Question on SLP optional center outlet exhaust

**Firebirdjones** · 01-14-2007, 12:05 PM

Anyone know what type of factory finish these aluminum exhaust tips had?
Were they painted black? Were they simply bare aluminum?
I would like to refinish mine, as they look a little weathered, and may remove them to sandblast them if a bare finish is required.
Thanks, Larry.

**kev70ss** · 01-14-2007, 12:32 PM

I believe they are just bare aluminum. Mine doesnt have any paint

**9t8z28** · 01-14-2007, 12:40 PM

Don't sand blast. Use media blast.

**Firebirdjones** · 01-14-2007, 12:45 PM

Yes mine appears to be bare as well.
LOL, I didn't plan on using sand, just said that for those not familiar with other processes, I will probably use walnut shells. Larry.

**1 FMF** · 01-14-2007, 06:01 PM

the tips, the part that you see, of the center mount (CME) exhaust on the 2002 SS's are just a polished bare aluminum finish. If you don't keep them clean and maintain them, they'll pit and turn black and nasty from the exhaust. While it's p.i,t.a to keep them clean, the good thing is it's easy to refinish the most neglected aluminum. All you do is wet sand and use a good aluminum/mag polish. No need to sand/media blast. Start off with a coarse to medium grade emery cloth, whatever will work at sanding down the aluminum to remove the oxidation and pitting there is. Then work your way up in grit, with a final wetsand paper around 1500-2000 grit. Then just rub out with a good aluminum polish and it'll look as good as chrome from a distance. You can find the high-grit wetsand paper and emery cloth at auto stores, mostly the ones that carry a lot of detailing and paint products and usually napa stores.

**mystic-z** · 01-14-2007, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by 1 FMF

the tips, the part that you see, of the center mount (CME) exhaust on the 2002 SS's are just a polished bare aluminum finish. If you don't keep them clean and maintain them, they'll pit and turn black and nasty from the exhaust. While it's p.i,t.a to keep them clean, the good thing is it's easy to refinish the most neglected aluminum. All you do is wet sand and use a good aluminum/mag polish. No need to sand/media blast. Start off with a coarse to medium grade emery cloth, whatever will work at sanding down the aluminum to remove the oxidation and pitting there is. Then work your way up in grit, with a final wetsand paper around 1500-2000 grit. Then just rub out with a good aluminum polish and it'll look as good as chrome from a distance. You can find the high-grit wetsand paper and emery cloth at auto stores, mostly the ones that carry a lot of detailing and paint products and usually napa stores.

Good Post! Great Info!

**Firebirdjones** · 01-15-2007, 08:33 AM

Awsome, I was not aware they had a polished finish from the factory, I thought they were more of a bare aluminum (rough cast) type of finish.
This helps a great deal, changes my approach entirely. Thanks, Larry.

**1 FMF** · 01-15-2007, 07:42 PM

here's some pics I took when I got my 2002, this is brand new with 17 miles on it from the dealership to home.
What I did with mine, since my car is black, is use black rustoleum and painted the inlets on the sides to the CME piece and the exhaust piping into the CME, both of which are visible from the rear. So all you see really is the shine of the polished tips. The rest of the CME is a cast aluminum and is rough, and will oxidize and darken. These pics are from a crappy camera at the time. I get a chance I'll take some good pics with my S2IS.
Another thing you may want to use is a sanding block that you can wrap sanding paper or emery cloth onto. That way you can sand the tips down flat and even, and it's easier on your fingers and makes it easier to sand out any pitting. Then just use the paper in your hand to get the curved surface around the lip, there you just want it clean because there is no direct line of sight to it so you'll never see imperfections. For economy you may want to maybe buy a package of painter's type cotton rags to use with the metal polish, because it'll turn whatever you use black, and you'll go through a lot of rags. What also works well is a dremel with the cotton buffing pad, but expect to use at least 3 per tip. They don't last long.

**1 FMF** · 01-15-2007, 07:53 PM

**Firebirdjones** · 01-16-2007, 03:50 AM

Oh I see, only the lip is polished, I was thinking you meant the whole thing.
I may blast mine first anyway to clean the body, and then polish the tips afterwards then. Thanks, the pics helped a bunch, Larry.

**barnat** · 02-13-2007, 05:39 AM

What i just did , and yes pics soon! is i cleaned and metal preped my CME and painted every thing but the LIPS with that por 20 brilant aluminum color which looks like ceramic coating and the por is like rated to 1200deg which i know is overkill, b.ut has chip resistence and salt resistence produts built into it.Then wet sanded the lips with 600 then 1500 then 2000 then polished with Semi chrome to give the lips that chrome look.It turned out really nice!

**WARP211** · 02-23-2007, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

Anyone know what type of factory finish these aluminum exhaust tips had?
Were they painted black? Were they simply bare aluminum?
I would like to refinish mine, as they look a little weathered, and may remove them to sandblast them if a bare finish is required.
Thanks, Larry.

By switching to the center mount exhust.. do you get anymore hp with that setup vs.. the regular dual exhust.??

**9t8z28** · 02-23-2007, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by WARP211

By switching to the center mount exhust.. do you get anymore hp with that setup vs.. the regular dual exhust.??

If anything, you loose horsepower with the CME. Nothing that you would notice though, to me, I would rather the look of the CME over a minisquel horsepower increase.

**Firebirdjones** · 02-23-2007, 10:23 AM

There is no HP advantage, it was more of an appearance package, but with it,,,you also got the SLP muffler, and SLP 3 inch intermediate pipe.
I should say at least that is how mine is equipped. Now there is a claim of 10 HP increase from SLP with this optional system which is why the SS cars with this system were rated at 335 HP instead of the usual 325 HP,,,but the increase was not due to the center outlet tips,,,it's more of a result of the muffler and intermediate piping. Larry.

**WARP211** · 02-23-2007, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

There is no HP advantage, it was more of an appearance package, but with it,,,you also got the SLP muffler, and SLP 3 inch intermediate pipe.
I should say at least that is how mine is equipped. Now there is a claim of 10 HP increase from SLP with this optional system which is why the SS cars with this system were rated at 335 HP instead of the usual 325 HP,,,but the increase was not due to the center outlet tips,,,it's more of a result of the muffler and intermediate piping. Larry.

very well spoken larry.. thanks for your input.. i have the same setup with a slp muffler and the 3" tubing..