TBI manifold questions

[DaveB]

I am in the process of swapping the 4 barrel carb manifold on the 350 in the commando project to the TBI manifold. I noticed that the new manifold has different water ports than the old manifold. The rear water ports actually go through the manifold where the old manifold doesn't. The TBI intake manifold gaskets show one of the ports blocked or maybe a small hole through the gasket where the port is. Would there be a problem with using the older style gasket which has open ports on both ?
I am also getting tired of grinding the four center holes on the TBI manifold and wanted to know if the adapter plates that some use to hook the TBI to an old manifold might work just as well ?

 

[DaveB]

Well I finally got all the grinding done so its ready to install. I think I found the answer to the gasket question. It turns out that the factory TBI manifold has water ports at the rear so that they can warm up the manifold better to keep the throttle body from icing up. They also have the heater hose bib on the same port and the small bleeder hole through the gasket minimizes the pressure to the heater core when the engine is revving high. So it looks like I'll have to pick up the TBI gasket and not use the old style one.