Have made a little more progress...
I needed a way to mate the shell up w/ the truck, so I assembled some wood trim that set just inside the bed, matched up w/ the sloped sides of the shell, and created a lip that would keep it from moving side to side/forward & back much:
It's all braced up to keep everything square w/ the bed while I start glassing stuff... fits right in the bottom of the shell:
And got it installed for test fit and to work out what size lexan I'm going to need to cut for windows/how big to cut for the back door:
The sliders I was thinking about using turned out to be way too flimsy for this, so I think I'll follow the recommendations a couple of you made here for the lift and just do it manually. I can support it w/ four posts that swing down into place and the shell should be super strong when it's up:
Steps to glass, at this point are:
* Trace outline of front window and cut out.
* Cut out opening for rear door and brace/frame with wood firing strips.
* Glass around front window and front joint w/ top surface and glass up rear door.
* Trace outline of where opening on drivers side will hold the awning and glass top from passenger side across to that opening.
* Cut out opening for awning, gut more of inside of shell, and box in the long compartment where the awning will hide.
* Glass up entire awning compartment.
* Gut the rest of the shell and lay glass on inside surfaces.
* Add reinforcement to mounting points for the lift bars.
* ...
* Profit!