I am restoring a type-r I recently purchased.

Kind-of a funny question but I am restoring the header itself right now. I ordered new sheilds/bolts/etc. As silly as this is; What color was the exhaust manifold when the car was new? Black like the sheilds or silver/aluminum?

 

I seem to recall it as gun metal to a little brownish. Remember, it vary a little from caR to caR (Japan assembly line to do ship dock. Ship dock to dealerships...).

 

factory rust

 

I believe they were uncoated cast iron. Most likely surface rust right from the showroom floor. Same as a brake rotor top hat.

 

Are we talking about the factory Usdm one or the jdm one?
The Usdm is cast iron with a stainless bottom pipe/black heat shield
The Jdm is a one piece stainless header/black heat shield