Anybody around Old enough to remember?

[JTW37]

I have an old set of SBC Hooker Block Hugger Headers to Ceramic coat.
My question is, Do you know what it was coated with originally?
It looked like it has some sort a gloss (but not much), but when I blast it, some comes off and some don't. Kinda like cheap Chrome. But I don't think it is chrome. The headers have an Emblem with Hooker on it welded to the headers. Also the part that mounts against to the head has Mexico stamped in it.

When I blast and after, it has this smell that it puts off. Just can't put my finger on it. Maybe Zinc coated
Thanks, JT

[Powder_Coating_Pros]

Hmmm....That is an oldy. I remember it and I will have to research it.

[CarWiz]

Well, I'm certainly old enough but one thing for sure; they can't be that old. The original Hooker headers weren't made in Mexico. I suspect the coating may be aluminum or a previous ceramic coat. If the coating was zinc, it would turn white around the area of the pipe-to-flange as the zinc would burn off once used. The heat would oxidize the zinc to a white powder. Before some of the ceramic coatings were developed for general use, it was common to find aluminized exhaust parts.

One way to tell for sure would be to heat an area up to a medium red. Aluminum will melt and make small bubbles or you'll see the surface tension move the molten aluminum around. Ceramic will just heat to red with the metal.

[JTW37]

Yeah, knowing that it wasn't quite that old, being from Meheco. But now that you mention it. I think the smell I'm getting is aluminum. I just couldn't get my smeller to connect with the brain. I'll give it the heat test in the morning. Thanks.