I hear ya.. its a never ending ordeal... I'd love to come across a 4L80e, i just cant get past the cost of controller to make it shift... main reason i havent started collecting parts for that project. My toy shop, ( bunker ) is small but does the job for the most part. i hate the fact i have to put Street tires on mine just to squeeze it in there...lol
Still have sliders to do...( thinking on get just getting them from shankemdeep on here, he's making and selling some pretty tough ones...) Plus i just checked with Adam at Wide Open Designs here in Murfreesboro Tn, they do full custom tube Crawlers and such.. He's pretty cool to deal with, and i've rode a time or 2 with him.. I got with him in regards to a full custom interior rollcage.. ( through the dash. following cab curves as closely as possible, tieing it all into frame) I can do basic fab stuff, but im not even gonna try in bending and doing angles... Metal costs too much to learn the hard way, i will leave that to the pros...lol
Once all the hard fab stuff is done... then i will add AC, using mostly factory parts, and fab the rest.... Already decided compressor will go on Driver side.. and have a good idea how I'm going to fab up the mount for it. When its all said and done... the engine compartment will be just Stuffed full of things... then its full on with fixing the dents, holes, paint, etc... Still gona go full camo carc.. and include the custom bumpers and sliders into paint scheme..
I had mine clocked per ORD's recommendations, at 2 down i think..( cant remember) When i ordered the doubler kit from them. the adapter for the 203/205 did the clocking needed for my setup. You may want to get with them.. as i think you will be limited on how far you can clock it down with the 4L80e..( front driveshaft clearance issues from side of trans..)