...gee guys...thanks so much for the input...I have seen Serge's stuff on you tube...too bad I didn't see it sooner...he has some nice idea's on how to deal with the undealable...i.e....NLA stuff!...I have found over my many years of doing this kind of thing, that you can do almost ANYTHING if you have enough time and money to throw at it...I wouldn't go so far as to say the car is new, but everything on it has been rebuilt except the engine trans (not original engine), but I figured straight across pressures on all cylinders was a good thing...good oil pressure, etc. so, new head gasket & inspect the bores....whole suspension was rebuilt to include spindles...new tires...I did add a different exhaust to replace the hideous original, but it is a well made cast unit (twin outlet header style w/ heat shield!) and an intake that appears for a much newer year model...they work great...added a weber 36DCD7 and just now getting that dialed in...twin tanks that got the POR15 treatment that really went well, and two new electric fuel pumps one for each tank...the metal trim wasn't very nice so it is all powder-coated to include the window framing...Fidanza fly wheel to save some more hp's should just about do it for now I think...oh, total brake system also gone through with the Cardone conversion...the worst part about this is, like so many out there, the PO was better at taking things apart, to include the doors (ugh!) also had to re build the hinges...(another ugh!)...lol...I am now one of the most patient restorers around as I have no anger left to give!...forgot to add also the larger -than-stock aluminum radiator and modern fan (which was also toast), new window lifts, repairing and re-keying ALL the locks, and repair the wiring (some of which was melted) ...I'm sure there is more but it eventually becomes just a fog...I think it was a bloody miracle, and very fortunate, that the car finally gave out before the engine did...