Stop in for a cup of coffee
Quick update.
Sent a note over to A and A Transmission yesterday. Rick gave me a call this morning and we talked for a bit. Nice guy, very knowledgeable. He's going to look for some things for me.
Short story - (
@dukeboy_318 ) - it IS POSSIBLE to remove the rear pump on an early A904 Torqueflite but it requires a bunch of work and modifications - Heliarc some areas, customize valve body passages...etc. He's done it before but it was a $5K job. That is NOT what was done to mine...you can't do it with a more modern valve body swap and removal of the rear pump. Apparently there is something you can do with a 727...but it is not the same.
SO... there's that.