Header wrap

[baddawgcustoms]

I will start by saying my intentions were to coat my headers in black, but for the sake of two small children running around in my garage, I've decided to use black header wrap. Again not my first choice, but actually may look ok with my style of build. I've never used the stuff before, so I'm just looking for advice on prepping the headers or any tricks to doing it correctly. Any experience with it is more than I have. Thanks.

 

[Mike]

Be aware that wrap is very hard on headers. You'll burn through some primary tubes in the first 2-3 seasons. It is extremely effective at holding in heat, but for a street car, it is too effective. If you absolutely must wrap, just be sure everything is squeaky-clean and that you use rubber gloves after cleaning, as the oil from your skin will create hot spots.

 

[fletcherson]

I will start by saying my intentions were to coat my headers in black, but for the sake of two small children running around in my garage, I've decided to use black header wrap. Again not my first choice, but actually may look ok with my style of build. I've never used the stuff before, so I'm just looking for advice on prepping the headers or any tricks to doing it correctly. Any experience with it is more than I have. Thanks.

View attachment 10728

Maybe you can just put header wrap on the kids! Lol Just kidding! I am glad you asked because I was thinking about using some too. I didn't realize it would damage the pipes. I never used it on a street car either.

 

[baddawgcustoms]

Maybe you can just put header wrap on the kids! Lol Just kidding! I am glad you asked because I was thinking about using some too. I didn't realize it would damage the pipes. I never used it on a street car either.

I have a boy just over 2 and one that is 7 months. 3 others that are grown! These headers are so exposed on these cars I just can't stand the thought of either one of them getting into them, so I would rather replace the headers than take a chance. They are the $189 speedway lowboys headers, so replacing them is cheap compared to rubbing in burn cream. I've taken off a few layers of skin on my Harley pipes too many times. I'll replace them with pretty chrome ones when the kids get bigger!

 

[Wyo George]

A few tips I learned over the years:

~ Soak your wrap in water for an hour or so before installing. This will make the wrap easier to install plus it makes for less loose fibers that will make you itch.

~ Wear rubber gloves, your hands will thank you later.

~ You can start at the head and go down and this is what most wrap companies will instruct. I however, have learned that on motorcycles if I start at the back and work forward then the shoulder where the wrap overlaps will face the rear and stay cleaner. When I wrapped a bike from the front to the back the wrap got nasty a lot quicker since the overlap "shoulder" faced into the wind and collected road grime a lot worse. Since your pipes are exposed on the T then the same thought may apply. Again, this is preference and I've done it both ways.

~ Keep the wrap just as tight as possible; loose wrap will look like crap and start coming apart in short order.

 

[fletcherson]

I have a boy just over 2 and one that is 7 months. 3 others that are grown! These headers are so exposed on these cars I just can't stand the thought of either one of them getting into them, so I would rather replace the headers than take a chance. They are the $189 speedway lowboys headers, so replacing them is cheap compared to rubbing in burn cream. I've taken off a few layers of skin on my Harley pipes too many times. I'll replace them with pretty chrome ones when the kids get bigger!

It will give you a good excuse to upgrade later if you want anyways! I always hate replacing stuff that's still good. It's not that I can't afford it, I just hate wasting stuff. That's one reason I have so many goodies stashed in the barn. Leftovers from other builds, etc when we had a shop going. I understand too well about medical bills, that's no joke. Keep em safe!

 

[Screaming Metal]

Well, all my scars from the zoomies, I have 7 on my legs, 3 on my left, 4 on my right, 2 on my left forearm (actually more than that, I just kept burning the same place over and over)....caught my pants on fire about 5 times....3 I just smoldered for awhile, before I actually got hit by the fire extingusher....I know about burns.

As a professional, wrapping is wise around little ones. What Mike Said! Rubber Gloves! And wrap from the free end, that way the spoils of dirt or oil won't try to slide Under the Edge. of the wrap.
Theres a certain way you prep the pipes....clean, clean, clean. The best thing if your gonna wrap yours, get the steel pipes, no chrome, paint VHT on them.
Make sure all the VHT in on there, and none of it is scratched off before.
Theres a spray that you can get, it helps limber the wrapping and is a pre-treatment. Wrap it good and tight, from the collector to the headpipes. Take your time and get the spacing uniform. Whenever you order your wrap kit, make sure you get the wide stainless ties.
After the wrap job, there is a spray thats meant to top the wrapping to make it durable. Put a good coating on and let it dry good. I normally put 2 coats, just to be sure.
Plus, theres all kinds of diff. colors for the wrappings now....

The wrapping will hold in the heat, and pratically burn thin headers up alive....so get heavier headers if you can. Plan accordingly....

 

[Screaming Metal]

I get the headers right after wrapping, I have a 18" long piece of broomstick with about 6 Pr. of old socks wrapped around one end. I fire up the oven and stick them in there for about 200 degrees for a hour, then when they come out, I shove the end of my broomshick into a old milk bucketthat I throw old grease in....lube up those socks, and shove them into the open pipes. I have actually done it up on my workbench, shove a rosebud up in the pipes, get it hot evenly....and go to work with the grease.
Be careful not to screw up the pretty wrap job....
This actually coats the inside of the header pipes to about the 2nd bend with cooked / fried grease....it actually acts like a porcelan to help save the pipes, for awhile....

 

[Screaming Metal]

Oh Yes...had to sleep for a while....hahaha. Wrap all the way to where your collector connects to your muffler extension. Fab up a guard over the mufflers, heatshields off of the old diesel stacks can be had cheap. Or, what I do, Is get some thin SS tubing, split it lengthwise. If you wanna be supercool, buy a piece from a machine shop, have them skipsplit it (leaving it stall attached at several points)
Have them throw it up in their plasma w a 3rd axis for pipe, and have them cut out your name, name of the car, some cool, a ratfink design, whatever....make it yours.
If your into more mundane and less costly alternatives, they have strainer tubing, which is tubing in select sizes with perforated holes already in them. Buy a section of that and split it. Skys the limit here, get as fancy or as simple as you want....
Then, MIG a set of 4 or 6 nuts to the muffler extension for attachments, drill holes in your shield, make your spacers to stand off 1/2 to 7/8s", done deal....