Ceramic coater in Tri State area?

[767Jockey]

Bob,
Is there a local place in CT that you get your headers and side pipes coated at? Can you please tell me where you get the work done? I'm on Long Island and there's no one here on the Island - I guess I'll drive to CT. Thanks!

[Chaplin]

Jockey-

Central Connecticut Coaters
52 Village St.
East Hartford, CT

Just had all of my pipes redone and they came out great.

[767Jockey]

Thanks -I forgot to add, I'm looking for white. As I search the net, white seems hard to come by. Would you happen to know if these guys do white? Thanks again!

[Chaplin]

When I sent them my pipes they asked me what color I wanted them done and, if I remember correctly, white was one of the options that they gave me. I have their phone number somewhere- if I dig it up, I will post it.

[767Jockey]

I appreciate it - thanks! Do you remember what they charged you and how long it took?

[Chaplin]

I sent things to them in pieces at different times and I haven't picked up or paid for everything yet, so I can't tell you what the total was. But they did my primary pipes (on an ERA you have 8 separate primary pipes which then slip fit into the sidepipes) and they had them back to me within 2 weeks and the cost was about $200. I think the complete sidepipes are going to be about the same amount.

[767Jockey]

Originally Posted by Chaplin

I sent things to them in pieces at different times and I haven't picked up or paid for everything yet, so I can't tell you what the total was. But they did my primary pipes (on an ERA you have 8 separate primary pipes which then slip fit into the sidepipes) and they had them back to me within 2 weeks and the cost was about $200. I think the complete sidepipes are going to be about the same amount.

My 351C pipes on my Contemporary work the same way - 8 separate pipes on a slip fit into two side pipes with 4 inlet pipes each - sounds just like the ERA setup. I'm just concerned that they'll coat the 8 primary pipes making the diameter slightly bigger, and they won't fit into the slip fit into the sidepipes anymore. Have they addressed that with you at all?

[Don]

I had my pipes coated by Swain Technologies:

http://www.swaintech.com/store.asp?pid=10969

They only coat in white. Their ceramic material has the surface texture of rough sand paper, i.e., the ceramic particles

[767Jockey]

Don,
I heard about them. I'm concerned about keeping the white clean with the rough surface. How has that been for you. Also, the Rochester area is too long to drive, and I'm thinking the packing and shipping for a complete set of headers and sidepipes is going to be really expensive for the round trip - probably a considerable percentage of the coating job itself.

[Chaplin]

"I'm just concerned that they'll coat the 8 primary pipes making the diameter slightly bigger, and they won't fit into the slip fit into the sidepipes anymore. Have they addressed that with you at all?"

It is not an issue with ERA's pipes, because the coating on the primaries actually makes for a nice, tight, slip fit in the the 4 sidepipe inlets so I didn't worry about it. If you are concerned about it, you can do one of 2 things. Either tape off the bottom inch or two of the primaries where they slip into the sidepipes before they go to coating so that that part won't get coated or coat the whole primary and, if it is too thick to slip in, sand off the coating a little bit at a time until it slips into the primary.

[767Jockey]

If it can be sanded, that's probably a plus - it'll make these old pipes fit even tighter. That sounds like a good deal. How did you keep all the individual primary pipes sorted out as to which goes where? Once they're slipped out I imagine it looks like a bag of snakes. I'm thinking I'll but a stamping set and stamp a cylinder number into each primary mounting flange. How'd you do it? Hopefully you have a better idea?

[Don]

767jockey:

I do not recall the shipping cost, the custom cardboard cartons for the side pipes and packing material were fabricated at a UPS Store.

I used Swain due to their proprietary ceramic coating and process, seems that all coatings are now being referred to as ceramic and the term has become generic.

My desire was for black and I used the VHT paint, do not know how the Swain white coating will look after extended use. There is a Thread on using the Swain coating and leaving as white, if I find, will post.

[ccx1984]

Doug i had my system coated by Jet Hot in mississippi when i brought them there they quoted $300.00 when i picked them up one month later they said they mad a mistake the price now is $500.00. and yes the coating is too thick for the pipes to slide in, i had to beltsand the tube ends and flap wheel the inside of the four tubes to fit and about three hours to install on each side. on the backside of each flange the cylinder number is stamped . i found a place to buy tko's at a good price " wwwstreetrorheadquarters.com". free shipping, free yoke, free backup light switch.

[767Jockey]

Thanks, Pete - How's things going with you?

[BT SNAKE]

Over the past several years I have used ceramic coating on both my GT40 and the Cobra. The finish looks great for about a year then it starts to fade especially nearest the egine. On the GT40 these coated pipes turn and fade quickly and they will not buff out. Usually I take them off and have them recoated before a big show. The Cobra pipes are a different story. They stay nice for a long time on the outside but as you get closer to the engine that flat fading starts showing up and it will not buff out. One more thing that erked me about a claim that it lowers the tempereture of the heat coming of the pipes. This is total bull as anybody with a laser thermometer can see there is no dicernable difference once the engine is at operating temps.
So here is what I do now and I couldn't be happier. I buy a product called "Duplicolor" High Heat 1200 degree ceramic spay paint. It comes in a large veriaty
of colors. I lightly scuff with a scotch pad then I wipe clean and spray. If I need to touch something up it's a simple process as the paint matches so well you can't even tell where the touch up is. The great thing about this stuff is once you apply the engine heat though the pipes it hardens just like that expensive coating crap. Since I've been doing this the last couple years not one person as noticed because they can't tell the difference.
If you think I'm kidding just buy one can and see for yourself on a sample piece of metal then heat it in the oven after you sparay it.
This Photo is the Duplicolor finish. $4 bucks vs $500 ... Been there done that mistake, never again.

[Chaplin]

Originally Posted by Chaplin

Jockey-

Central Connecticut Coaters
52 Village St.
East Hartford, CT

Just had all of my pipes redone and they came out great.

Jockey-
Found their number
860-528-8281

[BT SNAKE]

?

Hersh