k2466912

Hey everyone, I'm a new 912 owner, and would like some advice on planning my 'restoration'. Please forgive me if anything I say is ignorant or uninformed. I'm new to the community!
I have a clean title mangled corpse of a SWB 1966 912. It's likely none of these parts would be used, and I will either have a 'replacement chassis' to put around the VINs (done the proper way thru California), or craft a car from replacement parts.
Any ideas beyond reproduction sheet metal/salvage vehicles?
I don't particularly care about period correct-ness or resale value. Look at the car, I'll basically be raising the dead.

I wont be using a boxer engine, and to get the trans ratio's I want, I currently plan on using a 996 transmission with a 4.15 final drive.
For the people who've driven newer generation manuals, how does the shifting action feel to you?
I'm a huge fan of simple viscous AWD systems, like those in the 993/996. I've never driven a C4. I understand the effort a conversion would take, but I'm apprehensive as this would add ~10,000$ to my build for something that many owners delete on newer vehicles.
If you've driven a c4 of any generation, how do you like it?
Would an AWD 912 with turbo flares make you smile, cry, or both?