Manifold colors

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  • October 15, 2015 at 10:25 am #391504
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    Hi everyone.

    I finally received my exhaust manifolds back. Can anyone tell me the correct colors for them. 1929 DC Phaeton. They look like they were two shades of dark grey. Is that the color or did they turn grey from black over the years. The two pieces are different colors. Again, born one color and faded into two or is that correct?

    Thanks for all your help in advance. Rick

    October 15, 2015 at 3:32 pm #400567
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    I believe they would have been black originally. The manifold on my 1934 sedan, my first Pierce and a nice original, was a grayish color, but it was very obviously aging and not the original color.

    So, my opinion is they were both black and have faded differently, due to difference in operating temperatures.

    October 15, 2015 at 9:32 pm #400568
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    Hello Richard,

    1930 and later manifolds were finished in black glossy porcelain. I am thinking that originally the 1929 manifolds, which are a different design, were also porcelainized, but I will let the 1929 guys comment.

    The problem is that porcelain coatings are rather expensive and do not hold up very well with usage of the car. If the car is driven alot, or if the fuel/air mixture or timing is off, the porcelain can begin to crack and flake off discouragingly quickly. If you would like to look into coating options, there is a Feature article in the PAS Website Archive that I put together on manifold coatings.

    Happy Motoring,

    Chris

    October 16, 2015 at 8:22 am #400573
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    Chris, you are correct-early 1929 manifolds are porcelainized too.

    John

    October 16, 2015 at 2:46 pm #400576
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    Thanks guys,

    My crew and I looked closely at the manifolds and agree they were porcelainized. Infact, most of it is still there and in good shape. Unfortunately, it was ruined becase of several cracks that needed to be welded. The manifolds will be reporcelainized again. My problem is the true color. They TRULY look like they were two shades of grey. Or at least one grey and one black.

    Anyone out there has an original 29 with manifolds that survived? What color are they?

    Thanks, Rick

    October 16, 2015 at 2:46 pm #400577
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    1

    October 16, 2015 at 2:47 pm #400578
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    3

    October 16, 2015 at 5:21 pm #400579
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    Richard, I understand the concern, and also know that it’s possible to overthink things to a certain degree.

    Get them porcelainized black, and there’ll be no need to look back.

    Any gray color you’re seeing is 75 years of discoloration, and the intake and exhaust discolor differently due to temperatures they are subjected to…intake maybe 200, exhaust 600 degrees or more.

    I have no belief whatsoever that the Pierce engineers debated what shades of gray to make the manifolds…make them black and move on!

    October 17, 2015 at 10:33 am #400581
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    Rick,

    If the porcelain coating is very expensive, you may wish to consider a process called Jet-Hot Coating (Jet-Hot.com).

    I did my exhaust header a few years back and it remains fine.

    The cost was reasonable and you can read about the process and outcomes online.

    Also, the color offerings are wide, so black will not be a problem.

    Just FYI.

    Peter

    October 17, 2015 at 2:56 pm #400582
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    Thanks Dr Pete, as usual. ;)

    I went with the original black plot for the engine instead of green. If correct, I would like to go with the grey finish on the manifold to give some contrast, along with the chrome against the black.

    Rick

    P.S. Dr Pete. The bezels came back from the chromers. Super awesome!!!! ;)

    October 18, 2015 at 2:55 am #400587
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    Richard,

    All porcelain manifolds of the 20’s and 30’s were black except Duesenberg. As the black manifolds aged they often turned various shades of a grainy grey.

    Steve

    October 18, 2015 at 3:55 am #400588
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    Thanks steve. That is what I needed to know. :)

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