Is coating going to help rust reduction or is it just for looks. I don't care about the looks and dont want to spend the extra for chrome coating. I am thinking about getting some regular LT's are spraying the bottom area(s) near the flanges with some type of rust prevention paint. Any Ideas?

 

I would say the coating is mainly for looks. My coated Pacesetters started rusting in less than a years time and the car doesn't see rain or snow. I would just get the uncoated ones and paint them with a good quality paint such as the POR15.

 

I bought my AS&M's used, in 1999. They had been on a 97 SS for the previous two years. They are now 11 years old, and starting to show signs of rust at the flanges and a few other areas, mostly related to weld spatter. There's even one spot where an EGT bung was welded on #7, and its not rusted. But... my car does not get driven in bad weather, and has never been in snow/salt since the headers were installed. And I only have the headers.... they were reworked to eliminate the AS&M Y-pipe. The adapters that carry the exhaust back to where LT collectors would be located have survived with aluminized paint, touched up a few times.

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