As headers age, they can start to look faded and dingy from being in the hot, oily engine bay. In a day or so, though, you can restore headers to look like new by painting them with high temperature header paint. It's designed to withstand the heat generated by the engine bay.
Remove the headers from the car. There will be a number of bolts that fasten the header flanges to the engine's head. Headers may also be fastened to the downpipe or some other portion of the exhaust. Consult your car's shop manual for detailed instructions.
Clean the headers with degreaser to remove any excess dirt, debris and oil. Dry the headers thoroughly.
If the headers have old paint on them, use paint stripper to remove it. Apply the stripper and wait for the paint to bubble, and then scrub or wipe off the old paint. Wear gloves and a respirator.
Remove any rust on the headers with rust remover and a wire brush.
Sand down the headers with 400-grit sandpaper. Start with a rougher grit if the headers have any rough spots that need to be smoothed out.
Clean the headers with mineral spirits and a clean, lint-free rag. Make sure the headers are very clean, because this will promote paint adhesion.
Spray a light dusting of high temperature header primer such as VHT 1500 onto the headers. Let the primer dry for a minute or so and then spray on three to four thick coats, allowing the primer to dry between coats. If you want a smoother finish, wet sand the primer between coats with 220-grit sandpaper.
Dust the headers with a high temperature spray paint like one from VHT. Allow the paint to dry and then spray on three to four heavy coats. Wet sand in between with 220-grit, 400-grit and even as high as 600-grit for a very smooth finish.
Allow the headers to cure overnight. If possible, let them sit in direct sunlight for an afternoon.
Reinstall the headers in the vehicle.
