For my D70 I got the housing for free, D60 outers and axle shafts for 300 bucks, spent 1k on locker, let’s say 500 on brackets, 500 on gears/install kit, 500ish for ABS setup then my time which is becoming more valuable but at the same time I do enjoy it. So for under 4K I had a Dana 70 front axle with D60 outers, factory Chevy 60 length shafts in case I need a spare and the locker side gears can he swapped to 40 spline if I ever need to.
As for California, I love it. The state is BEAUTIFUL, it has everything you can ever imagine from hiking, rock crawling, rocks, sand, mud, every type of scenery and terrain, mtns, snow, sun, beach, etc. I would live there forever. Honestly I had no plans to leave even though it is run in a bat**** crazy way. Work offered an opportunity to grow and it was in a place I still really like and CAers are going there but in the end we all gotta go where the money is and CA and NY are places like that.
I know we banter back and forth and I play devil’s advocate so people don’t think they have to spend a ton of money to get into the SAS game. It did cost me more long term but I have the funds now that I didn’t have years ago. It got me in the game.
Your builds are great and I by no means disrespect your style or builds or funds. What I do love about off-roading is there are 183824 ways to skin a cat.