Thanks for the reply. I decided to go ahead and remove the entire exhaust/intake manifold assembly, cause I might as well get some
more serious housecleaning done.

All the bolts for the exhaust pipes came out and all 6 bolts that hold in the manifold came out no
big issues.

But darn it if that factory ac compressor isnt a bear. How in the heck do you remove it? I have the bolt mounted to the manifold out. Then 3 more bolts out, I even loosed up the main bracket bolt to the front out, loosed up the pulley to get the belt loose and I will be darned if minus all those bolts Ill bet I could hoist the engine up on that bracket still - its still bolted somewhere.

Any how tos on removing factory ac compressors on an old 250? I got to be missing some obvious bolt.

And this car swallowed one of my battery 3/8 wratchets today too! What gives there? I have it up on a lift, turned my head for a minute then heard crash boom bang... and she disappeared. This isnt a little teeny battery wratchet, I just dont know where it went to! I aint kiddin.

Keep life interesting I guess but those things are not cheap!