@CMoore For me it looks like the bungs in the exhaust header - the wire/cord may be used to easy remove the bungs. But I do not know it is only what I think.
BTW: Good colours of the photograph.
Thanks folks! The owner of this plane flew it regularly and wanted to display it like a WWII combat aircraft would have looked between missions.
I have another shot of the same plane further on in my gallery. Gotta love old aircraft!