There's no reason you can't wrap the stock header.

 

True, but see post #21.

 

I talked with George from Madness about the SS bling factor at AMVIV, and he said that the manufacturer (a "local" - US - company, not o/s) would not reduce the wholesale price significantly (he didn't give numbers but the notion was less than ten bucks) to supply unpolished headers. It just must be the thing with headers, I suppose. I have not seen an OBX, but my (Chinese made) Megan header was very well polished, with very pretty welds. I consider that I have a "Harbor Frieght" header--with all the connotations that comes with. But I bought it with eyes wide open.
Bottom line: Randy Webb says he's coming out with a new header, there's Alta, Madness, MTH (oo-hot and expensive) and for all of these hardly any of the price due to the shiny polished finish...
As an economist, of course I could tell you why they are so expensive...(hint: monopolistic competition - only economists could have come up with that non sequitur!)

cheers,

 

Techline do it yourself coating is better than nothing. Clean it even if its new. take it somewhere & have it sandblasted (course not fine media). coat it as soon as possible. Bake it 350-550 degrees f for an hour to cure (not 900? (the exhaust heat will do the rest). By all means wrap it also if you like, these things are stainless.
save yourself some hassle & just wrap it untill you save some money & send it to Polymer Dynamics & have it coated with the gold ceramic (2500 degree protection & the best at heat reduction) Jet hot,being xylar probably, is rated at about 1100-1500 degrees f.

 

hi guys, i think your cheapest bet is to buy a header already ceramic coated from nopi.i don't know how to get the web site on this thread but go to nopionline.com they sell for 173.00 who cares if they are cheap, put one on every year at that price.

 

The nopi coated header looks to be mild steel. Also available in 304 polished stainless.

 

It says 4-2-1 but the pic is 4 -1. How much to add a cat?

It's never simple is it?

 

wouldn't the cheapest way be to weld up the stock cat to it???

 

just to get this straight, the stock header is stainless yes? i was going to build my own, using a stocker to get the flange, and go from there, and then get it coated from jet hot.

From what i understand, heat wrap is "supposed" to be replaced every year, escpecially on a daily driver, and escpecially if it doesnt get driven long enough to heat the wrap enough to dry it out. Just some more info for you

Beecher

 

From a buddy of mine that's done something similar to the Techline coating, he told me that prep was critical to the success of the coating... remove ALL grease/oil/contaminants and use the right media in the sandblast cabinet. Otherwise, it'll come right off. He also mentioned that the most efficient way to get it on is to spray, but it doesn't lay down like paint and can be a PITA. Also, the baking temp is critical - but once it's on there, it's ON THERE and is really, really tough...

 

The stock header is made from mild steel, not stainless steel. A before and after picture of the stock header coated with a burnished silver ceramic. https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...0&ppuser=13976 . It would take a large pizza style oven to fit the whole stock header if you were to DYI.

 

thanks k-huevo. I just know mines not rusty yet (only 10k km tho, rarely driven in anything but dry weather). I had just heard something quite awhile ago about a stock stainless sytem, and the rest of my exhaust is rusty than all get out already, so thought they must have been talking about the header. That is good news for me cause now i don have to buy a stainless welding spool, or learn how to weld stainless! thanks

Beecher

 

ummm....Jeremy at Crucial Racing is right near you. He does the coatings for Gruppe-S and other tuners, as well as his own products. www.crucialracing.com His coatings are considered better than the JetHot and Swain stuff

 

Well, there you go... thank you!!! I'll give him a ring tomorrow. Would you know if he does internal, as well as external? Thanks for the info!

 

Tony - he'll do whatever you want. He's a very patient guy...tell him what you are looking for and he'll discuss it with you and work it out. He can also do a mild P&P job on headers too (about $250 with coating for our Subaru Legacy GT). Tell him 'PGT' from the Legacy forums sent you.

 

MiniMargie, will do! Prices sound very fair. I'll report back... Thanks again!

 

As a matter of follow-up, after exchaning emails with Jeremy at Crucial Racing for the past week, I finally met him yesterday. FWIW, his email replies (sometimes at 1 or 2am!) were always very thoughtful and addressed my questions wonderfully. In-person, just more of the same...

I left my SuperSprint header with him yesterday. It will get it coated entirely, inside, out, flange.. all but the threads in the bung. He felt that coating the cat is not a good idea as it might hold-in too much heat and cook it... which I've heard before.

Not only is the coating top-notch, I really like how the prep it first! A good description can be found here:

http://www.crucialracing.com/products/coating.php

The cost, only $175 .

The finish is beautiful, and guaranteed for life. I'll probably start a new thread when I get it back...

 

 

Great info Tony.
If you think Jeremy wouldn't mind could you post or PM me his email info?
At that price shipping and back will still keep his price comparable or better than what I can find, so far, here on the east coast.

Anticipating your review of the finished product.

 

obe, the email address I used and how he contacts me is via the one on that website provided above (gmail, I believe). I told him that I'm a guinnea pig of sorts for the MINI guys, and that I might be referring others.

If you contact him, mention my name!

I hope to share some nice photos sometime next week. I have temp probe that I use for when I fry turkey (yummy!), and I would like to take some measurments at various points, before and after...

 

Thanks Tony.
Might not want to let Mrs B in on the turkey probe usage

You've got some pretty good connections maybe someone has an IR scanner you can borrow.

 

The BBQ and turkey frier are my domain .

I checked with Dr. O last week, and he doesn't have an IR gun. Peter of M7 has one I believe, but he's down in LA, plus I know that he uses it fairly often...

I'll make do.

 

Hey Tony

For you bud anything....you can have my left....

peter
Team M7
562-608-8123 "Black tips rule"

 

Dang, that's cool - thanks Peter! You know the address .

 

I hope you guys are talking about the IR gun