and so yeah.. .i just spent the past hour talking to Jeff @ TPE (the vette shop in Vegas), and he basically gave me the breakdown on why a KB blower would be the one to go with.
great guy & definitely knows his stuff - he actually's the one who did the R&D/development for most of the Kenne Bell GM stuff.
all that topped off by a comparable price (which, by some quotes, is even cheaper than a Maggie after buying a hood) has just about helped me nail down my decision.
the best advise i got from the conversation, though, was about how to go about my build. and (especially considering he's got TONS more experience than me), i'm probably gonna listen to him. instead of doing the whole "stages" idea, i'll be better off just waiting it out a bit longer & doing the cam/headers at the same time because it'll save a ton in labor