I received an email from Mike Fennell with some pictures of Lofty’s aluminium coating. I have taken the liberty to post them here. Might be usefull in this discussion.
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And this is the message Mike send me:
Erik : “efr215” commented on Lofty Avis’ “aluminised” exhaust – and here it is !
I re-imported his ’49 FS – the Smokeless Special – from Canada a few years ago. There was a silver coating on the exhaust pipe, just as efr215 describes. It looks for all the world like freshly applied silver paint and I don’t know how much mileage it has seen. Although I have done only a few miles since acquiring it the appearance of the coating has not changed in colour at all, so it can’t be plain old paint obviously.We do know that he did at least 25,000 miles in Canada in the period 1967-70 roughly – unless he had it re-coated in that time it’s an impressive mileage.
There is rust underneath it, as you can see, and some flaking, as well as evidence of welded repairs. I picked off a flake, in the name of scientific research, and although it certainly isn’t paint I am unable to identify it. I don’t doubt the old rust bugs would undermine it all eventually.
I don’t know if “Smokey” Spooner could shed any further light as he was a buddy of Lofty’s at the time.
Regards Mike Fennell
As to my own exhaust, I have send it of to be ceramically coated. This should hold to 1050 degrees C and that should be enough.
I will post a picture in the forum when I get it back.
Cheers,
Erik
