DEC 11/45 build - advice sought, parts requested possibly.

Ok, so I have a working processor, and a basement full of peripherals. I'm not sure which way to go with the rest of the build. I'm not really up on DEC stuff I admit, so maybe others here can offer me some advice as to what is the best way to proceed. Background: My 11/45 (11/45-CA actually) has the KB11-A processor, no FP. It's the older style with the power distribution board on the back wall of the cpu cabinet rather than on top. However, it's also got the newer 861A power control in the bottom rather than the dual 860's in the top. There is the two H742A's as well. I have one system unit installed - MF-11L in which is installed 8K of core. In the cpu backplane there are three unibus slots which I believe will take three quad? (C-F) boards. A&B in two of those slots are used for the unibus A to unibus B jumper, and A&B of the last slot is the connector to A&B of the MF-11L. The MF-11L has a 9312 in the last A&B slot. The SPC? boards currently installed are two DL11's and a M7228. The ONLY board in slot one is a 930C terminator in A&B. I have no MMU, so slot 13 is empty and slot 14 has the M8116. Separately, I have a lot of peripherals to choose from. Scads of RL02's, DSD440, LincTape II, RX01's, RX02's, RA81's, etc. I also have a BA11-KU with a DD11-DK backplane in it. Problem: The unibus space on the cpu backplane is quite limited. At the VERY least I have to keep one of the DL11's there, so that leaves me with two more unibus slots for peripherals. I *THINK* that that standard controller for an RX02 or RL02 takes all 6 rows (Hex cards?). However, the DSD440 controller only takes slots C-F (quad?). The linctape II controller also only takes C-F. So, I think I could have a reasonable system by putting the DSD440 controller, LincTape controller, and a DL11 and be done with it. However, I then am limited to using core memory in the MF11. At the very best, I can get... what... 32K in a MF11? I think I can get the additional core boards. But correct me if I'm wrong but isn't sticking with core (max 32K) going to make my operating system choices extremely limited? I'm guessing I can't run RSTS or Unix on it with that kinda memory. vtserver I think requires a full load of 128KW. On top of it all, the DSD440 takes most of the rack depth, as does an RL02, so I've been advised against mounting anything above the /45 except maybe the linctape. Possible solutions: 1) I just got a M7891 (64KW) off Ebay. I could yank out the MF-11L system unit, yank out the DD11-DK from the spare BA11, and install the DD11 in the cpu cabinet. I'd use the unibus memory M7891, ditch the core, and have a fair number of slots left over in the DD11. However, there's problems with this approach. I'd still be mounting stuff above the /45 (DSD440 & Linctape at the least), and maybe an RL02. In other words, this would fix the memory and unibus slot availability, but I believe I'd still be restricting the airflow/cooling too much :\ Plus I'd need to find some of those rare Mate & Lock connectors to get the DD11 into the /45 cabinet and do some power harness building. I guess I might need one or more regulators for this approach as well. Then I'd have to find/buy a KT11-C to USE the M7891 I think.... I'm probably talking about unobtanium stuff aren't I :| 2) Take another H960 rack, bolt it to the 11/45 rack, and install the entire extra BA11 in there. Now it's a dual bay system, but I could use core still if I wanted, and I think also use the M7891 in the BA11. Then I'd have room in the 2nd rack for the peripherals. However, I'd really like to keep this in a single bay rack :\ I'm sure there's other solutions. Can someone advise me on what is likely to be the best route to go? I don't want this to be a really huge /45 setup. I'd like to run RT11 v5 with TSX+ on it. Temporarily, I'd also like to try loading up RSTS and some form of Unix. Thoughts anyone? Jay West