[psychII]

Congratulations on your find! A '78 Euro for $2600 is not bad.

I am a relative newb myself, so the following are just opinions/suggestions.

If you are driving on the same tires that have been sitting on the car since '93, you need to get them off before driving more. My guess is, that is part of the pulsation you referred to, and there are safety issues with tires that old.

As far as the coolant smell, could be the o-rings around the thermostat. If you have a small flashlight, look into the "valley" (the area under the intake plenum) and you may see a puddle. There may also be a coolant hose that runs under there somewhere.

You mentioned expensive parts and known trouble areas. Yes, parts are expensive. But if you do your own work, you will save a ton in labor costs. The only real trouble areas are the crispy rubber, seals, vacuum lines, hoses on a 29 year old car. Change them now. The Achilles Heal on these cars is the timing belt. Change it now along with the other WYIT stuff before driving.

Plan on spending 3-5K (or more if you pay someone else) getting her back up to snuff and you should have a reliable car.

Post some pics!

Hope this helps. Others will chime in shortly...