So, i've been smelling exhaust
in the cabin and finally i said screw it and ripped out the manifold expecting to find a hole or a crack... nothing however this gasket looks BEYOND toast am i right?! surely this could be the culprit l?

 

It's already out, so only one way to find out. Put the new one in and see what happens.

 

Very likely the culprit, unless there is a crack in the exhaust system. Let us know how it works out.

Drive Hard. Drive Safe. Keep Grinning.

 

A lot of the exhaust gaskets that we take off look like that, especially if the valve cover gasket has been leaking for awhile, I wouldn't attribute an exhaust leak to it though. Chances are that you've got a leak in the header, or at the header flange under the car.