With everyone's help and suggestions, I am now getting full throttle. Did not get a chance to take it out on the flats today, but got it going pretty good on a slight uphill. Makes a difference over all.
Instead of a pipe, I used a long socket on an extension to bend the end of the accelerator shaft.
Now I find I have another problem. The hand throttle will not hold in position. Never has done much of a good job to begin with. Has lots of movement before it starts to push the linkage, and when it does, the spring tension on the accelerator shaft has a tendency to return it back towards idle.
I will see if I can come up with something on the "search" venue and report back.
Any suggestions in the interim will be appreciated.
Thanks again for the help.
Tom L.