So I followed the link for the Lancer build and I see the link ended without completion. was it another failed project, or was it ever finished and actually driven?

What year computer are you using? Instead of a 904, you could step up to the Liberty trans, or get a computer controlled re42 auto trans (the electric rear drive v6 or light duty v8 trans.) That sould get you up into the early 2000s computer. I also wonder if the newer stick trans computer would work OK without any input from the trans, the older stick trans computers didn't have any input from the trans. Gene