Need an exhaust manifold

I have a 73 CJ w/ 258 engine. When I bought it, it has 2 piece headers and dual exhaust. The exhaust has always leaked and want to go back to a exhaust manifold but want to put the best stock system availible. What exhaust manifold should I get? The factory exhaust manifolds are expensive for this year and one from an 80's engine are lower priced. Will a 1981 exhaust manifiold work with my stock intake w/ 1 brl carb? What combinations work well? Thanks

 

All the 258s after 1980 use a 2 barrel (2V) carburetor, so no, you can't use your 1V. You must keep the "style" of manifold the same between intake and exhaust, ie 81-on intake must be used with an 81-on exhaust. Pre-81 manifolds all use the cast iron intake and exhaust with the 4 bolts between them, like yours has. Pretty sure that any pre-81 AMC inline 6 exhaust manifold will work - I have used a manifold from an AMC car on a Jeep, and it was the same.

The 81-on manifolds are the best if you are willing to convert to a 2V carb. That's what I have on my truck - they bolt on, except for some slight interference with the stock PS bracket. A little grinding fixed that.