Rechroming for a grand?

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Thu May 14, 2009 7:49 pm

Would it be worth it to rechrome your pipes for a grand? The promise is they would be as good as NOS as long as there are no soft spots or worn through sections.

EMS · Post by **EMS** » Thu May 14, 2009 8:54 pm

Tough call. Most exhausts rust from inside out. What if you don't see anything yet, but it has started already..???

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Thu May 14, 2009 9:32 pm

Here is a part of an email regarding this,

..."Yes it will screw up the tanks if they are not prepped properly, we send the pipes out to be de-carbonized first, then we plate them like they are new material. My only concern would be if they have any serious corrosion spots that might "fall apart" in stripping or polishing. Anyway we can do them, not cheap though, complete CBX system about $1000-$1200."

I suppose this de-carbonizing process is when they'd truly find out if they would be worth doing.

alimey4u2 · Post by **alimey4u2** » Fri May 15, 2009 5:28 am

I think you will find Terry that some metal is lost in the preparation. If the metal is paper thin in places it will come through....

Phil · Post by **Phil** » Fri May 15, 2009 8:10 pm

Wondering how they decarbon them, chemically or abrasive blasting ?

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Fri May 15, 2009 9:34 pm

alimey4u2 wrote:I think you will find Terry that some metal is lost in the preparation. If the metal is paper thin in places it will come through....

Oh I understand completely. As a kid I worked in a muffler shop and remember mechanics using large waterpump type pliers and squeezing pipes with them trying to find weak spots to see if they were worth using. One of my single header pieces on the 79 has a weak spot near the bottom end, well, not actually a weak spot but more like a small section that's not there anymore!

Of course I haven't used the pliers test on my 30 year old pipes and I've already had SS patches welded in place underneath on one side right in front of the can. (Maybe) its the idea of having to spend a couple thousand dollars, or even a grand to have shiny pipes that's just too much for me to stomach.

EMS · Post by **EMS** » Sat May 16, 2009 11:16 am

But for $1,000-1,200, Terry, you are almost at the $1,500 for a set of the new replacements from Delkevic, which may be a much better alternative.
Especially, if you are talking about your 79 and don't need a crossover exhaust.

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Sun May 17, 2009 12:16 am

That $1,500 is really only $170 away from $2,000 considering they're actually $1,595+$275 S&H=$1,870

EMS · Post by **EMS** » Sun May 17, 2009 12:13 pm

I thought there was a discount for ICOA members??

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Sun May 17, 2009 1:46 pm

Maybe so, I recall a 20% discount for UK members. Still, they would be over $1,500. Maybe I'll dig out my DG/Kerker 6 into 1 and shine em up! Sounds great but one side looks nekkid w/o a pipe.