A rebuilt Samurai transmission is $595 just about everywhere I've ever looked. I've been very satisfied with the service I've received from TrailTough in Medford, OR. I'm in the LA area, and I've planned trips up north just to manage to spend a day or two there for work on my rig that I couldn't do. I'd have no reservations about Petroworks' transmissions either, but you did specify NW.
This would be a good time to consider two upgrades/fixes.
1) The clutch rod goes through an aluminum housing and often galls and sticks a bit. Petroworks can insert a machined bronze bushing there to eliminate binding.
2) Early transmissions had a higher (lower numerically) 5th (overdrive) gear. Depending on your gearing, you might want to specify which gear the transmission is rebuilt with. I've seen it go both ways, early-to-late and late-to-early, depending on how much additional gear reduction you're using with oversize tires. You have only so many choices and you might find you've over-geared your later transmission, so the earlier gear would give you better highway speed, or vice-versa.
