Need to dent ceramic coated Headers

I hear ya, still, a hell of alot better than manifolds.

What's your solution to this delemia?
i doubt there is one, short of dent the header and get it recoated. i think the ceramic is to "hard" to flex with the metal under it and it is just going to flake off. how big of a dent is going to be needed? if it were small, it the cushioning might very well work. at this point, if the dent is necessary, you are going to have to do what you have to and deal with whatever happens from it.