It looks fixed pitch to me. There are issues in regards to parts
availability for the gearbox. One listed on Barnstormers, includes 2
engines... There are STC's to replace the entire firewall forward with
more commonly available equipment... But 175hp has got to be alot better
than 145...

Agree.

Too bad the owner didn't consider the STC to a different engine "190 hours" ago
(smoh).

And yep, the 175 hp (with constant speed prop) wasn't that much faster in
cruise (10K?) but accelerated and got off the ground quicker/less runway and
faster ROC. In the 172s, 145 hp was 'adequate', the extra 30 hp was a delight.