I bought these things way back in 2002 and thru 2 past cars never put them on. Well I figure the IROC is worth having them. A little nervous about installing them tho, don't wanna scratch the fresh coating...

 

Look very nice. Who did you have coat them?
I have a brand new set of hooker painted headers I bought years back. I didn't put on because I found a set of coated ones from hooker scratch and dent sale. I Talked too jet hot coatings a couple years ago about doing them.

 

Interested to know how they hold up. I have SLPs also and am considering having them coated.
Who did you use?

 

Also what did you have them coated in? Looks nice

 

I actually found a local guy here in my little home town. Don't know how long he's been around cause I just moved out here 2 years ago. He recommended the ceramic instead of powder coat cause it's applied with a brush and easier to get into tight spaces and do a better job. I got what he called stock manifold grey. Would've liked something a little flashier, but I'm happy the way they turned out. Cost was $290. Not sure if he does stuff thru the mail or not, but he's always busy. He's booked 3 weeks out. I'm actually thinking about getting my plenum, runners, and valve covers done when i tear the motor apart. He's got some blues that look like would match the car 100%. Google Frye fabricators duncansville PA.

 

I assume he blasted the headers first?

 

Ceramic coating is amazing stuff.

Here's what the stainless ones in my truck look like after acoupla years and maybe 40k miles.



Not a 3rd gen of course, but stainless is stainless, and coating is coating.

This is Jet-Hot, their shiny "silver" color. It looks about the same on mild steel. I have the same thing on the SLPs in my car.

The advantage of stainless, besides rusting FAR less, is that its heat conductivity is a bit less than half of typical carbon steel. IOW more heat stays in the exhaust and less gets out into the engine compartment. The advantage of coating, besides its further corrosion protection, is that it insulates the exhaust even more. In both my car and in this truck, there is little more heat under the hood, if any, than there was with manifolds. Yours I believe are also stainless (AFAIK that's all SLP made for these cars) and so should run just as cool.

Powder-coating wouldn't work on headers... would burn off just like paint.

You'll find that the coating doesn't really "scratch" much. It chemically integrates with the metal at the molecular level, kinda like paint does to plastic.

Your local guy's price is comparable to Jet-Hot or the other "national" places. I guess it costs what it costs no matter who applies it.

 

When I dont want to scratch I wrap them in blue painters tape then remove when done.

 

They look great,I know you will be pleased with the temperature reduction under the hood.
I had a set of Jet-Hot Lt on my old 94 T/A and I was very impressed on how much cooler they are compared to non-coated.