Hey, M14,
Interesting about the S-1 configs down there. Most Ds here have 180hp and fixed pitch. Most of the Cs have 160hp and fixed but it's not until you get to the Ts with 200hp that you get into wobbly props.
This particular one runs exceptionally well, partly because the engine was rebuilt very well and partly because of the 63" pitch MT prop. It seems the MTs are superior in almost every respect, but some are more perfect than others. My prop became the defacto demonstrator model here in the UK for a while. I was considering putting it on with velcro because it had been off and on to other airplanes so many times. One mate put it on his S-1S and added 25 mph to the cruise over the finer pitch Hoffman he was running. When a friend tried to order one exactly like mine, the guy at MT said he couldn't guarantee that because, although they're machined to fine tolerances, they're also hand finished, so each one comes out just that little bit differently. It seems I've got a real gem!
Mine'll cruise at 140 mph at 2500 rpm and will get up to 180 mph straight and level. It carries energy very well because of that and I don't have to manage the engine like I would have to with a finer pitch prop. I don't really need to throttle back on downlines unless I'm vertical for more than 1,000 feet or so. For most maneuvers that means the throttle just doesn't need to be touched. That takes the workload down and increases the pure fun factor by a huge margin.
If you can put an electronic ignition on your rebuild, do it. I added the Lighspeed kit last year and it made a noticeable difference to the running of the engine and the climb performance. Lightspeed claim 15-20% increase in hp and fuel economy, so at these fuel prices, it doesn't take too many hours before it's paid for itself. It was a great mod and I'd highly recommend everyone put one on if they can. It was pretty easy to install, too.
So that's my advice for the rebuild - MT prop and Lightspeed electronic ignition. Oh, and install the upper wing ferry tank but use it as the smoke oil tank. That's been a blast, too!
Pitts2112