Exhaust Question:

[Captain D]

Nothing major or pressing here - was just thinking ahead regarding manifolds, headers, etc. To make a long story short, I've seen those newer stainless steel manifolds and, for those who may have them, I was curious to see what you thought of them (pros / cons) if I may please receive any feedback.

On mine, I have Hooker Headers. Eh, they're okay but they're too much around the starter for an easy swap-out. And, of course, the rust factor vs. the stainless steel that won't rust; but will turn blue-ish / gold in color as a 'trade-off,' which I personally live with instead of seeing rusty headers and manifolds when popping the hood at car shows. The standard manifolds also caught my eye, but I've heard that not only do they rust (even if done in an expensive high temp powder-coat), but they also become almost brittle after extended time. At this point, I'm 'kinda' leaning towards to the stainless steel manifolds because, 1.) They won't rust, 2.) Allow easy access to the starter, 3.) The downward (shorty) design allows for more room in the engine bay, 4.) And, no loss of horsepower.  

I've seen the stainless steel at various sites online and the prices weren't too shabby. However, is that a good or bad thing...? For those who run the stainless steel manifolds, thank you for any and all feedback!
Aaron