Your weight guesses are just that, guesses. I would expect the Panasonic and Peugeot to weigh more than those guesses.
As a practical matter, you cannot upgrade either to match what you are getting with the Paramount, due to frame tubing. You also have the advantage of 700c wheels versus 27 inches, dual pivot brakes, better derailleurs, indexed shifting.
On gearing, there are plenty of gear calculators on the web that can guide you.
Something wrong with the FD shift lever. There is a stop built in to the lever that prevents that position. So its either broken or mis-installed, not end of the world.
Last edited by wrk101; 09-14-22 at 07:44 AM.