Surface rust on exhaust manifolds

Proposing an opinion that may or may not be popular, but only hoping for conversation.
(Admittedly, I may be “beating a dead horse”---while I was a regular contributor to this thread ten years ago, I admit to having been absent since… Should I be “beating a dead horse,” a link would be appreciated…)
Given my general disinterest in the plethora of restomods in HMM in years of late, the mag has become “bathroom reading.” That said, I recently did a massive, happy, double-take, seeing the surface rust on the exhaust manifolds of the “concourse-restored” ZL-1 Camaro in the HMM issues of Nov and Dec 2023. Something I considered “overdue…”
Your thoughts…

 

I am with you on this subject as it pertains to concourse cars. I am under the impression that concourse means "as it left the factory". To me, by the time a car gets to the dealership the manifolds would be rusty so why wouldn't that be the way we should see them in a concourse car?

 

Why would someone spend money on a concourse car and not ceramic coat the exhaust manifolds. When they rust they look like crap. I would say 99% of concourse cars are over restored so why put up with rust.

 

Welcome back Nicholas!

 

I agree w/your impression but unfortunately some judges don't & I think we all probably suffer from some level of desire for over-restoration. For me that manifests in panel alignment.

To the original point, my old GSX had headers from practically brand new. I received the original exhaust manifolds w/the car & there were definitely traces of black paint still on them. I'd have liked to have saved them but they went with the car when I sold it (as they rightfully should've). It's suprising the factory would bother but based on other things that were done, they did seem concerned w/the cars looking decent at least while they were on the dealership lot.

 

I don't blame anyone for coating them, my comment was meant for a car that is judged.
How can you take points off in a concourse judged event for something that would have been correct from the factory?

 

Thanks for all of the replies; this was the “conversation” I wanted to start, hoping to hear someone on each side… (Thanks, Dano!!!)
I admit, I’m not a “car show guy.” I couldn’t tell factory paint (with a time machine) from a Maaco paint job, from a modern $20,000 paint job. But I can spot “wrong” repro part a mile away. (I am much more impressed by “right” than “pretty;” only a “personal preference.” I acknowledge, not an ethic necessarily “embraced” in car show judging…)
Lightening the mood, in self-deprecating humor…
The only car show I have ever entered was at the Nats in about 2003. I had just finished (to the best of my ability…) my home garage restoration of my ’70, and I wanted to “show it off,” with no expectations whatsoever. It was painted in my backyard and driveway. (Isn’t fenders painted “off the car,” “correct,” LOL!!!???) “Coated” finishes were reproduced with custom mixed layers of color through my airbrush (having a model-building background…) My only disappointment in my “I’m only happy to be here…” presentation was parts store black fuzzy seat covers on the buckets. A taped-on note apologized that seat covers from Legendary remained on back-order. I was only happy that for the first time in almost 20 years of coming to BG I could “show,” with only minimal embarrassment…
I cherish the unexpected plaque for Second Place. Indeed, it was the last year that the GSCA had a specific “70 hardtop” show class, and I was second, out of two cars! (While some folks may have been “scandalized” by my award, the GSCA rectified the situation the next year, replacing the “70 hardtop” class with “70-72…”)
In my (tongue-in-cheek???) “defense,” outside of the issues of the seat covers, (I gather) a “worse-than-factory” paint job, and “paint-for-coating,” my only “demerit” was 1986 NOS, bought from my local dealer, air cleaner foamies, which I (maybe we all???) later learned were of “small block height…”
My exhaust manifolds were, and remain, rusty…
(As they were, when my 4-70 build car was bought new in August ’70, and probably when it left Flint… In my, perhaps “unpopular opinion,” the oft-proffered idea of “built as if everyone did their job perfectly” produces just as much a “modified car” as something on “Overhaulin’” Just my opinion…)
I drove 850 miles each way from Houston, and raced the crap out of the car! More fun than getting a car show plaque! (Should the Official History of the GS Nats put an asterisk next to my win, like a famous baseball record, I would have no complaints… I treasure it, but acknowledge that I placed by the “forfeit” of any other ’70 hardtops that year…)
(Content is shared only for entertainment purposes. The views expressed above should in no way be interpreted as the views of v8Buick.com, its owners, managers, moderators, or affiliates… Nor even many participants…)

 

I'm not even close to a concourse resto guy, but I really like the por15 manifold paint. The color is decent enough for me and seems to hold up well. The manifold needs to be blasted completely bare though.

 

Calyx paste works great and can be re-applied any time wearing a rubber glove. Of course part part under tin shield can’t be reached

 

A lot of vette guys use the Calyx paste for NCRS.

 

Take it or leave it as it pertains to "concourse". I soaked my railhead exhaust manifolds in a solution of 9 parts water to 1 part "feed grade" molasses for about a week, then rinsed, scrubbed with a dish washing bristle brush over the entire surface, rinsed with water, then used a spray bottle of "Ospho" to coat the entire surface of the manifolds to mitigate flash rusting.

I di not let it dry, but after several minutes, I used Prep-all to degrease and when the surface was dry, I used VHT cast iron paint without any primer.

(7) Years later , the manifolds still look like "cast iron". It does change a bit over time, ( a bit golden) but it is very difficult to tell if it is natural or painted.