Saturday afternoon update:
I duplicated the cardboard cross section of the transfer case and cut down nearly everything but the input shaft center hole and the output side boundary to see what position it would have to be in to line up with the transmission output shaft and differential input flange as well as not hit the seat and go below the frame. The hole the rod is going through is right at 3.5" below the input shaft centerline which means I'll have to raise the engine, transmission, and differential all up by that amount to get everything to work. I checked the intake manifold height and that means I'll need to modify the hood center hump to raise it about .75" (my estimate). Since I thought about making longer A-arms for the rear anyway so I wouldn't have to run such large spacers, a change in the axle lengths due to raising the differential won't be such a large impact. Well, large impact is relative...


I'm also taking a look at how the seating position will have to change from normal. It looks like I'll need to move the base of the seat forward, raised by 2", and tilt it back more. I can compensate with thicker padding towards my knees so I'm not trying to stretch out and rest my feet on the pedals. A removable steering wheel will be a 'must have'


Still more to mock up, but I'm almost back to thinking this is doable