[V8] 5-speed in driveway/radio question

[toml99 at todomundo.com]

Hey, got one pic before the battery in the camera died.....Hmmmm,  
what can I say....It's been almost 8 years since I got a speeding  
ticket, and I had a hard time not trying to get one today.....What's  
below Mint, and above Pristine?(maybe just below  
Pristine)......Having never driven a 5-speed(much different than M  
mode)....I loved it on the open road, but the 25-40 tourist traffic  
on the way home just felt wrong.  It just wanted to leap ahead of  
that "land yacht" ahead of me, but there was big traffic both ways,  
and every downshift, I thought of the inevitable day of clutch  
replacement.  Clutch feels snappy and great, but is most likely  
original, and @ 144K, would like to not have to do it immediatly.   
Nothing doesn't work, and there are no leaks.

The stereo (Alpine CDA-9856) sounded great, except for the crackle  
over bumps.  I'd assumed that whoever put the stereo in(not PO), had  
run new wire/etc, as I was under the assumption that only a Bose unit  
would work with the amp'd speakers.  Well, I removed the front  
"crackler", and everything looked stock, but someone's been in there  
as there was some fiberglass kinda fuzz packing(looked newer/not  
stock).  No rewiring at the speakers appeared to have been done.   
Rears are lacking their amps.  I thought the bose sent a small signal 
(via small wire) to the amps, then they boosted it to the speakers.   
I'm guessing the crackle is a bad cap/solder,(after verifying wires/ 
connectors), but also thought that with a "normal" stereo, you just  
bypassed the amp, and ran right to speakers....since I already love  
the unit(has xm, and ipod jack, will do whatever to do it right...any  
thoughts are appreciated.....Tom

http://s217.photobucket.com/albums/cc268/blackmouth_photos/91%205- 
speed/?action=view&current=915speed.jpg