[storm9c1]

Regarding the drive shaft, you might be able to adapt a 2-piece driveshaft setup. When mated to a TH400, for example on something like a C30, it would have a bolt-on yoke with a slip joint at the second section. Those parts are rather prolific to find. Most guys try to go the opposite direction and swap out the 2-piece for a 1-piece and then have to change the trans output shaft to a slip yoke.

The whole project sounds like an interesting idea. I don't know enough to answer your bellhousing question, sorry. It sounds like it would work with a SBC bell, but I'm not convicted about it.

I'm also not going to tell you not to do it. In fact, I'm all for doing things people say can't be done! But rowing a column shifter through 6 gears, you may just reach the limit of travel in the column. Or the gears may be so close together, it may not be fun. If I had 6 gears on a rat rod, I'd want a tall crooked shifter on the floor man... where 6th is in the passenger's lap. LOL!