Now we are getting somewhere!  Thanks Henk.  I connected pin 6 of the output tubes to pin 3 (not ground) and the output before clipping across 8 ohms changed from 7.5 vptp (.88 w) to 8.7 vptp (1.18 w).  This is an increase of 34%, yea!

Its getting almost loud enough so I can listen to it...trouble is that it sounds so darn good that I naturally want to turn it up, and when it won't go up any more its so frustrating I just don't listen to it.

I think my next step will be to put in a negative bias to the grid of the output tube(s) so I can do away with, or at least reduce, the common cathode resistor, which is now at 500 ohms.

After that, I have plans to try a "boosted triode", inspired by an EDN Design Idea published in June of 2003.  www.edn.com/article/CA302240.html
if anyone is interested.  I will let you know what happens.

DanK