I admire your determination and will enjoy watching your progress.

EDIT: Personal preference, but I would ditch the button panel and just use an empeg remote with an IR extender and the steering wheel buttons. Much cleaner. If you REALLY need to get to the buttons on the empeg, you could always pull over and get in the glove box.

In my Blazer, my empeg was installed in a low position that was hard to reach, and I used my remote all the time. I got very good at using it by feel alone without taking my eyes off the road.