Team Chevelle banner

White headers anyone - Jet Hot top coat?

6K views 46 replies 22 participants last post by  Busted Knuckles 
#1 ·
My 20 yr old Hookers could use a re-coat of ceramic. Has anyone used any WHITE header coating that shows well after use? I see JetHot has a "white topcoat".

As long as I keep my grimy fingerprints off it, I'd like that old skool look. Thanks for sharing any experiences.
 
#2 ·
Gene, I've got 2 sets that have seen some good use and neither have held up very well. The first was ceramic coated white over black colored c/coat. Those have only seen seen only 100 miles or so and have spots that have "bled" and show the black underneath. The other set were vht coated using an oven used for powder coating and following vht's instructions to the letter. Those have 1000 or so miles and show brown streaking and the chip rather easily. I've removed them at least twice for various reasons.
I still like the look because my stuff gets used and I really don't need an engine bay that looks fresh, just well kept.
I also have a third set that have been ceramic coated white over aluminum with 0 miles yet, so I'm still loving the look.
To me, nothing else but possibly black would work for that Day 2 look. I thought about orange but that's proven to be very unpredictable and frail.
 
#3 ·
Here is what I did and worked excellent. My ceramic coated headers were looking dirty and marked up so I spayed them with VHT ceramic coating header rattle can Then took them to a local powder coater and had him put them in his oven time and temp is on the VHT can Wow came out great and are very very resistant to oil, bumps etc
 
  • Like
Reactions: 427L88
#4 ·
I did see a manifold-paint at Carlisle PA, and plum forgot to ask the salesman if it would "stick" to ceramic coatings.

Bill, I may have to try your route. Plus touchups can be easy with a can.

Jerry, none of your were done by JetHot? The third set is what I'd have.. the 4th application of Jethot and a white topcoat. I bought these Hookers from them direct in 2001!
 
#7 ·
I saw a Youtube video from VHT on rattle can application, and heat cycles to cure the paint.
 
#10 ·
I was planning to build a 540 about 15 years ago and bought a set of Hooker 2 1/8 as I recall....at the time I was advised that would be the correct size for the projected build ....and had them Jet Hot coated in silver. They were for a 70 Chevelle w/ factory spec heads....nothing special.

I have never even opened the box I got them in. They are still sitting in the corner of an unused bedroom.

I forget what I paid but they were not inexpensive....but I don’t think I’ll ever use them.

I suppose I could hang them in the garage as art ?....LOL....

Are they worth anything to anyone?

Are they too large for builds today ?
 
#11 ·
Not too large for a 540! I recall my 2" Hookers direct from JetHot were around $450 in 2001. The coating is near that much now.

cuisinart.. Swain is in the next town over from me. Their coating is an engineered product, and its not engineered for looks. Excellent stuff they do if you want friction coatings on skirts, thermal coatings on piston tops nad chambers,. etc. Super good company. But their white lightening looks like "bedliner" as it is a sprayed plasma. they'll tell you its not meant to be pretty, but to work.
 
#14 ·
FYI....2 1/8" primaries are perfect for a 540.
I used Hooker Super Comps..."adjusted" for plug clearance and coated locally.
One tube each side goes outside the frame rail.
 
#15 ·
Alan, their coatings are awesome,but the white isnt meant for looks. It mars really easily. Doesnt chip off, but surface changes easily with all that granularity. Asthetically, as said, it looks like lumpy bedliner. It is pure race car stuff. Its not a "paint" like JetHot, its a plasma spray.

Hey fellas, I've gone from polished heads, intake, to just polished intake and iron heads, and now the heads and intake will be orange, so I;m looking to make the engine bay as "interesting" as all the polished aluminum was, with lots of orange and a Qjet! White pipes will do it imho and still feel somewhat "correct".

Those Hookers hang so low, that I hope I dont mind the white peeking out from under the car. I never minded the Jethot silver.
 
#16 ·
I was lucky enough to find a set of vintage Appliance 2" headers for both the '69 and the '66. Thinking the 2" headers are perfect for a high strung 427. They fit okay but did need some special attention/welding/fabrication to fit like they should. The end result has multiple 1/4" clearances which is tight. They're quite high underneath the car and required a slight offset in the head pipes to clear the crossmember.


These were aluminum coated and white over the top.
No chips yet!
 

Attachments

#18 ·
Oh man, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen white headers. Good memories.

Back in the day I had a set of some big Appliance headers on my 396. On the drivers side one of the primary pipes (can’t remember which cylinder) was removable in order to change the spark plug. Those were big headers and they did not hurt the engine torque.
 
#22 ·
Well, I shot them up last night. Date code 3/99 Hookers. I'm not super pleased with the finish though. Unsure i'll ever get it prefect unless I blast all the ceramic coating off, which I preferred not to do. Dang, and I am usually a great rattle can artist. primer, three topcoats and a clear coat. And I may have to do it ALL OVER AGAIN to get the desired result. Dang.

And then maybe have the same "streaks" that Jerry had. :( Anyway, still think they need a redo to make them acceptable.
 
#24 ·
Only "shortcut" in prep was not blasting the jet hot off. They are 20 yrs old so have some surface imperfections.

I just ordered MORE paint from summit. Lets see if a 400 grit sand down and re-coat make them acceptable before the ovens.

PS I shudder to think what a PITA it will be to keep them white!
 
  • Like
Reactions: magicrat56
#28 ·
Cool!

PS, Took the white pipes to the oven last week, but had left them in my car wrapped in a drop cloth atop a ribbed rubber mat overnight, and the ribs left an impression! OMG are these going to be a PITA! Sanded/recoated them and they're in the oven as I type. Finally. 3 recoats. Dang. VHT warned me that it may not stick to the JetHot coating. Will know after today's BAKE.

There is a reason they say " BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL!" White is a total PITA.

All this to save a few $$$ so I can buy a new AAW engine harness.
 
#29 ·
OK, this thread ought not be in PERFORMANCE for one.... I went into general Tech looking for it... #2 it should be under the heading "ANXIETY" : sub-category.... beset by trying to save a nickle ....

DONT TRY THIS AT HOME KIDS!!!!!

topcoating VHT flameproof over ceramic coating and then baking as per instructions, that is. Great if you like the "broken Amish eggs" look. :( VHT warned me.

Hope JetHot still offers some sort of TC discount. The answer was right in front of my nose, ( upside down as in the pic! )

JetHot, here they come! Hookers made in 1999, bought direct from JetHot in 2000. This will be their 4th recoat. Good pipes!
 

Attachments

#31 ·
Nothing a $733 recoat in white from Jet Hot wont cure. :eek:.

Hey, I got 20 yrs out of these pipes. They have 20 more in them, so..... I'm BENDING OVER FOR JET HOT!

Jerry HAD to show us that pic. DAMMIT!~ Now I can't turn back. Shipping them to Oklahoma today. AAM harnesses will have to wait..... at least Mark's excellent work will be properly "framed" .
 
#32 ·
Nothing a $733 recoat in white from Jet Hot wont cure. :eek:.

Hey, I got 20 yrs out of these pipes. They have 20 more in them, so..... I'm BENDING OVER FOR JET HOT!

Jerry HAD to show us that pic. DAMMIT!~ Now I can't turn back. Shipping them to Oklahoma today. AAM harnesses will have to wait..... at least Mark's excellent work will be properly "framed" .
How did the white Jet-Hot hold up? I sent some old Appliance headers out in 2020 and the white didn’t hold up. Wondering if Jet-Hot is any better?

Thanks!

Chuck
 
Top