[grandam1979]

I move the trans forward about 3” on the jack drop engine straight down put bell bolts in then back it all up 3” into position in a 68 bird not many tighter than that and it works great. A buddy showed me that years ago when he saw me tipping engine back to get bell bolts out. it was a duhhhh moment.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Murf

i

I was that guy when I was growing up. Fattest guy around. ��
Man those tiller’s were a great invention!

I can’t believe all the shows on TV where they use a damn old forklift on a $250k car. To use one of their favorite terms “ that’s sketchy “

Murf

Saw a guy at the race track last season with a T shirt that said "That's sketchy even by my standards"

I've got to find one of those.

K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 64speed

I have no idea why this new phone rotates my pictures

Probably because it is easier than raising the back of the car.

[Hoodshaker]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Saw a guy at the race track last season with a T shirt that said "That's sketchy even by my standards"

I've got to find one of those.

K

Mopar guy who goes by "uncle Tony" sells them. https://uncletonysgarage.com/product/sketchy-t-shirt/ He's got a youtube channel with some good car guy content.

[Sirrotica]

Originally Posted by grandam1979

I move the trans forward about 3” on the jack drop engine straight down put bell bolts in then back it all up 3” into position in a 68 bird not many tighter than that and it works great. A buddy showed me that years ago when he saw me tipping engine back to get bell bolts out. it was a duhhhh moment.

I've never tried it that way either, but it sure sounds better than trying to R&R both units bolted together as one. No need for engine tilters, someone standing on the transmission/engine, etc. The only thing is if the transmission stays in place hooked to the crossmember, it saves draining it, unhooking, and removing the driveshaft, and crossmember, disconnecting the shift linkage, removing cooling lines (automatic), speedometer cable. The flat rate mentality is to do less work, make more money. That's the way I approach every mechanical job I do. Flat rate isn't hourly pay, it's piecework, the more you turn, the more you earn.

But in this case both units were new, and already out of the car, so it wouldn't have saved any operations by having the transmission bolted to the crossmember before the engine was dropped in. In this case rolling the transmission ahead to put the bolts in during the install wouldn't have saved any labor/time.

The tilting the chassis up in the rear to put the engine/transmission assembly in, but maybe it's no worse than pulling, and installing the engine, without removing the hood. I saw that done on a bet by my fellow flat rate mechanics, and yes it's possible. No damage to anything either.

There are many ways to arrive at the same end result.

Happy the OP got it done, with zero cosmetic damage....

[geeteeohguy]

64, you took a lot of abuse and took a long time and spent a lot of money, but you did it all in really good taste, IMO, and have a gorgeous car in every sense of the word. Well done.
I have always done my Pontiacs with the engine and trans separated. You can get the top bolts on the bellhousing with a 3 foot long extension and a swivel socket no problem. Come in from where the driveshaft is. A-bodies are easy. My old '61 Corvette is so tight that installing the engine and trans together is a huge time and labor saver. It requires a load leveler, the car to be lifted on ramps, and a lot of overhead clearance.
Anyway, well done on your '64!!

[64speed]

Thank you