[tswaney]

Well, I looked at it and drove it this afternoon. The '77 engine is a 2.7 and has not been rebuilt! It was added in '95 with the 11 blade fan, and when I asked if the chain tensioners were of the carrera/oil pressure variety, he couldn't remember, and I didn't know exactly how to tell. I wouldn't have known how or where to look to see if the heat reactors were still there or not also.

Trans. rebuilt a couple of years ago to rectify a noisy 5th.

It didn't start with extreme ease (battery charger was hooked up when I got there-not driven for some time according to him). And it was a touch rough sounding for about 5-10 seconds. Just not quite crisp. But then it was suddenly at a very smooth idle. So we drove. After getting used to the clutch engagement point, it shifted with little effort and no noise both up and down. It pulled with ease through all of the gears and I let up at around 80 mph.

Perhaps I'm just not used to the bottom pivot pedal, but it didn't feel like it returned all the way to the aft end of travel after releasing it. Could that be an early sign of clutch failure or a stretched cable or...? If I pulled back on it with my foot it would move about 1 inch towards me a stay there.

It was 90-95 degrees here in central Kansas today and the temp gauge didn't rise much above 180 degrees, no special oil cooler. What about in traffic? Oh yeah, I live in Kansas!

I may set up an appointment with my trusted German car wrench for a PPI, or maybe I should run away. How terrified should I be of the unopened '77 2.7 that has been in the car for 9 years? Thoughts?

Tom