paste. You brush of with paint brush rince off. Like new.

 

[Slow91z]

If you go to your local welding supply house and get some pickeling paste. You brush of with paint brush rince off. Like new.

Any idea if this takes off oil that's burned onto the headers?? If so I could have used this info about 2 years ago, my headers that where on my car when I bought it looked powdercoated brown/black with oil cooked onto them. It sucked cleaning those up.

 

[Woody]

Here is a photo of a set of Chevy shorty headers that were ceramic coated in a "chrome" aluminun finish.......