Making more work for myself. Coronarvirus fettling jobs 2020

So the rebuild continues, becoming more extensive what with the enforced shutdown... So I decided I would renovate my scruffy exhaust downpipes. No stainless aftermarket here, original pipes, surprisingly sturdy tho considering age and materials. Flexis were pretty tired tho, and pipe was scabby with rust. As can be seen here.

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Not the whole system and had already started with the wire brush but you get the gist. Mid flexi in particular was goosed, concertina pipe had started 'laminating' with heavy corrosion. Front one was better but had lost some mesh.

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Anyway, much wire brushing, flapwheeling, polishing, doing it again, front pipe was quite clean, mid pipe section was deeply pitted and took a lot of work and I still wasn't completely pleased with it.

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Flexis getting welded on.
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Seems a lot of work I know but I've spanked away a few grand on this car and it's been off the road for 2yrs. Much as I coveted the stainless downpipes I could never justify spanking more money on them. Maybe next year..
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Yes, my welding is terrible. I wasn't familiar with the rig I used, totally different to what I use. That's my excuse.

Pipes welded together ready for the next stage.

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Painting all the hardpipes with vht flameproof, meant to be a silica ceramic coating. I went for cast iron colour tho that won't be so relevant as will become clear.

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Not my workshop by the way, I wish. Couldn't read the instructions on the can so I looked online, exhaust required heat cycling, within 7 days. Ffs.. So as the car was unlikely to be started in that time it was warmed thru with an oxyacetylene torch, not to absolute recommended temps but close enough.

The heat shielding was in poor condition, mostly rotted away under the corroded mild steel bands that had secured it. So the plan was to heat wrap the pipes and maybe fasten some shielding over the top.

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Caution. That heat wrap makes you itch like hell. And the centre section is a pita to wrap. Used strips over the hard to wrap parts then went over them whilst binding it up. Finished, for now.

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So, it ain't stainless. But it was 21pound for two flexis, 20 for paint, tenner for the wrap. Pretty pleased overall. And now to stop faffing and finish the engine /bat

just thought i would make the point that if the down pipe is not stainless steel then using exhaust wrap will cause the exhaust to rust quicker as it will get wet, dry out, get wet, dry out, get wet. you get the picture.
i stripped my original down pipe and cover with exhaust wrap including the flex sections and within about 6 months both flex sections were rotted through.

I had heard of that being a problem, hence rubbing it back and ceramic coating it, hopeful that the paint coating will protect it from the rain. Will find out one way or the other huh