I'm finishing up the details for a header pipe and cat installation this week, and I'm wondering about the front mount. My previous pipe didn't have the plate and threaded hole for the mount. The new pipe does. Above that spot is a bracket with two horizontal ovular holes. What goes in between these?

There is (or should be) a right angle bracket attached with a single cap screw to the horizontal section of the headpipe. The other leg has two vertical slots that correspond with the slots in the piece attached to the bell housing.
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'80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon

Is the mount itself all metal? The picture on a previous post makes it look like there's a rubber mount in there, too. I can't imagine a rigid mount would be preferable in that spot.

Yep, all metal.
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'82 260 Diesel (RIP), '89 240

I was worried about attaching it to a rigid mount like that, thinking that all the engine shaking would be a bad thing. Then I realized that the mount will shake to the same tune as the engine, since it's tied to the bellhousing. Looks like I've finally found another use for that welder I bought!

It would appear that I have a fluid leak...

Nice picture. This age of digital cameras has really enhanced sharing info on this forum.

About the mount, gee whiz, that made a lot of sense. So I looked on my car, and I do have the bracket that attached to the bell housing -- only no parts in between. So I suppose I have to go and get those "in between" parts, too.

Thanks.

I just put a header pipe on my '84 this morning. The pipe I got has that same bracket (it holds the two pipes together at a point just when the pipe turns to run horizontally), top and bottom welded plates with a hole in both, and a nut welded on the lower one inside. I've got nothing on my car to indicate that anything should be attached to it.

But a long time ago, a heat shield fell off my original pipes -- maybe that shield is supposed to be screwed on? But I can't say for sure.

that is what I was thinking, looking at my new header pipe today.

heat shield gets mounted to that spot.

I am not going to bother and put the shield on.

With 6 degrees advance on the cam, my car just shakes it loose.

Not necessary anyway. Plus, you can inspect the pipe without all that crap in the way.
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Enem v15 cam, adj. cam gear, new head, trans cooler, stainless brake lines, e-fan, braces, IPD sways, 100% poly bushed, Bils, boxed front & rear arms, wagon lowering springs, FWD rims, 25/32mm adapters, powder coated stuff, zero mile-d, & more

It's not a heat shield, it's an actual bracket.
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'82 260 Diesel (RIP), '89 240

So, realistically, I really don't need to worry about it?

I was picturing a generic motor mount and some angle iron, but not having to worry about it will be a lot easier.

I would say you DO need it. Bulletproof is correct with his description. Without it there is nothing supporting the pipe until the rubber rings after that cat. That is a lot of stress for your exhause maniflod. My 91 has one there.
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91 Brick turning 400,000 this month

... all the flex stress (due to engine rocking) gets concentrated on the 3-bolt manifold flange and welds.

That said, I've seen cars with the bracket missing, yet with the 3-bolt flange welds still intact.

Which might indicate an OE header vs aftermarket, based on the obvious differences in weld quality I noticed after returning 2 crappy aftermarket headers to FCP (brand dropped now, A-B I think) and got an OE header.
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Bruce Young
'93 940-NA (current), 240s (one V8), 140s, 122s, since '63.

Oh don't say that. I think the header I bought was from A&B Auto Parts. I bought it because I didn't realize the O2 sensor hole was in the manifold on my car. It looks high-quality enough. . .Where did it fail on your car? Should I grind down the welds and re-do them?

I had two different problems:

1) The two plates welded to the top and bottom of the horizontal dual pipes, with a hole in each for bracket mounting bolt, were not aligned left to right (I think the bottom hole was threaded). So there was no way a bolt could be sent down through both holes. I probably could have cobbled a fix, but that;s nor what I paid for.

2) The second one installed OK, but leaked at the 3-bolt flange. Turned out the flange wasn't flat, but maybe 1/32" high in the center (between the pipes). It was like a see-saw—tighten one side, the other opened up. "Balanced" tightening was no good either, nor were doubled gaskets.

I was thoroughly pissed by then, so sent it back and I went with OE from a dealer that gives 20% off and ships free to VCOA members. Sure, It cost me $171, but had I gone there first I would have saved days of trouble and shipping time. And the OE header was a work of art, right out of the box—beautiful welds and the pipe even looked thicker too. It was money well spent, IMO.
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Bruce Young
'93 940-NA (current), 240s (one V8), 140s, 122s, since '63.

See my new post. . .of course, you were right!

Looks like I'm checking it tonight, then. Did you have any problem sending it back?

The A&B headers may be better now. My problems were in December '04, and they may have improved since then. But I'm almost sure FCP told me they were dropping them at the time.

No problem with the return, just the delay in waiting for the UPS pick-up label from FCP.
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Bruce Young
'93 940-NA (current), 240s (one V8), 140s, 122s, since '63.

And who's the dealer that offers the discount & free shipping?
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'82 260 Diesel (RIP), '89 240

Beechmont Volvo in Cincinatti.

Parts # 1-800-255-3601

As I recall, all I did was give them my VCOA member # and they set up an account. That was probably 10 years ago.

I just learned of a Mass. dealer with the same or better discount, but I see you are in CA. Have you tried RPR in Albany CA? (rprusa.com) I used to get parts from them years ago. A good a place to deal with as FCP is, here on the East coast, IMO.
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Bruce Young
'93 940-NA (current), 240s (one V8), 140s, 122s, since '63.