Going To make a Change

Right Now I have a 340 12.3 -1 Cpompresson Ported Comando Aluminium Heads 202/165's Stoke Stroke Forged Pistons, 536/549 Lift Cam Ya get the idea. It was a motor built nor fuir street but was what I had at the time.
So 340 stroker 422 10.88-1 Ported Edelbrock, Ported Six-Pack intake Inside best of everything.
Custom Soild Cam but still Streetable.
So not laking "Power by any Means" so loosing a15-20m HP is no biggie.
Going to swap motors and Ditch the Super Comps
Put on the Stock 1973 340 Manifolds that came on the car new. Ported Some {Cleaned Up} And will get Surfaced to get a good mating surface.
Will run 2.5" Head Pipes.
1} But need to make up my mind X-Pipe or H-Pipe?
2} Should I stick on some 2.5" Exhaust Cutouts I was gonna run with headers in the past?
or will it just sound Ugly when un-Corked without Headers?
will have good free flow muffs and full 2.5 tailpipes with factory type SS Tips out back
Thoughts?