Getting an assembly as heavy as the intake/exhaust manifolds perfectly aligned so the gasket seals correctly is a matter of being lucky, not necessarily good, in most situations. It's a lot more likely to happen with those three little pieces of tubing in place. The suggestion about using a piece of steel crate banding strap is one I'm definitely going to remember! There's also a set of dual-diameter rings available to make a 216 manifold fit a 235 head, or the other way around.
Jerry
