shakedown runs:
i like to just creep around the block, the neighborhood, to test everything out. first time out of the garage, got her out, and went around the block. shifter catching up in neutral, hard to get to gears. pull back in, adjust one rod, and we are free to all gears. (was fine, i pinned it in neutral to set them, but once i drove it, applied a little torque to things, it needed a tweak....

back out: i had switched to manual brakes, and they SUCKED with the rest of my system, one inch manual master, ssbc discs up front, factory drum out back. back in the garage. after some homework here, dr. diff pointed me in the right direction of a 15/16"s power master from a later duster that still bolted up to all my manual goodies. tinier bit spongy on the pedal, but more pad pressure for sure. (hooked up a gauge to make sure things were right.) at this time, i decided to try some of those ebc 'red' pads as well. now, she stops just fine with the manual setup.......

at this point, i had not gotten the car over 15mph, or out of second gear. it was time to venture farther away, and get some heat and miles on everything. so, out we go. did 15 or so miles, got it up to 50mph, and everything seemed good. i pulled into the garage, and smelled burning oil, like it was on the pipes. figured it was just things breaking in, and left it at that. i also noticed a lot of blowby for a new engine. into the shop, up on the lift...

uh oh, already a half palm sized puddle of oil on the ground from just pulling in, and drips to it on the way in, NOT good........