Topic: Clear Coating Exhaust for a Driver

[Bob Zink]

Is it a good idea to clear coat the exhaust system?  What about the hanger brackets and clamps, etc?  I bought the AMK clamps and hardware kit. 

Thanks. 

[carlite65]

i would not recommend doing that. most likely will burn off and/or discolor. i have an aluminized system on my 65 that i installed back in the early 90's. still looks great today.

[67gtasanjose]

Is it a good idea to clear coat the exhaust system?  What about the hanger brackets and clamps, etc? I bought the AMK clamps and hardware kit. 

Thanks.

Scott Fuller Reproductions has recently posted images of Reproduction assemblyline correct PROTOTYPE Resonator Hangers and has also produced a very nice set of rear hangers. Prices are very reasonable when comparing to anything NOS (or good, usable used) you might find out there. He does great work if you have not yet heard of his products, well worth the visit to his website.

[Bob Gaines]

Is it a good idea to clear coat the exhaust system?  What about the hanger brackets and clamps, etc?  I bought the AMK clamps and hardware kit. 

Thanks.

The VHT high temp clear coat will help some but will not be a long term answer. It can remain a little tacky until it is exposed to a heat cycle on the exhaust . If you want it to remain nice on the outside you will have to do constant maintenance on a bare steel pipe system. The exhaust typically rusts from the inside out. I have never heard of anything that can be done on the inside. When the treated surface starts to show rust on the outside you will have to use some lacquer thinner to strip the area ,treat with rust remover and then re apply clear coat. How soon will depend on the conditions the pipes are exposed to. The same with the clamps and hangers . You can also add some T9 Boe Shield as a top coat over the clear coat which will help keep the rust down too on the clamps and hangers. T9 on the exhaust will have a tendency to turn the metal very dark. That T9  use directly on the pipe is best left for show cars with limited running of the engine.  The best is the aluminized exhaust then you just have to deal with the clamps and hangers. The resonators and transverse muffler were originally aluminized from the factory . The pipe was bare carbon steel and will start to rust when exposed to moisture. FYI Scott Fullers clamps and hardware are more historical correct in detail then the AMK stuff.

[Bob Gaines]

The blunt end resonators on the economy exhaust is a dead give away and of course the steel pipe will rust. Next time find some original resonators and have your muffler shop weld up some aluminized pipe to the resonators and you will not have to deal with the maintenance so much. That is what I do on a driver car so I have a more historically correct looking exhaust without the expense of the exact duplicate Fuller exhaust.

[Bob Zink]

When installing a full transverse exhaust system, does anyone know the proper sequence to tighten up the connections to:

h pipe to manifolds
h pipe to resonators
resonators to hangers
resonators to muffler
tail pipes to muffler
shelby gt350 reducers to plenum
69 shelby plenum to body of car

Do you start at the rear of car and move forward or vice versa?  I assume you install everything loose to start, then adjust as needed, then tighten. 

Any tips are appreciated.  Thanks. 

[67gtasanjose]

My comments are based on being a professional pipe-bender and making custom exhaust systems, NOT based on experience from doing a 69-70 Shelby, so please confirm a response from those who have done those cars personally and take their advise possibly alongside of mine. You could actually go either direction(front to rear or rear to front) but I would start at the front if it were me.

Reproduction systems often have "clearance issues" needing to potentially take everything or portions apart, sometimes several times. Depending on the quality of what you purchased, some items may need re-bent at a local muffler shop. There is no "best" way to foresee what kind of issues you might experience.

That being said, it would be best to NOT CLAMP down anywhere until everything fits correctly.  Sometimes you might need to slip a joint further in or leave is only half way in to obtain a longer reach (or vice-versa) This could be an all-day event even.

Going with the design of the Mustang dual exhaust system you pictured earlier, I would do this on lift if at all possible. Two people would help to minimize banging and clanging. First, I'd do the H-pipe snugged up enough to be capable of minor movement, second one resonator pipe, third a muffler and somebody holding it up on the loose side, fourth the other resonator pipe and then the tailpipes. Now as far as the Shelby unique parts, I would assume (having NOT done the center port system) I would say that the crossover ought to already be in place, hanging on the before discussed "studs" and probably best without the rear valance yet bolted in. Again, that is my first guess at a good approach to connecting the tailpipes. I would think after having all of the pipes fitting good and loosly clamped at this point to fit the rear valance in.

Two things are always true about muffler work. 1.) you cannot "unbend" a pipe and 2.) you cannot "unclamp" a pipe either.

Richard