Been 25 years since I rebuilt engine in my 54. I put Clifford tube headers on at that point. Anyway, read an article in some street rod magazine where they mentioned a trick to keep chrome headers from blueing. Thought it would be worth a try so I did it when I installed them. Factory paint lasted 2 years and headers are still on and haven't been touched since. Covered with surface rust now. I don't at all understand what the deal could be but the tip was to spray white litium lube on inside of header tubes before it was ever fired up. I guess when it heats up, It makes some chemically bonded coating that must lower heat? also used a fine coat of Hi temp silicone sealer on both sides of header gasket. It still lives also. Don't understand the tube treatment , but I am convinced. My experience in the past had been that factory paint was good until engine was started.
