On the small chance that the following advice will be noticed:
Rebshidduch, you have been telling us that you are ready to build a bayis neeman with this guy (the one you only recently described as being someone you would never date), but also that you have not actually started dating.
so 1. how do you know that he is really for you and that he makes you happy, etc when you have not dated him for tachlis of getting married?
2. how do you know that he even wants to get married and if so, marry you, if you have not even dated?
3. Are your expectations grounded in reality, or wishful thinking because your first attempt at trying the standard shadchan way have not been successful?
I suspect that all the attention that he is giving you right now may fade away when you show that you are interested in him and want to date to get married.
Where will that leave you?
Stick with giving the girl the ride.