Starting from scratch - MT conversion

[10kman]

Actually, sitting here thinking about this a bit more -

Could I just use the existing tranny, with the 2-speed, and a Forward Only Kit like I would normally do with it in nitro flavor?

I think the tranny is strong enough to handle anything thrown at it, and would let me keep using stock parts. I would just need to find a way to mount up the motor in a good place, with the spur gear on the side like it is.

Could I gear it appropriately to get the torque and power I'm craving (pinion options)?

This would require manual braking, which isn't a huge deal and actually I think I'd rather stress that little disc brake than my expensive ESC, especially with a heavy truck like that.