Damn, I feel for you man. Buying a vehicle sight unseen is a leap of faith. I've done it twice, first with a truck identical to yours, and the last time w/ the '98. Heck, I even purchased my GTO by meeting the guy halfway, in Holbrook.
Is seems that the issue may be worse than you first thought, but remember, anything can be fixed. I sometimes find myself walking away for a few days, just to clear my head... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif" alt="" />
If I weren't over 100 miles away, I'd give you a hand.
Good luck, you might post the issues you're having over in the tech section to get more exposure.