Can anyone suggest what could be the culprit? The motor runs rough at 5-10 mph (car jerks back and forth), huge plumes of blue tint smoke come out of the engine bay, and there is audible grinding from the passenger side motor area.

Need a lot more detail. Engine size, FI or carbs, ignition, general condition, etc., etc.

it can be a lot of things, so more details are needed, but the worrying/interesting part of your story:
"audible grinding from the passenger side motor area. "
Is this noise there only while driving or also when the car is parked with the motor on ?
in other words....is it the engine that makes that noise or maybe another component in the 'motor area'....

I'm thinking trolls ............

Or just one troll maybe.

Yeah it's a '73, 2.0, FI, the car had the fuel pump, distributor, and spark plugs changed within a few years. But I highly doubt it's been fully restored.

It's coming from the cylinders

Only one? If only.

Nah engine gremlins

your engine is toast

Burnt toast to be exact. Good thing I have a fire extinguisher in the cabin haha

Start at the beginning. Do a compression test.

start at the beginning, get a 914. but seriously, is the noise coming from the master cylinder or one of the 6 in back, need more info.

Gotcha, I'll borrow one from a friend and I'll see how it goes.

Not sure but it's closer to the front.

really, well that helps narrow it down, check the master cylinder.

did you replace the master cylinder yet, are you back on the road?

must resist

Lets admit it we ....miss him?

Welcome back dick head

I give. Not anymore. Everything grows tiresome eventually. Now that it's worn off here, he'd have more fun over at the Fiat X19 forum.

Welcome back to "reality" Rand.