Hooker Sidepipes

Fuelie74

Fuelie74

Well-known member
Joined
May 7, 2008
Messages
767
Location
Monroe, WI
While walking around at the swap meet a couple weeks ago in the pouring rain I found a set of Hooker sidepipes for my Vette. They are very solid and at $100 I thought I had a good buy. Now I need to get them painted and installed which leaves a couple of questions.

1. Where can I get the mounting kit for them? Jegs and Summit says Hooker doesn't list it. Is it the same mount kit that the Factory sidepipes used?

2. Does anyone have a suggestion as to what paint to use on them? I have used high temp paint on headers before with little luck.

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Any paint will eventually burn off. You got them really cheap so paying JetHot for ceramic coating doesn't hurt as bad.... it does hurt if you buy these for $800 and a few months later you realize the paint is coming off....

I saw a local business here in orlando is offering ceramic coating, maybe there's one in your area too, check the yellowpages...

The mounting kit is simple: A bolt welded to a flat piece of steel, they mount to the slots in the frame - less than $10 at HomeDepot and a few minutes welding ... if you don't have a welder PM me your address and I send you these four bolts/mounts.

I have my rocker panels removed and I can take a few photos tonight to show how these mount to the frame.
 
Pictures would be great! I was thinking that they used a rubber isolator like the factory ones did.

I don't really think I want to send them off to get coated because the mufflers are stuck in them really good and I don't want to destroy them and have to buy another set right now. I was also thinking about trying Eastwoods ceramic header paint.
 
I'd do it hardcore, sandblast them and then paint them with some kind of black high heat paint and wrap them in black header wrap, that should look awesome :)

Don't waste your money on the mounting kits, it's just a set of T shaped flat peices with a threaded end welded to them. You can make those yourself if you have a welder but they are a little clumsy to install. Easier would be to get some bolts and nuts and some washers. Cut the sides off the washers so they fit through the frame slots with the bolt through them. Then put on a second washer and thread on a nut to secure it to the frame. This way they never drop into the frame when you are hanging the side tubes. Next a rubber bushing, the side tube, another rubber grommet and a nut (or a washer and a nut)
 
not the best pics but here they are anyways:
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I welded the T-shaped plate to the frame once it was positioned right....you might have to elongate the slot in the frame a little.
 
Here is the number to order the kit from jegs if you didnt want to make up your own 520-65668X
 
For paint, I've used the Eastwood "Stainless Steel" manifold paint on several applications, including headers and cast iron manifolds. I shot the stuff on my Ram Air manifolds on my Judge about 10 years ago, and it still looks new today. If you media blast the surface, the stuff stays on and will not burn off. Eastwood also sells a black manifold paint, but I had that stuff start flaking after a few months on a set of headers - the "stainless steel" coating has a conservative, grey, cast appearance to it, and it looks very good in an engine compartment - no "bling" appearance - just a nice, clean look.

Lars
 
Thanks for the help! I will be ordering the mount kit for sure. I can't mess around for that price.
 
I think you could use 3/8"x1" carriage bolts and some kind of rubber bumper/spacer.
I used VHT spray paint from Autozone on mine and it is very durable. Sand blast to bare metal, and it will bake on real good. And, real easy to touch up once a year or so.
 
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