if I remember correctly I've seen a pic of a 1227749, I think it had an SMT socket in it so they took a regular IC socket from Rat Shack, solderded it in after they cleaned up the old one, and then put the ZIF socket in that. Look at my 85 ECM it looks like it's through hole though, so if the spacing's right and you've got a desoldering iron you should be able to put a ZIF in with little trouble. now on for the editorializing; Get as many samples as you want, in the electronics hobbyist community it's considered a valid method of parts aquisition, and the companies know who they're sending to isn't some major corporation, it's perfectly moral as long as one doesn't turn a profit on the stuff they sample, but rather put it to good use. It's a way of them to advertise, and since you remember their name it seems to have worked well enough =)