Jerry, thanks for the followup....I would agree that it is not the only option, and your idea sounds like an 'improved mousetrap'. In looking at the original setup, including what's left of the pipe, I see some room for improvement. It seems that rather than a lip, there was a small 'donut' embossed on the pipe which fit into a corresponding recess in the flange (excuse my terminology, prob a better way to describe it). The asbestos flange gasket makes a good seal, but it looks like there would be room for blowby where the pipe goes into the manifold at the inner edge of the gasket. What would be helpful would be to have an NOS pipe, then the whole picture would become more clear. In any case, I'm about ready to make some welded changes incorporating your ideas. But I'm not against finding a good original manifold piece, and will spend just a little more time looking, before rushing in. You know Murphy's Law about parts: when parts become essential, they're unavailable, and when you don't need them they seem to pop up everywhere....
