That certainly leaves nothing unexplained! Even I ought to be able to pull off this mod. Thanks for the info!
Well- the surgery was a success and it couldn't have been any easier- Thanks for the help! I haven't noticed any difference in the sound, although I haven't really run it up around 5K rpm yet. I do notice. and perhaps I'm just imagining this, a real lack of the rpm drop off while changing gear. Much smoother.
A strut support bar in the front. Perhaps upgrade the ignition wires and coils. Probably chip it (Shark or Dinan) in the summer. This car is my post-divorce gift to myself, so, it's being treated very nicely!