Wow, great info everyone!
Thanks Gerald. If my neighbor doesn't work out I'll take you up on it.
I went searching for a compressor and I see a guy in the neighborhood painting a car fender and hood with a paint gun. So I stop in and strike up a conversation. He's fixing his daughter's fender bender. He's a self-employed HVAC guy and owns an 1969 AMX!
Any how, he's got a pump and gauges, and agreed to help evacuate the system, and he mentioned using nitrogen as a way to confirm there are no leaks and then vacuum that out before charging.