Hi silarrow,
Thank you very much for the offer of a vacuum pump. I would very much enjoy meeting you on my next trip to Portland. I will advise here, when I know my schedule. Probably heading there between Oct. 6th and 12th.
I am an electronics engineer, so if there is something I can share electronically, such as with RC tech or interpreting schematics, let me know and I will see what I can do. And, I have an '84 190D parts car (tan int/ext), so if there is something you need, please advise.
I am still in the process of restoring the car to basic functionality. Latest fix (2nd time) is the odometer. This time, the gear is getting glued to the shaft. Since the instrument panel is coming out, I plan to install sensors and "tel-tale" lights for coolant level, oil level, and radiator fan.
-- TA