I have an '02 and I want CDL: My question is how should I go about doing it while spending the least amount of money possible? There is a 99 DII at a local junk yard I could get the TC out of, along with a couple DI's I could snag the linkage off of, but is the TC swap the easiest/cheapest/only way to do it?

I would rate myself as a mechanical novice, but it's something I think I could tackle with the RAVE and (a lot of) LRF help.

 

If the 99 t/case is quiet and there is no metal in the oil, that will be the cheapest way to go along with a D1 shifter.
Make sure you rebuild your front drive shaft if it hasn't been done yet before it fails and costs you a tranny.

 

I'm in your same boat. But I have a LT230 locking TC sitting in my garage. I bought it on eBay for about $300 with 32k on on it from a wrecked 2004. I was going to install the whole TC. But now after looking at Joshes write-up. I'm going to switch over the front locking part. But it sucks you have to drop the Y-pipes. So I will have my local muffer guys that install my Magna flow drop the Y and install new bolts and studs for me. So its not rusty and terrible when I go to disconnect all those parts.
If your current TC is functioning well. It think swapping in the front locking mech is the easiest way to go.
I have a D1 shifter linkage too. Other than bending that arm(which will probably take me 3 hours by the time I get done fiddling with it. I got my shifter linkage for $130 on eBay. Its better than paying for the $400 for the 04 linkage