I must only get good info then (or am a very believable liar), shortly after I said it was coming dealers started presales which didn't happen before.
You may be a little gullible but I wouldn't call you a liar

Pre-sales don't mean much until there is an actual product on it's way. All that means is the local retailers have been told the same garbage and they want to get some lists of people willing to pay a premium for the first batch if and when they show up. Also keep in mind Bushmaster is going to fill all US orders first then we will be getting them. There have been other rifles that went on pre-sale in the last few years then we waited and waited long past the original expected delivery date. T97 ring any bells?
It wasn't internet rumors back in 2011 it was direct replies from Bushmaster to emails and phone calls. They still haven't released any caliber conversion kits, not even in the US.
I hope they do finally come through and deliver what they say they are going to but I wouldn't get too excited till there is confirmation there is a shipment inbound.
I still think people are better off buying a used restricted version and converting it. It's easy and I already blew your long transfer time excuse out of the water. My AR took around 2 weeks to transfer to the guy in Nanaimo not the 3 months you were saying.
Unless you want a heavy battle rifle that doesn't shoot any better than the current 16 inch model. Adding 2 inches and leaving the profile heavier isn't going to make it any more accurate. A higher quality blank is needed to increase accuracy.
Personally I prefer a lighter rifle with a match grade barrel. I didn't do anything special that anyone else couldn't have done and I am going to be into my ACR for under $3000 and have 2 non restricted barrel kits and both the folding and fixed stock.
If someone was to find a good deal on the EE in the $1800-$2000 range like you said you have seen and then bought the Dlask barrel for $550 then by the time you take care of de-registering (Dlask will do it for you if you send in your rifle and Calgary Shooting Center is supposedly doing it now with Dlask barrels as well) you would be into it for around $2500 and you would have a Green Mountain 1:7 twist barrel.
So unless you specifically want the heavier rifle then there are other (and cheaper) options out there right now, not maybe this summer if we're lucky.