is the original down pipe on an 87 stainless steel I tried to clean off all the outer rust but can’t get it to shine I don’t like that ceramic coat painting what’s the best paint for the down pipe ?
POR15 makes a hi temp paint that looks nice and holds up well. It's the best "cheap" option I have found. Sand blast the parts then immediately paint for best results. Otherwise you should go with chrome ceramic coating with high temperature characteristics.
Correct, yes high temp. Stays shinny longer on thicker metals I've noticed. Factory headers stay nice for a while but turn dull eventually. Quicker on high HP cars. Aftermarket headers do very well in general. I did a set for my SBC Corvette about 15 years ago and they still look decent.