i have just got mine total stripped today only stuff to come out is windows and i looked at it and thought O SHIT when i looked at it as there is so much work to do never mind the extra work you have had with shell etc.
so i can fully appreciate your thoughts, but as you say as soon as wheels go on etc will start looking like things are coming together.
i can see it being one of those senarios where it looks like things arent coming to gether and it feels like forever than all of a sudden it will be almost there and the excitement will kick in a full tilt.
is looking good, looking forward to seeing it roll.
good luck dude