I'm not there, I can't argue with what you are seeing. I just know from personal experience that it is a whole lot easier to simply loosen or remove the three nuts that secure the downpipe to the manifold. Then you don't need a jack to support the exhaust all you do is hold the manilfold in one hand and bolt it to the head.
Maybe the previous owner, forced the bolts in and cross threaded them when he was doing work on the truck. You don't seem to want to take my advice so at this point all I can say is good luck and perhaps familiarize yourself with heli-coils.
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