[Caseyjones]

Follow up information:
1) Snagged a shifter and shift tower from a Dakota. You have to get the entire assembly - the pivot points are different distances apart on the different shifters so you can't just put a Comanche shift cane into a Dakota shifter housing, etc. The Dakota shifter still ends up in the seat. I used a torch to heat and bend the shifter arm. The Dakota shifter is threaded, so might be easier to adapt a different lever later.

2) Plan to buy a shifter rebuild kit - the bushings were gone (literally disintegrated) in both the Dakota and the original Comanche shifters. It's super-easy to replace them. I also made a new gasket to seal the tower to the transmission case.

3) Changed to a 1-piece driveshaft using the slip yoke I referenced earlier in the thread and it worked out great. Stock clutch is holding up and works well so far.

4) Driving impressions have been few, but overall the transmission seems to be a decent match to the engine and the 3:73 gears / 29" tall tires on my truck. I still have a lot of tuning and refining to do on the truck so will report back if I find anything else worth mentioning.