newbie needs advice, please!

[Chris Cougill <cscmc1@xxxxxxxxx>]

Evening, folks...  I am currently looking for a
running Westie in the $1500 range in the North
Texas/Southern OK area, and found a 73 in OK City that
I thought I'd ask your collective advice on.  

This bus has a fresh 1800 engine (just rebuilt,
apparently).  First, is there any issue with colling
an 1800 engine in a 73's engine bay?  Second, there is
no heat... I mean the heat exchanger is rotted, and
the business end at the exhaust is completely gone. 
The end that opens into the transfer tube (the big
long one down the middle of the bus... dunno what it's
proper name is) is just hanging there. The owner says
he had the enhaust boxes removed when the engine work
was done; he was going to have an aux heater
installed.  I will need heat if I buy this bus, as I
am in TX temporarily and will be returning to IL in
the next couple of months.  

Bodywise, there is rust-through on the drivers rear
wheelwell, and at the extreme lower edge of the rocker
panels, but nothing that I could see on any of the
doors.  Below the windshield looks good, too.  There
are rust spots under the driver's and passengers feet.
 Interior is kinda "so-so."  Front seats are ripped,
but have cheap faux lambskin covers that seem to do
the job for now.  The other seats appear to have been
recovered in thick vinyl and look fine.  The top
canvas has a couple smallish rips in the sides that
look like they could be patched (?).  One is about 6"
long, and the other is only a couple of inches.  

Exterior paint is faded badly; it'll need a prep and
spray to look decent.

Front tires are REALLY bad, and rears really ought to
be replaced too.  Any recommendations on size, or is
stock best?  

Oooh, which reminds me... it's awfully hard to steer! 
Is this normal with a non-power steering bus?  Maybe
I've just been spoiled by my Taurus!  Steering linkage
and front suspension looks simple enough to work on,
though; is this the case (just in case it DOES need
some going through)?

That's all I can think of just now...  The buyer would
let her go for $1550.  I am really just leary of the
engine, first and foremost.  It looks to me a nice
rebuild job, but you know how tough it is to tell from
the outside.  

Many MANY thanks in advance for any help you may
provide; please cc any replies to me directly as I
only receive the digest form of this list.

Chris Cougill
cscmc1@xxxxxxxxx

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