Aftermarket Intake?

We just hauled home a new 258 to replace my cracked one. Same engine codes basically both 1978 2v 258.
The new one has a weird intake. the heater core hoses run into the intake manifold. I suspect this is for heating it, but the one on mine has nothing like it and I've never seen it before. It also has a tubular style header instead of the stock manifold. I am just going to use my stock manifold with attached webber, is this anything worth anything? I'll report back with pictures.

 

Hah, I'm an idiot, I'm pretty sure theres an AMC logo on it. Disregard.

 

Yeah I think the later AMC manifolds were heated by coolant. IIRC this was also a feature on some aftermarket manifolds.

 

All '81-on 258s had aluminum 2V intakes, and these were all heated by coolant AFAIK. Just route one of the heater hoses so that the coolant in the heater circuit passes through the manifold. It's a good manifold - use it.

 

Now for the confusing part. I did the engine code and it is a 78 2v 258. Did someone swap on a later model intake for giggles? it still had a carter carb on it.
I'll upload the pictures tonight after I am done with my burn permit.

 

Possible. Although I don't know why they would keep the BBD. What's the build code from the engine? If it's an A or an E, it's definitely the pre-81 engine. The later engine has the plastic valve cover, and fewer crank counterweights - pre-81 engines have the stamped steel valve cover. The later engines are commonly switched to a cast aluminum cover.

<edit> Never mind the A or E - you said it's a C code (2V). That could be a '78, but it would have come with an iron manifold originally. The aluminum manifold fits, but to be a '78, it would have to have been swapped out. The 2V 258s first appeared in 1977 in J-trucks and Wagoneers - not sure what year they first appeared in CJs.

 

It did have a plastic cover, but it was RTV'd on (badly) and i found the old bolt holes under the plastic cap. It's a weird setup. I suspect maybe the previous owner screwed up the iron manifold and replaced the whole setup with an 80's setup.
I am confident the jeep it came out of was a 78-79, late model body and frame, AMC 20 rear, disk fronts, dana 20 TC and motor-craft ignition. the code was 204CXX (can't remember the day, but it's not important.) So I deducted 1978 April 2v 258. It could be a 80's motor in a 78 jeep or it could be a 78 motor with a bunch of 80s stuff on it.