87 CGT-questions

[jwilliam <jwilliam@99main.com>]

Coming up on my first year of owning this wonderful automobile and I had a few questions that knowledgeable listers might help me with.

1. When starting the car, the manual instructs you to give it gas, no matter what the conditions.  I live in the North East and was used to driving fuel injected cars that were not supposed to be given gas on startup, no matter what the outside temperature was.  Are my fellow CGTer's giving it the gas or not?  Am I making it harder to start by not giving it any gas?
2. I have noticed that the oil needs to be topped off usually every month.  I do a lot of highway driving.  I was told when I purchased the car that the head gasket was leaking slightly but that it was nothing critical for the moment.  That was almost a year ago and now I'm wondering if I'm risking a major repair if I just keep adding oil rather than changing the gasket.
3. If I decide to change the gasket, how big a job is it.  I am a relative layman to auto mechanics.  I have purchased the Bentley for the car and have done some repairs myself but this would be the most major.  Am I setting myself up for misery or will I be saving $$$ on the labor?  Can someone who has done this before give me any hints?
4. What are people using to clean and lubricate the retractable antenna?  This will be the first winter conditions this car has seen in about 8 years and I'm afraid that it will wind up jamming and breaking as a result of the road grit and grime it's subjected to.
5. I'm getting a terrible noise from my right rear brake.  I was told that the pad was okay but I'm skeptical.  It sounds like a loud moaning sound (no, there's no one back there) that runs through the whole car.  It really is terrible.  It happens when I am lightly breaking.  Pressing harder makes it go away.  

Thanks in advance for info.

Jon

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