Loving the Shepherd, Knox, and Dastoor class ships. It's interesting what you can do with your computer, time, and patience.
Like the Knox Class I made a few modifications to the Exultant class. Again removing the “mega phasers” and replacing them with sensor pods. Version 1 Version 2
I tried my hand with Vance's toolkit. The result is the Altair class cruiser, an ancestor of the Miranda class. This is the U.S.S. Altair in battlecruiser configuration, outfitted with heavy lasers and particle cannons. The year would be about 2245.
Sorry, but I think that the weapons units are mounted too high. They may give the weapons far more clearance than the Miranda, but from a tactical standpoint, they stand out even more as an inviting target, and they look aesthetically off-kilter.