It was easier for me to play with the treadmill motor using the batteries I have before I make a controller.
As for the clutch debate, it was simple: the adapter I made for my previous AutoTranny EV mimics the engine hub, so it was as simple as bolting the flywheel, clutch and pressure plate to my existing adapter. No machining, no designing, just mount and go. I also need to shift due to the gear ratios of my manual transmission.
Yesterday we started building the control tray and test fitted a few parts:
The weather is quite awful now so I have no clue what will get done in the next few days. I am going to try and finish bolting the control tray mounts then hookup the heater when the rain stops. The end of this week looks better for the weather so hopefully I will be wiring this weekend!