I took my motor and tranny out starting with the engine mounts and going back to the differential bolts. Would it be easier to drop the pair down and reconnect starting with the drive shaft to differential bolts then moving forward? Motor mounts last.

Thanks for any first hand or guesses.

Done it a few times. I always started with engine then the trans. working aft.

If you drop the pair in as a unit I hope you have a leveler.  I had a heck of a time lifting the tail of the transmission up to the mount without one.  

 

Also found that leaving most of the mount bolts, even those in to the block, slightly loose made it easier to get them all started.  Once they're all in, tighten them up.

 

I've only done one though.

I've got a leveler and what a difference they make!

I'm remembering what a difficult time I had with the drive shaft the last time. I'm waiting until it's all bolted up before filling the gear box.

Anymore tips would be appreciated.

Been so long for me that I don't have any memorable info to provide, but I can provide moral support.

 

Good luck and hope it goes smoothly!

 

 

Previous posts have said raising the rear end of the car by a foot or more significantly cuts down on the angle the leveler needs to handle when doing a combined engine/tranny install. +1 on your gearbox fill plan.

 I used a small floor jack on a creeper under the tail-shaft housing. It helped stabilize & adjust the rear of the trans as it was sliding into place. While the rear of the trans is still down a bit, slip the drive shaft into the trans.  Align the drive-shaft with the rear-end flange with one hand and jack the trans up into position with the other hand. Everything will stay in place while installing fasteners.

Thank you Mark. You ever been to Alabama? Want to visit in couple of weeks?

I have a motorcycle jack that works as a transmission jack as well.

So I'm thinking the driveshaft should be the last to bolt to the diff? Then tighten everything else up.

Thanks for advice!!

 I used a small floor jack on a creeper under the tail-shaft housing. It helped stabilize & adjust the rear of the trans as it was sliding into place. 

That's a good one.  I just didn't have a way to lift.  I had assumed that the length of the transmission would give enough leverage to muscle it up, but there wasn't enough room under the car to work.

 

Here's another tool to consider if you're hanging the engine from the rafters.  I know people shy away from that but it really depends on where you're working and how you distribute the load.  A chain-hoist is much easier to use than a come-along.  Might be easier to use than hydraulics.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Boston-Industrial-HOIST-CHAIN-TON/dp/B000INSJKC

I've got that exact chain hoist! But I'm scared to use it on my '50s garage floor joist. Plus you need to roll the car forward, I'm limited vertically and depth wise. I have to use an engine hoist with the arm out as far as is safe.

I'm thinking if I could bollt the drive shaft to the differential last I'd be okay?

I'm being overly cautious I believe.

That R & R that I described was using the rafters and a come-a-long. I just used a couple of 2x4x8's perpendicular to the rafters. Worked great. I also used the same method for a small block Chevy, no trans.The rafters groaned, a lot, but it did work.

Yup, drive line is last but it's easier to install as you lift the rear of the trans into place.

Start aligning mounts and installing loose bolts at the engine front & work your way back.

 The install is not that difficult. Well, at least when I was younger it wasn't difficult. The height of the car was always the problem in tight quarters for me. No vertical clearance? Hang the engine in the engine bay and then jack the car up to it.  When I was 25 it was about a five hour job to get the car back on the street running. These days, probably twice as long. Regardless, if you can get the height of the car dialed in, there is a lot of room to work around the engine and trans.