Thanks for the input, folks. Much obliged. I tapped the BCM -- nothing.
I had intended to attempt the swap out myself but for the life of me I can't get the wiring harness free from the BCM, and don't want to risk breaking it. I am supposed to leave for Tucson tomorrow and the trip between LA and Tucson travels between many blast furnaces and various suburbs of Hell, so traveling out without AC may be the death of me.
As I said up-thread, I do get residual "wind" that, I suppose, turns the fan enough inside to get some cool air, though none obviously at a slow pace or a standstill, since the AC is still producing cold air.
So my question is this: If i do the drive to Tucson (where I will attempt again to fix or take it to a shop if I cannot) with the AC "on," do I risk blowing something out or burning something up by having the AC "on" and using the breeze generated by traveling at 80 MPH force the small but sufficient stream of air in?
I know it sounds desperate, and probably absurd, but it's either go tomorrow or be forced to consider if I can make the trip at all.