Possible nonclassical ion from a bicyclic system

In [this question](https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/116043/carbocation-rearrangement/116046#116046) a bicycling alcohol is reacted with acid to make what appears to be a tertiary carbocation, and the OP asked whether it could become aromatic. The given answer suggests it could be, but only if a nonclassical ion is formed. So, does that happen?


The substrate is 8a-methyl-1,3,4,8a-tetrahydronaphthalen-4a(2⁠*H*)-ol.




While there are examples of 1,2-methide shifts, this question has an uncanny resemblance to the dienone-phenol rearrangement whose mechanism was first elucidated by [Woodward and Singh](https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/ja01157a129) in 1950. Dienone **1** under acidic conditions undergoes rearrangement to phenol **6** and not, based on earlier speculation, to phenol **4**. The direct 1,2-methide shift (**2b** --> **3**) does not occur but rather the reaction proceeds through the spiro carbocation **5**. *continued*   
  

[![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/W7zRB.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/W7zRB.jpg)  
  

Applying this approach to the carbocation **7** generated from the alcohol in this question, spiro carbocation **8** forms the predicted tetrahydronaphthalene **10**. One way to distinguish between the two mechanisms is via a labeling experiment. All of the carbon label in **7** will retain its location as the red star in **10** if the 1,2-methyl shift mechanism applies. The spiro mechanism will partition the label ~50:50 between the two ring benzylic carbons. For related studies, see reference 2.  
  

1) [R. B. Woodward and T. Singh, *J. Am. Chem. Soc.*, **1950**, *72*, 494.](https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/ja01157a129)  

2) [A. J. Waring, J. H. Zaidi and J. W. Pilkington, *J. Chem. Soc, Perkin Transactions I*, **1981**, 1454](https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/1981/p1/p19810001454#!divAbstract).


 6

I don't think it is necessary to consider a mechanism with a nonclassical carbocation. It would undergo normal rearrangement with a 1,2-methide shift within the same ring. See the mechanism I posted in [previous question](https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/116043/8a-methyl-1-2-3-4-4a-8a-hexahydronaphthalen-4a-ylium-carbocation-rearrangement/116046#116046) you were directing to:


[![Rearrangement to Aromatic](https://i.stack.imgur.com/SMVzc.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/SMVzc.jpg)


Answer to [this question](https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/98588/rearrangement-of-8a-ethyl-1-3-4-8a-tetrahydronaphthalen-4a2h-ol/98602) would support for my mechanism. 


 4