Some tips on the tranny removal:
Have the right tools. Make sure you have a breaker bar, some rust killer/freeze spray and a torch for some of the nasty bolts under the car. Even a cheapo pencil torch or a little butane torch from Menard's (15-ish bucks) should be plenty to heat up a bolt.
Have some decent extensions and a lot of patience. There is a tranny bolt or two hiding in the transfer case area that basically requires you to remove the t-case as well. Once you remove all of the bolts (5 if I recall correctly), the t-case will not simply slide off. I thought I missed a bolt when the t-case wouldn't come off; all it required was a few taps on the back side by a hammer and crowbar to slide the t-case off.
The retainer c-clip on the passenger side axle is a nasty SOB. Every guide I've seen has said to simply yank the shaft out of the tranny. Unfortunately, the ball-joint comes out before the c-clip gives, so make sure you have the right crowbar and leverage to pry out the axle AT the joint (where the shaft meets the transmission bellhousing). I ended up tearing my CV boot in the struggle. It didn't matter to me because it was a part-out car, but it will to you, so be careful and patient, it'll eventually come off with prying.
http://mn3s.org/3_96C.PDFThat .pdf file has an exploded view. The Stealth316 writeup is what I followed. Don't wear shirts that you will want to wear again. Have a buddy help you once you've removed all of the bolts. Also helped to have a buddy when tugging the passenger axle. I dropped the tranny onto my chest. If you're a skinnier/lighter built guy, you definitely want to have some padding on your chest or a tranny jack.
Good luck!
Edit: Also, +1 to taking it to Jeff in Milwaukee, if you're going to take it to anyone. He did my clutch a few years back on my '92. Had that baby in and out in a few hours with a resurfaced flywheel waiting there for me.
