Zircotec offers discount on ZircoFlex at Classic Motor Show
Classic car owners and enthusiasts attending the Classic Motor Show at the Birmingham NEC will have the opportunity to hear about the dramatic heat reduction properties of Zircotec’s new ceramic coating, ZircoFlex, and will even be able to buy the new coating at a discounted show price by visiting the Zircotec stand. On sale for the first time at a motor show, the new lightweight heat shield is thought to be the first of its kind and has been proven to reduce surface temperatures by up to 64 per cent. The firm will be offering a price of £70 (inclusive of VAT) per sheet to visitors throughout the three-day show, representing a discount of more than 20 percent compared to its standard pricing.
“ZircoFlex offers a robust and durable solution for the thermal protection of vital engine and electrical components and can be easily applied to all types of classic road and race car,” explains sales and marketing director, Peter Whyman. “It also offers performance and efficiency gains while helping to prevent unnecessary damage from overheating and protecting occupants from exposure to extreme heat.”
Typical applications for ZircoFlex include protection of engine bay components, reduction of heat soak through footwells, bulkheads and transmission tunnels, as well as bodywork, fuel tanks, electrical systems and batteries. Lightweight at only 460g/m2 and only 0.25mm thick, it is supplied as a roll of thin aluminium-backed foil and can be cut and installed by hand or machine, and fixed in place using mechanical fasteners or high temperature adhesives.
Zircotec’s plasma-sprayed ThermoHold based coatings are already widely used among classic road and race car owners and have proved a popular choice among HSCC Historic Roads Sports Championship competitors this season, with owners reporting significant improvements to reliability and performance. A limitation of the process has, until now, been the need to treat parts directly using 14,000ºK plasma sprays, requiring customers to send components to the Zircotec factory for coating. The flexible ZircoFlex product can be applied directly by the customer, offering a rapid and fast fit thermal management solution.
In developing ZircoFlex, the Zircotec has used a new technology in which a ceramic material is sprayed in the form of thousands of individual ‘platelets’ onto the surface of the foil. While they are close-packed to provide comprehensive heat protection, this structure allows the foil to be bent and manipulated to suit different geometries. It can even be folded tightly through 180o without damaging the thermal barrier.
“ZircoFlex is revolutionising the use of ceramic-based thermal barriers across numerous automotive and motorsport applications,” continues Whyman. “We are continuing our research into flexible ceramic coatings and plan to produce an expanded range of ZircoFlex foils using alternative substrates.”
Zircotec will be displaying its full range of plasma-sprayed ceramic coatings at the Classic Motor Show, stand 2T9, including its popular ‘Performance White’ and ‘Performance Colours’ range. Specialists from the company will be on hand to discuss the products’ suitability for different models.
ZircoFlex can also be purchased online via zircotec.com.
