OKay, I have my 83, and it has carb problems (fix on the way), but even with a borrowed carb, it has a big problem.
Whenever I try to go up a hill, it dies out, and has a helluva time starting again.
I read somewhere on here that someone's car was having trouble going up hills due to a bad cat.
I'm an idiot, btw. How do you check if your Cat is bad/clogged/broken?
The hill thing was the reason the original owner considered the car to be 'broken.'

 

Just take it out and see if it helps.

 

I took my cat out this weekend, used a wrecking bar and beat the brick out of the inside of it... so my cat is now only a "shell" of one.... and M_A_N!!! WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!! I can't wait to get my new muffler to replace the stock one!

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Have you checked your leading ignition?

 

Sounds like a bad fuel pump.12A fuel pumps are barely adquate when new,let alone 20 years old.Combine that with the extra load requirements of climbing a hill,plus the fact the pump has to work against the incline,and your probably running out of fuel.That would explain the hard restart as well.At the minimum replace the filter,then look into the pump.
Hows the engine temps?A badly clogged cat will usually cause engine temps to rise due to exhaust backpressure,especially under load.
Also check your float levels in the carb.

 

Brand new fuel pump.
How do you remove the cat? I'm a real newb

 

with a hack saw

 

A torch works well too...

Cutting Steel with fire is alway a fun thing

 

At the risk of repeating myself:

Have you checked your leading ignition?
Have you checked your leading ignition?
Have you checked your leading ignition?
Have you checked your leading ignition?