SO, I managed to answer my own question via Tech Wiki.

There is indeed a thrust washer between the tail shaft housing and the reverse idler.

I went through the schematics.

This site is such a great resource, to bad we don't get the traffic we once did.

I know have an ultra close ratio 5 speed.

Upon inspection the reverse idler seems like something might be missing.

There is a thrust washer on between the reverse idler and the center plate but no thrust washer on the tail shaft side.

It seems to me there should be one between the reverse idler and the tail shaft housing.

Any help would be appreciated.

Looks nice.

KAs are super cheap and have a nice flat torque curve that makes then great for a street car.

I do get passed a lot running the car with modern cars.

The motor I just built will probably be about 10-12hp more and I am toying with building up a full 1300cc motor with 38/33 valves. That motor would be around 95hp at the wheels.

The extra 20hp is enough that I'd be faster than 3/4 of the cars in that run group.

Here are my fastest (err less slow) from a time trial I did last Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

I am still running the so called back up motor; it's belting out around 76-78hp at the wheels.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRDv92UbSN4&t=44s

So that's around 160hp and that engine is around 340lbs from memory. The motor would add about 145-150Lbs to the car. I think those would have has a Type 9 transmission behind them and that would add another 40lbs over a 56 series trans.

So I'd expect this would be about 200-225lbs heavier than the standard Ute.

Dave I've tried driving the 1200 in the same manner that I would one of my single seat cars on slicks (read what and tidy) and it ends up going about 2 seconds a lap slower.

I run a 20.5 x 6.0-13 Hoosier vintage TD-R.

It's a bias ply tire so the car moves around a lot.

I have the car set up very loose. I four wheel drift the car heavily and that is what you are likely seeing.

I'm also carrying more corner speed then most other drivers.

I would try JB Weld as well. I'd let it partially set before assembling it.

In the past I've used very thin sheet metal epoxied to the backside and then used filler on the front side and sanded it back.

Note this would be on race cars.

For a road car that I wanted to be perfect, I'd fit a new door skin or patch panel.