Well.....
Good news, and really terrible news..... :-(

The guages being open was "my" problem, and easily fixed.....
The freon had basically completely leaked out....
I was reading the pressure in my "tank", not the car's system.... DOH!!

Added some freon, brought the pressures up to (at 90 degrees ambient) 60 lbs. on the low side, and 260 on the high side....
We had cool air, and all is well..... Almost......

Anybody ever seen freon actually "drip"?? Drip so much your first thought is "I can't believe the heater hose just sprung a leak"??
It wasn't the heater hose..... :-(
I have a steady "drip" of freon, and (here's the really bad news) the drip is back by the transmission - pass side.....
I didn't get under the car, but I can see it dripping just by looking down from the engine compartment..... There's a PUDDLE of freon on my driveway....

That would be the Evaporator core, correct?? And that's the one that is like $3500 to repair?? PLEASE tell me I'm wrong...... :-(

I love the car, but I'm sick about this......

Thank you ALL for your help. Each step brought me closer to finding the REAL problem - Bad evaporator, and operator error.... :-(

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Barry