Check the oil. Pull out the dipstick, and wipe it. If it smells like a gas/oil mixture, it means there are some issues internally (it will run with these issues, but it will also: burn oil, have hard starts when its cold, and stutter under load). If its milky, thats a BHG.
Make sure all the lights work while the engine is running, and when its off. Old wires can corrode, and it can be difficult to track down where they're grounding out.
There are a ton of other things. Some you can live with, some will leave you stranded. Good thing is, that engine is pretty prevalent. "insert autopart store name" is almost guaranteed to have anything you'll need, and if they dont...the salvage yard will.
Post pics of progress, and happy wrenching.
