Being a Michigan native, I know how fortunate I am not to have to deal with rust or corroded aluminum. The engines are still just as gross though. That desert dust finds any spec of oil.
Spent a little more time with it today. Just picking away at it. Got all the fluids drained. This trans had a drain plug so that was cool. Driveshaft is out. Intake is off. Fan is off. A lot of the wiring is disconnected. I think the hardest part will be removing the transfer case, being that I'm in the dirt on my back. Before I do that, I need to pull the Y-pipe. Unfortunately, I have to do it the hard way. Like unbolting it vs. cutting it. My brother in law has an '02 Yukon with a cat code. Told him he could have my Y-pipe to get him through emissions. I'll just buy a couple new high flow jobbers.
Anyhow, this is where I'm at. I'm happy considering how hot it was and there were no injuries.