Manifold

 

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This picture shows what frequently happens to Model T exhaust manifolds after many years of heating and cooling.  The holes do not line up so the exhaust rings and glands cannot be used.  Several years ago while on tour, Fred was discussing this problem with Elmer Layne of Kansas City.  Elmer said he had a fixture he used routinely to straightening manifolds.  Fred was skeptical, but the following week the fixture shown here arrived by UPS.  As you can see, the fixture is made from an I-beam, but there are various areas cut out to allow the manifold to be heated.  Also, the flange is tapped for a large coarse thread bolt, which bears on a saddle that rests against the back of the manifold.  A wrench is placed on the bolt, so that the weight of the wrench will cause the saddle to push very lightly on the manifold.  Once the manifold is positioned in the fixture and the wrench is in place, you begin to heat the manifold with a rosebud tip in an acetylene torch.  As you can see in the pictures, you must heat the manifold until it is read hot.  When it gets hot enough, the weight of the wrench will push the manifold slightly and the wrench will fall.  Reposition the wrench and continue heating.  DO NOT PUSH ON THE WRENCH!  If you do, you could break the manifold.  Instead, let the weight of the wrench do the pushing.  Periodically, stop to check your progress with a straight edge.  Determine where additional heat is needed to continue the straightening process.  If you are patient, after about 30 minutes you will have a perfectly straight manifold, so that you can install it with the proper rings and glands.  This fixture has been used to straighten a large percentage of the exhaust manifolds in our club.  Every local chapter should have one.  Making the fixture would be a good club winter project.