Question for a friend -

[ihone]

He recently inherited a 1981 Turbo Trans Am from a friend (sold it to him for ... well ... nothing). Seriously - he just gave it to him for painting some fences for him.

Anyways here's the question:

It's got a 301 CID V8, and the exhaust manifold on the turbo side (right side if you're driving it) has a crack in it. It's super hard to get to, and to weld it I'd have to remove it (which will most definitely end in dismay, as I'm positive I'm going to break a few of the studs off due to rust). My question is this.

Should I:
1.) Just pull it and drill, tap, and re-stud the head
2.) Find a set of DIY headers and make the headers for it
3.) type more than I already have, and keep looking for a passenger side exhaust manifold?

I've had absotively-posilutely no luck finding 1....none.....nada.

so what should I do? I gotta help the guy, he's my bro and I wanna see him enjoying his new ride, without it sounding like a chirping bird anytime he steps on the gas.

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

J

[mattlikespeople]

fab your own. wont be easy but should be worth it. What kind of potential do those things have? I know it's 1981 and it probably couldn't outrun my friends 4cyl tacoma towing his 6000lb jetski but cmon, turbo v8 has potential.

[ihone]

I think it had like 200'ish HP from the factory....which back then - wasn't really too awful.

I'm just looking to help him out and get him back on the road with it - it's a gorgeous car. As a matter of fact - I'll get some pics tomorrow.

[Memphis]

I would think #3 would be a pain in the ass and if you found one it wouldn't be cheap. #2 would be what would I want since you aren't putting a band aid on a near 30 yr old part and who knows a set of diy headers might actually give you more power.