For posterity.
~2K miles after H55F/BF1A rebuild, a major issue arose last week, one that necessitated a ride on the wagon of shame for any Land Cruiser, the second for this particular one (first when I blew the VM up on Memorial Day).
At a light, in the peak of rush hour traffic, when green said go.......she refused, the best I can describe as feeling like the parking brake was on.
In the seconds that followed, before throwing TC in N and pushing through a major intersection, I thought that either the ebrake had dislodged and seized inside the hub (as it had in F350 once, producing similar butt dyno'd description) or the rear diff had grenaded, not registering that an issue with rebuilt drivetrain was a possibility.
Once in the parking lot and after expressing my appreciation to the landscape crew that aided in extraction with mucho, "mucho gracias' ", it didn't take long to figure out that it was, in fact, the tranny, and was, in fact, stuck in two gears, simultaneously.
Jacked with for thirty minutes before conceding defeat, hanging my head in shame and dialing a long saved contact labelled "F350 Chase Vehicle"....this after regret of notifying Mrs. D that one of my beloved was being towed home.
Get her home, jack with it that night for as long as patience would allow, to no avail. Checked the rubber gasket, plastic shifter end, fluid level, for metal in fluid (none), that rear driveshaft wasn't bound in N, linkages were moving, and shifted, clutched, double clutched, shifted trying to get it unstuck.
Returned to the next morning, with similar results, then calling the wagon of shame back up, taking him up on his promise to haul across town which he wouldn't do during the lucrative rush hour traffic the night before.
When it went on the tow truck, it wouldn't disengage from gear, with clutch depressed, would still try to creep forward, clutch out killed, completely. 1-4 could easily be selected with shifter, 5 and R, unattainable.
Crosstown journey of 25 miles.....then rebuilder texts that "it's driving perfect" along with video, which promoted an immediate drive to defend my sanity and menial abilities.
Once onsite, finally got to lock back up by shifting out of 5th with a slight pressure to the left, only able to free with the reverse linkage. Knowing this, could drive without issue, being careful to pull straight back from 5th.
Rebuilder says "it's the top plate", which I discounted, based on no reports being found of any other failures, especially since this top plate was untouched during the rebuild and had never exhibited any issues, prior, operating with the VM (which sold me on the H55F....smooth and effortless, without any notchiness) and the ~2k with the HZ.
Now, I trust the guy knows what he's doing. He's a Cruiserhead at heart, with more Pigs on the lot than I've ever had, several 60s, and a mint '74 40 he's rebuilding drivetrain. Prior to rebuild, he'd said he'd not rebuilt an H55F, had rebuilt 3&4 speed MTs and many split cases, and they were all the same, regardless.
That said, this is the land of domestics.......so, armed with precise symptoms, ping the pros that have the experience with H55s specifically, may have a top plate handy to purchase, in the off chance it's the culprit, before cutting (extreme) losses and buying new.
Text Robbie and Georg a very truncated version of the above, Georg replying "home with flu. Call me", and after a few minutes of my jabbering, he agreed with rebuilder and offered up a top. Later, Robbie replied that he AND BVB both thought a top plate issue...to which the rebuilder wasn't bashful in celebrating vindication, since I didn't think (like I have any idea of anything beyond what the Internet results) that it could be, as it was untouched.