Allright well I sand blasted my headers and then I painted them wiht flat black VHT paint. Well they're on the car and the car has not yet been started or ran. I noticed on one header the paint is flat-black and looks good and smooth. The other header is a glossy black and looks kinda crappy. I painted the glossy one before I read the back of the can saying only to apply one coat of paint. I applied probably 3 coats.

Is this gonna cause a problem? Will the paint chip off or become blistered or anything, or am I okay with it? I can easliy get it re-sandblasted and I have enough paint left, but what will the consequences be if I don't? Will the color possibly fade, or after running the car for a while will it just end up looking like the other header?

 

Well I don't know if it will do any good, my pacesetter midlengths came painted, but the paint burned off from the heat on the very first day that the headers were installed and was ran.

Then again, maybe they used some crappy paint.

 

Well that's not promising. I think I'm gonna leave it as is. Unless someone has used VHT paint before and knows it works well on headers if done properly?

 

The first set of headers that I had on my '82 Firebird, I used VHT 1200deg flat black. The headers were purchased used and I sandblasted them and shot three skim coats over a four day period. Did this during a Nevada summer and cured each coat in a wood shed. They held up real good for a first paint job. No blistering, peeling, or rust thru. The only time that rust came was when I parked the car for a year in Florida outside and only on areas that were nicked during plug and wire changes and the initial install.

You shouldn't have a problem with yours as long as it was clean and free of any oils. Also, when you first start the car, only run it for a couple minutes at a time to heat cycle the paint to the headers (follow the directions on the can if it's different from what I just stated, been a while since I did mine, in '94). It will probably smell kind of funky at first, it's normal. Mine smelled for about three weeks after. VHT is the brand I trusted.

Currently have Jet Hot coated Edelbrock TES on now since '98. They came new shipped with standard black paint that's only used to prevent corrosion during shipment and when on the store shelf.

Good luck, Allan.

 

On my first set of headers, Edelbrock shorties, i sandblasted them and put several coats of VHT on them it held up pretty well. On surface I had on them when I took them off was where I scratched them working on the car. And there was also some on the y-pipe. I think the VHT is a very good header paint to go with. The manufacture puts some cheap paint on them from the factory so they wont rust, but it burns off when first started. I would put on several coats if I were you.

 

The factory paint is not the best by no means. I think it is there to simply keep the headers from rusting before they reach your doorstep! After that point, you are on your own.

 

Ahhhh, I see.