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That's correct, factory installed them as bare cast iron then they got painted with engine paint when the engine was painted. Coverage wasn't specific, they were just in the way of painting the engine so they got doused pretty good. Most burned off in a short time but some usually remained around the port flanges and bolts.

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True.

That said, I've had good luck with having the manifolds treated with high-temp ceramic coating, which is available in an authentic cast-iron colour. It lasts infinitely longer and is not susceptible to the fingerprints and such that can affect the Eastwood paint (DAMHIK ). Note: that is not a bash of the Eastwood paint as it is a nice product. However, you do need to be careful not to contaminate the surface.

A quality shop should be able to do it in such a manner that it doesn't significantly affect the texture and appearance of the base metal.

If you're going for OE certification, then bare metal is the only way....