Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Can I chime in here? I was under the understanding that powder coating would not hold up to any amount of heat. Is there a process that will work on exhaust systems?

I've always used the Eastwood grey cast manifold paint--it's great. You have to glass bead the exhaust manifold to be surgically clean--really sweat the small stuff, then you can brush on the Eastwood product. The finished appearance is a cast iron gray, and it stays that way. After you glass bead the manifold you have to work fast, the bare cast iron will rust back up in a hurry.

Let me just add a little emphasis to Mr. Pushbutton's recommendation for the Eastwood product, properly prepared, the manifolds (and other cast iron parts) will look like original cast, and stay that way for many, many years. It's a terrific product for that purpose.

For engines that originally had porcelainized manifolds, porcelain holds up pretty well on the intakes, but on exhaust is pretty much just for show and if you're restoring a driver, it won't stay pristine very long. A reasonable alternative for them is a thin ceramic coating like Jet-Coat which is available in a semi-gloss black; it doesn't match the original blue/black porcelain but prevents rust, is durable, and at least to me a reasonable alternative.

I've not personally seen an exhaust manifold paint that ever held up that well, but I haven't seen 'em all.

I'd think some sort of modern ceramic coating would last longer, but that gets expensive. JetHot coatings are especially popular in muscle car and hot rod circles, but I'm not sure that's appropriate or necessary for a cast iron manifold.

A product that is popular among Corvette enthusiasts (purists), perhaps due to the nature of its application as much as its color, is Calyx:

calyxmanifold.com/

We have a Studebaker and Avanti which have had the exhaust manifolds jet Hot coated the cost was around $200 in 2003 per set they still look as the day installed. The cars are not daily drivers but cars that are used for cruises and summer cars shows. The coating is applied to inside and outside. They list quite a few colors. We are very satisfied with the look and the way they have held up having been on numerous trips of several hundred miles at highway speeds

Well here it is. Semi-finished. Just need to get the valve cover lettering done and it's finished.

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Fredrickr, Where did u get the paint?????

Owen, is the Jet Coat avilable for home application or does it require a commercial application???

Jet Coat is a commercial operation. My 34 Eight exhaust manifold was done about 5 years ago and if I recall correctly, it was about $300 or thereabouts.

Off topic here, but i went over to bid at auction for 5582-2199 with 114k miles. Bondo special. It went for $2500. So i wasted about $30 worth of gas and 4 hours.

fredrickr -

The first photo looks kinda light, but we know from past experience, here, that is sometimes just a matter of the the camera and lighting. The color in the second pic looks closer.

Are the valve covers still in primer? IIRC, they were originally painted silver (perhaps "Argent Silver", which was used as a trim accent color on GM cars in later years), with red lettering (about the same color as the red in the hex on the wheel covers).

Anyone else have an opinion as to color match?