Remember when we talked after I priced the trans build and I said the difference between the cheap rebuild and the race rebuild is mostly the price of the billet clutch drum? That's what I was refering to. That billet drum lets you run more discs in the high gear clutch, the wider hemi kickdown band, and as a said affect will keep your feet and legs intact.
As far as the shield - I'd go with the CSR and beat the floor up. Like was said - too much work to the firewall and you open another can of worms...