Stoke,
Welcome to the VAF.
Don't worry about the TW vs. NW debate. The insurance isn't that significant of a difference and if the NW guys keep flipping their planes upside down, they might just surpass the TW insurance rakes.
![Wink ;) ;)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
(Do a search, that topic has been discussed before.)
Build the plane you want to build and don't worry about which end the little wheel is on. Learning to fly a TW is like learning to solo all over again, after 10 hours you will wonder what all the excitement was about.
Since you are building this plane, you may configure it any way you want. If you like the Side-By-Side seating of the -7, put the instruments on the right side. That or learn to fly from the left.
There are a number of -7's flying with the throttle on the left side of the panel and no center throttle. Check out
www.rvproject.com for details.
The -8 is a great airplane as is the -7, either can be built to accomodate your height, so that won't be a problem. Girth is more of an issue than height.
Try to sit in both prior to writing that first check. They both fly similarly so getting a ride in one will work for both.