Brian,
Sounds like a plan.
Yeah, Doug can finish the AI cut. I've had a few lenses that were modded by Meier's before they moved away. Wasn't that impressed. The cut was just a short notch for the tab on the coupling ring, but not enough to allow you to fit a lens at any aperture (although with my 35/1.4, there was no way to mount the lens with the ring set at f/22, would hit the tab on every AI body I tried it with). Doug's cuts look pretty darn close to factory, except for the fact that it's still the original ring.
With respect to bodies, I know that Kenmore just got a chrome FE2 in recently. That might be worth checking out, since you're not that impressed with the EM/FG series bodies - to tell the truth, nor have I been that impressed with them. Too much plastic for me, and some almost sound like A-series Canons with squeaky mirror boxes.
-J