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Also, I am still working on that heat riser for the exhaust. Several things going on with it.

1. I removed the old pin and drilled for new one. I found a replacement in an unused concrete anchor I had laying around. Just removed the nail from the anchor and shortened it. I tacked a small weld on it hold it in place.

2. The lip on top of the riser that extends into the manifold is nearly gone. I didn't know just how far gone until 56executive posted his images back in post #496.

3. About that flange. Also in post #496 you can see the original metal flange. Then in post #497 I asked you guys about those thicker gaskets I found in my gasket kit. I wondered if those were meant to be a modern replacements for the metal flange. No one answered my question so, I went ahead and ordered the $20 replace from Max's. They had a picture of the metal one on their web site but guess what they sent me. That's right...what I had in my gasket kit was a modern replacement for the heat riser. Now I have 3 of them.

4. That flange and my lip less heat riser are not going to work together since that lip helps hold it in place. I guess I can return that flange to Max for credit toward another riser.

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Any chance you can do something with your valve like Riki did on his?packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb ... .php?post_id=184586#forumpost184586

I saw that post last week but, no, I can't. I don't own a metal lathe and I've not touched one in 25 years.

Wonder if one of those risers from Summit could work. If the tubing is the same size it might be as simple as drilling a couple of holes.

I believe this is the 2 bolt riser on Summit below.

Looking at it I think that the orientation of the spring & weight is different then the original riser. The whole assembly, when bolted in, is really close to the frame on that side so it may not bolt in. I think the spring needs to be closer toward the front of the engine not the rear as this one is. I will take a closer look at it tomorrow morning.

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That is the one I was looking at too. The photo is a puzzle. Is that a shadow line caused by machining and it has a straight flange like the Packard item or is the flange actually a taper. If a taper it may not work.

The thick gasket goes towards the exhaust pipe. The thin gasket goes on the manifold side Flange is up

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I wonder how worthwhile it is worth to have a functioning manifold heat control valve? Obviously it was there originally for a purpose which I assume we all understand.

When I put a new exhaust system on the '56 Carib the valve was broken and I just simply left it off, but did not block off the passage thru the intake manifold as others have done. On startup during the winter or colder days in Spring and Fall (maybe less than 40? F), it does take perhaps 20-30 seconds of running before it idles and accelerates smoothly; with that minor exception I don't miss it at all though if I lived in a colder climate or did more cold weather driving I might feel differently.

Are NOS valves new hard to find now? A while after I installed the new exhaust, I decided to buy an NOS manifold heat control valve should I decide to install it later. It was readily available NOS, don't recall where but probably Patrician Industries (Joel Ray).

NOS are available (for the moment) but current vendor listed prices are over twice the cost of that more common Summit item. How many NOS are available or how much demand for them is a question. As to whether they are needed, that is another question. Summit has an item which does not appear to have a mechanism. Although it is still called a heat riser valve, it looks like it might be a straight thru piece meant to bolt in place of the valve so as to eliminate it.

IMO, If a common and viable alternative for the days when NOS might not be available can be found it is icing on the cake. Cheaper for those that want one and lengthen the time a supply of NOS will be available for the purists. I'd stretch that sentiment to just about any part that could be installed -- maybe with a mod or two to the part -- but done without modifying anything else on the car itself.

I've seen NOS heat riser valves on eBay every now and then. As I recall, the prices were around $115 to $130. I picked up one for my '55 Patrician about 18 months ago for less than $100 still in the S-P box. Good hunting!