FM kits did and do still exist,
SPECTRUM COMMUNICATIONS
I have also several schematics, CBC used to sell a board and still has schematic available, I found a couple in the old Secret CB magazines as well as kits.
I like to use FM when I go hunting or hit the trails wheeling my truck, or in convoy to the beach. Its actually more common on 11m than y'all think, as even the cheapest $80 export has FM. FM is sneaky, sounds like QRM on an AM rig and even most truckers with exports dont realize that's an FM signal when in AM mode. A very good thing when you got people who just love giving you a hard time on the radio for using it for anything other than a power contest. Did I mention its clear, whilst AM may go further, on AM weaker signals come through on the negative peaks. It can also run the cheapest of class C amps, with no distortion.
Your not scaring me into getting a ham license, been there and done that and for the amount of money I have to put into it, I lost interest. CB's are a dime a dozen and as a proper ham I cant do nothing with em.
Back when I did ham the only CB I had was a GE 5001 with only 3 knobs on the front of it, and a Cobra 19 in the house, unmodified running legal, for calling the house from my truck and I even once mentioned it to 80% of the hams up there I get booed off the airwaves. I got sick of hearing all the whining about an occacional truck driver having his band switch on band D transmitting on 28.185 while he burns his finals out.
I know all about 10 meter repeaters, unfortunately just about all 10 meter monobands are said to be illegal, and I get bood off the air the minute I mention what I am talking on. If it aint made by Yaesu KEnwood Icom or sold under the radio shack name its a CB in disguise. CB's in disguise with repeater offsets, PLL tones and CW. 2 faced b.s. when I can "unlock" about any Icom Yaesu or Kenwood for expanded coverage.
I give up, will start hunting the components and see how much cheaper it be than ordering from the british.