[DML] Re: Another "header" post (long)

["James" <james@xxxxxxxxxx>]

The coating quality was part of the supply issue. When we first
started the performance engine program, all the exhausts were mild
steel and just painted with a high temp black paint. We even did the
first several stand-alone exhaust systems we sold this same way.

Later on, as a "value-added" service, we began to have the exhausts
coated by a local supplier. We didn't change the price, we just
thought it looked nicer and made less money on them as we were trying
to grow the market for the exhaust.

Within six months after this change, we began to notice they were
rusting, much to our surprise. We met with the coater and they offered
to re-do any that had bad coating. After two or three, they began to
say that we must be exceeding the temperature limits of this coating
and recommended that we switch to a black ceramic coating, which we
did. We were less happy with the appearance, but still wanted the
protection. The black was supposed to be good up to about 1500
degrees, IIRC.

After a few months of this, we began to see even the black ones
rusting. More back and forth with the coater, and we sent a set of the
rusting coated exhausts to Jet Hot in Mississippi for evaluation. Tehy
indicated that the problem was a combination of poor surface
preparation on the part of the local coating company and possibly
sub-standard coating materials used.

We've now heard through the grapevine here in town that many other
customers of this coating company are experiencing the same problems
with the coating. It's believed that by the time all their customers
are through with them, both with legal action and the bad word of
mouth, they will be out of business.

We looked into having them made from stainless, and weren't able to
come up with the right combination of cost vs quantity required (with
tooling) to make the numbers work. Note that the pipes of our headers
are equal length, something that the UK SS exhaust does not have the
last time I saw photos of it.

So we're back to having them made here locally as before (actually
soon to be in-house) and having them coated by Jet Hot. We're still
looking at having our own muffler made to keep a similar exhaust note
to what we have now, just a bit quieter. 

In any case, the new Jet Hot coated exhausts will be available in some
quantities later this month/early next at the same $1495 price. Two
headers, two cats, muffler and tips.

Aaron, now that your car is no longer your daily, let me know if you
want it re-coated and I will arrange to have it done by Jet Hot for
you, as well as replace your broken brackets.

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.

Regards,

James Espey

------------------------------------
DeLorean Motor Company
Vice President
james@xxxxxxxxxxxx
15023 Eddie Drive
Humble, Texas 77396 USA
tel: 800/872-3621
tel2:281/441-2537
fax: 281/441-2813
http://www.delorean.com
------------------------------------

--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "aaron_t_graham" <aaron_t_graham@xxxx>
wrote:
(SNIP) 
> James may want to respond to this -- I believe they were working on
> getting a better coating (maybe this was the supply issue?) so it may
> not be as big a problem as it was 2 years ago.  Still, it's just a
> coating.
> 
> Another thing about the exhaust that I don't like is that it's just
> too loud. 








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