I'll be getting my carburetors back shortly, but, since my engine was running extremely rich before the SUs were rebuilt, I was told to change the intake (and exhaust) manifold gaskets. I have a '63 B18D engine. When ordering these gaskets, do I need to worry about the nuts and studs on the block that hold the manifolds themselves? Do these typically break when unbolting? Is there something that I should look out for when removing the manifolds?

Another point, did any of you have your manifolds painted or powder-coated and did they hold up well so that they resist the high temperatures (ie. no paint peeling or cracking)? While I have these off, I'd like to take care of this so that they look presentable. Thanks for any responses.