Great, looks like we're going to get snow this weekend too...
Thanks for all the help Gadget, I'm ready to wrap this thing up, and I think it won't be much longer.
As for the polarity, reversing the wires didn't seem to make any difference.
1. No, and I think I need to do this. I'll try it on Saturday. I also thought today to verify my firing order, which I will do.
2. Yes, never ran great, but it did run.
3. Yep, for about a year.
I noticed that the flashing from my timing light was very sporatic, and I'll throw another battery in there and play around with it this weekend.