Going to perform a little thread necromancy here. Sorry about that in advance.

I have the Cyclone Mk-II FD and long cage RD on my '84 Trek 520. I'm wondering, if I put a 9 speed rear cassette on the bike am I likely going to be able to shift through all 9 speeds with the friction shifter?

Or should I start saving towards new derailleurs if I'm going to go that route? I'm really having difficulty adjusting to the Half Step plus granny setup that's on the bike now.