An idiot killed my baby. Need advice.

Update:

After going through the usual start-up after long sit/neglect, I got the 1971's slant six to not only start but actually run. Lubricated cylinders, turned over by hand, changed oil (which was NASTY) w/ new filter, filled up radiator, slapped on a 1bbl carb I had sitting around, replaced all of the rubber up top and fuel filter, and ran a hose from a gas can to the fuel pump. It started!

Then I drained the varnish from the gas tank and poured a bottle of Seafoam down the fuel line from the engine side, forcing it through with compressed air. Put 5 gallons of high test in the tank and reconnected the fuel line with new rubber fuel line and got the engine to idle. Added about a gallon of transmission fluid and got the car to push itself backwards and forwards in the driveway.

What the heck... we went for a little drive around the block, even shifting through all gears! Headlights, tail lights, 3/4 turn signals, and even the horn work.

Then came back and did SlantSixDan's engine clean-out soup thing.

Of course it's far from perfect - transmission has a little leak and radiator too. But I have plenty of parts lying around including a slant six radiator and even a slant six transmission. Next will be to replace the rubber brake hoses, which should make it safe enough to drive short distances.

After only about 12 hours of work this car has a new life and I'm stoked.

The weirdest thing was getting in that car and backing it out of the driveway under its own power. It had that "neglected old car" smell and was limping, but I was suddenly transported to the very first time I took out my 1973 after getting it running for the first time in 10 years, including the imperceptible shifting of the transmission. Automotive reincarnation...