i found another distraction!! uuugghhh
this time in the form of what took me YEARS to find. Clean, 2dr, 2000-2001, 6cyl, patriot blue, Jeep Cherokee. has an auto, needs a manual, but i'll take care of that easy enough right now. got it from a buddy for a great deal cuz the head was cracked due to a freeze plug behind the flywheel rusting thru. since the trans has to come out to fix that, i'm picking up a 5spd donor jeep tonight.