exhaust manifold stove pipe?

[FJ5WING]

I already know the correct answer    but Id like as many opinions as possible on this one.

I have learned its fairly common for six-pac(BBL) cars to have the stove in place leading to no where. My car didnt have one when I bought it but now that Ive taken it apart and had the exhaust manifolds blasted I noticed that there is a broken stud in the front stove bolt hole.

My question for all is.....What would you do? I really dont want to put it back together with the stove but it apparently started life with one. I dont really know which way to go so hopefully I get a lot of input here. 

[moparstuart]

put the stove back on   

[tan top]

   leave it off   !!!
   also  maybe  drill the broken stud/bolt out so you can fit it later should you feel the need to  

[maxwellwedge]

Actually - It wasn't that common but did happen. If it were mine - I would put one back on.....makes a cool conversation piece! 

[hemi68charger]

Just because there's a mounting stud, is that a smoking-gun that the stove was there originally?

[moparstuart]

Just because there's a mounting stud, is that a smoking-gun that the stove was there originally?

could be a replacement used piece also , they are common to break 

[pettybird]

rick edwards' car has one. 

i'd put it back on to keep the heat out of the brakes!

[maxwellwedge]

rick edwards' car has one. 

i'd put it back on to keep the heat out of the brakes!

Mine has it as well.

[Arnie Cunningham]

rick edwards' car has one. 

i'd put it back on to keep the heat out of the brakes!

Definitely agree.  When I ran headers on my car, occasionally the master cylinder would just go to the floor as if it had failed.  When the car sat for a while and cooled down - it worked fine again.  That problem went away when I went back to stock manifolds and the heat stove.  I have seen six pack cars with owner-fabricated heat shields under the master cylinder for just this reason.  True it is not technically correct but it was a more-than-once factory mistake.  You will be really pissed off if your brakes fail and you bust up the front of your car.

[FJ5WING]

I never had any brake issues in the past so Im not really expecting any in the future.

I would think theres no other reason to have had attaching harware in the hole other than to attach the stove.

[hemi68charger]

I never had any brake issues in the past so Im not really expecting any in the future.

I would think theres no other reason to have had attaching harware in the hole other than to attach the stove.

What I was trying to brainstorm about was, if stove were inconsistently installed on 6bbl motors, couldn't the attach hardware have the same scenario? I have no insight to the actual engine department's procedure/checklist on installing stoves. But, it's safe to say, 6bbl cars weren't "supposed" to get them.