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but it seems the diesel guys are in a minority and not much info is available.


I disagree. You can get the info but not on this site. I agree with casius, why reinvent the wheel? I know you got a ton of money invested in what you have but, you will spend as much building a trans to handle that power as it would be to build a 500 HP 408. You are thinking of dipping into a class of expensive reliability and expensive repair compared to what you had.
On a positive note, it is a blast to watch!