Unfortunately, the Jim Carter dual exhaust set is not aluminized steel. I used an exhaust pipe hanger attached above.
Here are the options I have seen for heating the intake manifold:
1. Do nothing and put up with rough idling when cold, and hesitation when accelerating.
2. Make a set-up as described by Kinky6 (be sure to use the stock carburetor insulator)
3. Here is an old listing from eBay. This guy makes an aluminum plate similar to the one described by Kinky6 (for around $60, delivered). If you do not know how to contact someone on eBay, give me your e-mail address and I will ask him to contact you.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=597630316& 4. Run water from the water pump outlet through a set-up similar to the one described by Kinky6 and return to the inlet on the water pump (splice off the heater-hose fittings on the water pump). The water pump on my 261 has outlets and inlets for two heaters (I guess) and these could be used (I will know this spring).
5. Tom Langdon sells a water-heated plate that fits on a standard intake, without interference with the Fenton headers. I think it costs $30 plus shipping.
http://www.stoveboltengineco.com/ Last summer, I ran without any heat to the intake but this spring I will be installing Langdon's heat plate.
By the way, your last message states "BTW, Tommy, I have a NOS exhaust manifold, and it is open at the top where it meets the bottom of the exhaust manifold." Did you mean "it is open at the top where it meets the bottom of the intake manifold"? My guess is that Texaholic2000 is right about the bottom of the intake being closed (that would be important, I think).
Good luck,
Tim
