Question for welders out there/Welding Chrome

[jyck]

So, to sum up a previous thread:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=177252

One of the pipes does not seat all the way in the 4 to 1 manifold. There's a 1/16" gap. It is what it is. I'm getting some popping and some exhaust leak and want to take care of this, but the pipe is chrome. I also want to tack all the pipes so I don't have to wrestle individual pipes every time I change the oil.

I've taken welding classes at the local community college, so I'm somewhat proficient in OA, MIG & TIG, but I wanted to get some of your opinions.

This is the plan:

1. Remove exhaust and wire wheel the chrome plating at the fittings to remove the plating.
2. Re-install the exhaust and tack it with a MIG.
3. Remove exhaust as one piece and TIG the fittings to the manifold.

My questions are:

1. Is there a better/easier way to do this? Brazing?
2. I assume its going to look pretty nasty afterwards, so should I just paint it black when finished? Or is there a way to make it pretty again?

[chuck hahn]

See myn thread project frankenpipe...Do as you were planning. CVut the mufflers off the headerrs and mount the headers normally and tighten the exhaust bolts as normal.. Then habg the muflers on the bolts and pivot them up so you can mark here to make the "finish cuts. The 1/16 gapm is actually a good thing cuz it allows thebead to fully penetrate. You dontneed to remove any chrome...fit them together and weld them all the way around. Mig is the way to go if it can be turned down enough to control the heat properly.

[jyck]

Thanks, Chuck. I was under the impression that welding straight on chrome has some ill fume effects?

[chuck hahn]

Soon as my eye quits twitching and i stop hacking up silver mucus i will get back with you on the toxicity of the fumes....LOL

[chuck hahn]

As for the pretty again part...only thing thats gonna replace the chrome is to have them rechromed..The best you can do is get some aluminum or chrome colored high temp header piant and brush some on just to cover the new welds..