Exhaust manifold or header

[Digger]

I recently took my exhaust manifolds (BJ8) to get them ceramic coated. I got a call from the shop and he told me that the front manifold had a crack--in the flat plate on top, where the intake manifold bolts to the exhaust manifold.

I took it to another shop which has the equipment to weld cast iron, and got a call that the material at that location was very thin, and he didn't feel like it could be properly repaired, and suggested that I try to find a used front manifold.

I have googled and found a couple of manifolds in the UK, and one in Canada. The price on the ones in the UK is pretty high, plus I can't guess at what the shipping costs would be. I will call Canada tomorrow to check that one out.

Here are a few questions:
--Does anyone have a suggestion for locating a good used manifold? I have emailed three Healey specialists, in CA, MD and PA, and I am waiting for a reply. Any other suggestions?
--I assume there are no reproductions. Is that a correct assumption?
--I also looked at the headers from Denis Welch, and another vendor in GA as a possible substitute for the manifolds. I wonder if anyone has any thoughts about whether using a set of headers instead of the original manifolds has a negative effect on the value of the car.
--Are there other issues to consider in choosing one system over the other?
Thanks in advance for the help

 

[tahoe healey]

The rear ones are rarer cause they are the ones that break. Fronts are plentiful. There is a place in the east called British Miles that has tons of unavailable parts. I got a rear one 3 years ago at a fair price. I think it https://www.britishmiles.com/.

 

[anthony7777]

digger, i sent you a p.m.,