That intake, the Performer has had that double hole thermostat housing since the day it was produced and to read that the mechanic hasn’t ever seen one before and since ‘79 has me seeing a red flag approximately the size of Texas waving and slapping me in my face repeatedly like a cartoon.
So, are the un used bolt holes leaking? They holes go through to the Coolant underneath? If such was the case, a female allen hex plug with Teflon sealant paste would be used to seal it off.
How a mechanic since ‘79 can’t see this as a possibility and check for this is one of the most scariest things I’ve read here.
@ironbuilt or
@Ironracer is in your area.
(Sorry fellas, I’m drawing a blank, I haven’t finished my coffee yet.)