Certainly the manifolds are worth doing, but there are wiring and heat shield issues to keep in mind as you go along. Without addressing them, the wiring will likely be fried and look like what I found when I began to experience sluggish starting in my GTO, even after putting in a new battery.
First, there definitely is a different solenoid heat shield for the starter. The RA version is significantly larger and provides much more protection.
Second is the starter portion of the wiring harness. I'm not sure how the TA arrangement works, but with the non-RA GTO installation, the wiring to the starter usually passes either through a tube between the #s 5 & 7 cylinder portion of the original log manifolds, or it comes in from the back of the block along the oil pan. The previous owner of my '70 GTO did the same conversion and neglected both. The attachments show what I found and needed to do to correct the problem.
Basically, I had to extend the starter wiring as it would have been in the RA version of the engine harness. It goes forward from the firewall along the valve cover / intake manifold valley towards the alternator, where it then it drops down the front of the block towards the fuel pump. Once there (at least on my GTO), it meets up with the starter cable and they are routed to the starter along the oil pan rail, suspended in the open air from clips. They pass behind the motor mount and emerge at the solenoid, from a direction opposite the radiated heat from the manifolds. Once I made those repairs, I've not had a single starter/starting issue. Hope this helps.
__________________
Larry
|