i have some luck welding with a nickel rod with stick welder i would bolt it down to a old head V it out but not to much and the rod i used is made by weld mold in mich i think at 700 rod .if you can not fined if it let me know i will get the numer for it. weld a bit and pein it with a hammer.do not try to weld it all and keep the amps down and clean the flux out good . weld no more than a 3/8 at a time i have good luck with out pre heat do not V out to much and do not go thur the manifold the more you take out the more it will want to pull and make it crack with this rod i have weld ears on blocks and heads and it is good to machine this rod is the stuff to use