My Eldorado came from the US with new MAC fishtails on it, but one had peeling chrome where I reckon some battery acid had dribbled. I decided to change the exhaust for an original cigar set up and went stainless, from Armour’s.
Now with my Ambassador nearing completion, I decided to get the duff fishtail re plated and use them on my non standard bike.
A quote of £312 without postage for one silencer, albeit the most expensive quote (the others £225 +vat and £140 + vat, both + postage) has made me decide to scrap that plan! (I know the chromng would be superior, but…)
I could buy a new set and have them shipped from America for that price! The chroming industry must be on its knees in this country, with the new regulations.
I now think I will buy a set of cheap reverse cone silencers, which just leaves the manky, pitted down pipes. Do I revert to tape, just paint them black and live with them, or invest in new ones?
S&T in Yate will do exhausts…they have specific tanks for them = http://stchrome.co.uk/our-services/
Good quality work but at a price - but good chrome is never cheap.
Yes - back in the dawn of time when I wanted some Bantam bits doing including silencer the local guy told me that too, but he could arrange it so that he could do it when the solution was near the end of its useful life anyway, so would be its last job before being chucked.
I don’t need show chrome, but when I can buy a pair of reverse cone silencers far cheaper than fixing one of my fishtails (even at the cheapest chromer) it makes it a no brainer - even if I’d prefer to use the fishtails.
Most of the companies I tried stated that they would replate exhausts. They have been knobbled by regulations.
If there were some sort of coating I could use I would do it myself. My bike will be no show queen. Back in the day it would be a coat of HT black, that would look awful after a week or two.
Any ideas for DIY coatings for the downpipes and silencers?
Top link, camcoat saved to favourites thank you!
Thankfully I have managed to forget how much I paid in London for some downpipes to be coated - a moment of madness
I have a pair of really old Busso exhausts, they had been sprayed each year with matt black VHT paint and lasted for years until first the baffles rotted and fell out then finally they rotted from the inside out. Maybe a bit too “rat bike” for you?
Maybe the rat look will have to do Chris. Finances for motorcycle building are a tad low at present, I decided to take the missus on holiday to Italy for her 60th!
Right. I have been looking on t’ web and seen VHT ceramic spray paint and it seems to behave itself. (The last time I painted an exhaust was when I was probably 30 years ago)
Next, more questions.
The chrome has peeled in one area but is otherwise good. The peeled part is on the inside of the ns fishtail.
Do you think I could coat just that area successfully if I cleaned it up?
The bare patch can’t be seen unless you are on hands and knees. Would it cover the patch and the edge of the chrome without coming of?
Is there such a thing as a filler that will withstand heat that can be sanded?
Can chrome be painted upon?
