Hi,

First 450 degrees is about right or normal for the most part.

I would not purposely run the engine richer than what CB has written about.
The extra fuel that is not getting burned in the cylinders will just finish burning farther down the tailpipe and that doesn’t give you the power or force needed to move the engine around and around!
The extra fuel can dilute the engine oils lubrication value on the cylinder walls and elsewhere in the engine.

You use the term that the spark plugs didn’t looked burned.
The plugs tell stories about several issues that an developed if the advance timing is way off but that can lead to power issues or burning of the exhaust valves. The Red Blocks are NOT notorious for things like that.
I assume you meant the porcelain was still white, without speckles and the metal electrode had a nice square edge and was flat across the tip. In other words fairly new or in a fresh condition.

I will tell you that if you see an exhaust manifold glowing a red or an orange color, in the day light when the gauge goes way up, Now that’s too hot!
This can happen if the cooling thermostat sticks shut!

I would safely say that I have never seen a manifold glow red in the dark either so if you are not seeing something like that the heat in the manifold is normal.
Going down the road it might glow some but who’s looking at it going down the road.
I have seen films of Racing engines being tested and their pipes glow under high power output condition on a dynamometer.

With the strut tower getting hot to the touch is normal as is a result of radiant heat waves and is normal. That frequency of a heat wave is what you feel in some store displays when you walk by them. It get your attention, they hope, so you will look at them!

I think you might be having a department store reaction! (:-)

THIS leaves me curious to why your under the hood ..... shopping? (:)

Phil