CAN is not a big of a mystery as people make it out to be, as long as it is not shorted or grounded. The only thing you would even have on the network would be the PDC, PCM, and TCM. STAR connectors make it pretty easy to plug up. ABS would be simply taken off, and programmed out. 8 speed is shifted by wire, so you could easily mount the ESIM (Electronic Shifter) any place really. WSS input is only needed from one source, since you are not running ABS, and I know there are kits out there Trans control module is in the Valve Body, so there is nothing to wire up externally.