79 2.3 turbo clutch stiff

I am looking at purchasing a 79 mustang turbo for $1500. It has 80,000 miles but the trans has already been replaced by the owner. I didn't drive it around but I was checking the clutch on it when I saw it, it was the stiffest clutch I have ever felt and the stick was rough. I'm concerned about buying it because very soon I could be having to throw another $500+ in it soon. The 4 cyl turbos are already known to be unreliable, and I knew it has had its cams replaced among other things. Is this a risk I shouldn't get into or take the chance? If I do, any prevention ideas? I'll probaly have to take the trans out to check out what was done down there, but by that time I'll be out $1500, for me being a college student that is a lot. Any thoughts? I'm looking for any kind of help since I'm gonna probaly decide by this Saturday and I wonder if anyone has had experience with something like this. Thanks in advance guys.

Thanks for the reply, judging by how much I read about other's clutch problems I figured that could just be the cause, I'm glad you replied with such. I would love to buy a 87-91 but there are none around my area and I haven't seen them for $1500...While I get up and go once in a while I do not beat a turbo like I would a normally aspirated engine...although as previously stated I am concerned about the turbo on this car, but it was running fine, oil pressures good and I love the fact that these cars are easy to fix. My father builds custom blowers among everything else that could be mechanically built, so I could go that route if I wanted to spend my money that way, unfortunately I do not have enough of that green stuff. I'm thinking replacing the clutch cable immediately and hoping things go right after that is a good idea. Does the tight cable account for both the clutch and the rough shifting? It seems that even with a new cable I might be having to replace that clutch anyway, which is fine as long as I get this thing to be nice to me for a while, I can't get rid of the lingering thoughts that come with the turbo 4 cyl problems but I think I'm just gonna go for it.

rd said:

The clutch should not be very difficult to fix, if it is a cable or clutch fork issue. That car has a 4 speed, not a T5, so parts might be a bit harder to find. However, all the later T5 stuff will swap in there if needed.

This could be a really neat car, if it's all there, and the turbo stuff works. Probably not a bad car to buy. The worst case would be you have to put some na stuff on it to make it driveable.

The best part, or worst part, is that it has a non computer controlled, plain old carbed setup on it. No computer, no oxygen sensor, no feedback carb.

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You are right that those cars are 4 speeds, but a 5 speed was put into it...along with new cams, headers and so forth. It looked like somebody was trying pretty hard to beef it up. The thing about it is I will probaly end up swapping in a 302 v8 in it after about a year, keeping the transmission that is in the car now, but since that is a while away I'm trying to make sure it can last.