Jim,

I don't think it was the chrome powder that could not take the heat. I think it was the clear. But then again my XS downpipe was powder coated black and it basically disappeared.

I powder coated all the other brackets in the bay and they are fine.

My only point is I have not had luck with powder and high heat.

Chris

If you want it to look like chrome then why don't you get chrome?

I can't speak for him, but I'll tell ya I would never chrome my parts because a) it's very expensive, and b) it's sooo high maintenance. Chrome will rust like crazy if you don't take care of it very well. Sure, polished items can dull after a while, but you can always just rebuff 'em, right Dave?

basically chrome attracts heat.

It attracts it? How? Or do you mean it retains heat? (ie dissipates less heat)?

my bad I wordered it wrong
it retains heat

Gotcha. I didn't know that. I'd think ANY coating would retain heat to an extent... which is why I don't know if powdercoating or clearcoating/sealing piping and what not is such a good idea? I'd understand doing so to an IC, in which you WANT to retain the temperature inside, and reduce the effect of the hot engine bay temps on the outside. But for parts that get real hot, powdercoating & sealing just seems counter-intuitive to me...

Rami, chrome work does not cost much more than powder coating. At least the place here in Annapolis that does it has good prices compared to the powder coating shop in Elkridge. Secondly Jims car is garage kept from what i understood and i doubt that he will be driving it in the rain much. So I don't see the issues with keeping the chrome clean. It's really not much more than wiping it off once a week or polish it with some semichrome once a month. Not a that big of a deal to be honest. Especially considering the work that has already been put into his car.
I've seen the "chrome" powders from Eastwood on some fd3 parts before. I thought it looked nothing like chrome. It doesn't look bad but it is in no way reflective like chrome. It's more like shiney alluminum. Jim I don't think that there really is a powder that is actually reflective like chrome even though some are advertised as such. You might as well just go with whatever silver they have available.

Chrome is heavy. I know it won't make that much of a diff. If he's just doing a few parts, but if he wants to do do the rear suspension and various engine parts, it adds up. You're adding several layers of heavy metals to the existing parts. Although I'm sure it won't make a difference with Jim's torque-monster V8!

I don't mean this in a negative way, but Fd3Bosst... What's with the stupid clowns? I hate clowns.

So don't use any in your avatar, however this is mine so piss off. :D

Back on topic, I could understand the weight issue but i doubt it's a serious issue. Especially now that Jim has all that V8 muscle. Besides i didn't see him mention trying to save weight.

1. I'm looking for a "polished aluminum" appearance without the maintenance required by polished aluminum. Much of what I'm going to have coated is already polished, but some is not and I don't plan on having it polished first. Some of it is steel. I want a uniform finish on all the parts.

2. Chrome plating does not add a significant amount of weight. If you consider that you're adding layers of metal that are a only few microns thick, you're adding very little weight at all.

3. Chrome doesn't stick to aluminum well and tends to flake.

If you smooth aluminum first then powdercoat it with the chrome or argent silver. you get a very shiny chrome/anodized look. I have some chrome powder on order and will post some pics when i get a few parts done.

I posted above that I have 5 lbs. on the way myself. :)

what clear did you get?

None. The shop that will be coating my parts already has clear.