Liked your movie Mr. Burbank, but I think the world is a better place with you on the loose.
Kidding aside, F35 is a tough trans. I'd bet your troubles are in the shifter or cables or where the cable stops are on the trans. The down sides on the F35 are parts/service availability.
If you are going the F23 route have you sourced a shifter? Best bet is probably the DF shifter which should shift either type, and maybe even the F40 trans? Ask DF or Desert Sasquatch, he knows for sure. As a guy who is having to build/modify his own shifter, I have tinkered with many designs! Fiero/Cavalier, MR2, both Cobalt types and the list goes on and on. I now know stuff about cable shifters I wish I didn't know, reversers, bell cranks, cable stops, throw, blah blah.
The forum is always open, there are no stupid questions, just some times they elicit snappy answers.