mstieg Posted March 2, 2008 Report Share Posted March 2, 2008 I'm looking to have my new alum. intake and 2.5" hardpipes protected against the elements. Options: Chromed: looks to be about $800 for that....rediculous $$ Powdercoated: ???? (you guys tell me what's a fair price) Polished: would look great, but would it be protected from rust on the pipes, or corrosion on the intake? --Could I get em all polished then clearcoated? Best bet for the $$ in your opinion?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emagdnim Posted March 2, 2008 Report Share Posted March 2, 2008 Swain tech coat them. It's the hotness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emagdnim Posted March 2, 2008 Report Share Posted March 2, 2008 http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/5269/dsc00230kg6.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Posted March 2, 2008 Report Share Posted March 2, 2008 Powdercoat is (depending on region) about $60 for an intake and problaby $30 per pipe. This is for a good shop and assuming they need to be cleaned and blasted. You can get it done for less, but you will get what you pay for. If you have an air compresor and an old used oven (you can find them for free all the time) you can powdercoat it yoruself. A DIY setup is about $200, powder is cheap and goes a long way. Powder is 3-5 times harder than paint and thus better. Chorme can corrode if it's not put on real thick, and most places put it on thin to save $$. If you are in an area where everything rusts/corrodes easily, it will be a factor. I'm not far from Portland, we have a lot of specalized industry here and crome is way cheaper than some places. You could probalby sent it out and have it done for less. It's more easily scracthed than powercat, but nothing shines like crome. Lots of "chap places" do "cheap chrome" so it's deffinatly "buyer-beware". cermaic is similar to powercoat in it's surface durrability, but it's more stable at very high temps and typicaly goes on thicker. Not really nessesary on an intake/Pipe setup, but will probalby last longer (becase it's thicker). It also costs more and has fewer color choices. given the cost of what you have, it's somethign you want to get right the first time. These finnishes are all nerly impossible to remove if you want to do anything different to the intake. Thsee finnishes are also very difficult to repair if it gets damaged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstieg Posted March 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2008 I'm half wondering if it wouldn't be easier to just polish these up nice & shiny and find something to clearcoat them?? I did this with my *DM hardpipes and the clearcoat lasted about 2 years before it started to see a few oxidizing spots throughout by way of chips and tiny pits in the clearcoat. This included full year round driving however. I could just paint a few coats on the hardpipes that will be under the front panel since they won't be seen. Of course that won't be as durable, but it's a weekend warrior now and shouldn't see much moisture and no salt in FL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truth Posted March 3, 2008 Report Share Posted March 3, 2008 you'd have to keep polishing them for them to still look good. i'd go with some wheel paint. mine has held up for awhile now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstieg Posted March 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2008 That's a good call. Is there a decent wheel clear coat that wouldn't be a buzzkill on a nice polish? Where and how much for that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstieg Posted March 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 bump on the polish & clearcoat option. thoughts? or clearcoat suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetexan88 Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 If you end up wanting them powder coated please let me know. Thanks, David Springer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88TSI_Rob Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 I would probably polish the intake and PC the pipes. I have aluminum pipes on mine car that were polished and they still look great 3 years later. I just put a dab of Mothers polish on them and do a quick rub down after every car wash. It takes all of 5 min and they shine like chrome. No corrosion issues what so ever. I also had some parts powder coated recently and it really is worth the extra $ over paint. You can't go wrong either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie_Rich Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 What about anodizing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 Annodizing will cause the welds to appear blackish, regardless of color selected. I use 4043 filler, it's the most stable (strongest) of the AU fillers, but the added silicon content reacts with annodizing, this is a close relitive to a forged piston alloy. It would be fine to annodize if I used marine grade 5353, but that isn't as strong and I don't use it. It'd not weak, just less strong than 4043. Even 5353 will appear slightly different, it's a chemical reaction afterall. The base metal of the intake is 6061. This is info I have read, I've not personaly done an annodized piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minagera Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 Powder Coating the pipes FTMFW. However all exhaust should have ceramic, because it is sexy for one, and that whole heat, efficiency, turbo, thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kenmarrow Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 Here check theses guys out...they do a good job and the aluminum ceramic does good, I have had my intake and headers done by them. www.airborncoatings.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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