We decided that it would be much easier to connect the engine and tranny then slide it all into place rather than install the tranny and try to line things up laying under the car. That meant taking off the core support. I wish I would have thought through that sooner. I've been working around that thing for months!
We also thought it might be easier to put the headers on first as well. If you've ever put headers on a Pontiac and as you can kind of see in the photo, the heads are positioned so that the headers connect almost to the bottom, instead of the side. This makes a horrible job out of installing them with the engine in place. You have to remove the starter and the oil filter bracket, undo the motor mounts and raise the engine about 4 inches to get them in...from underneath. The measurements showed that it would be tight, but workable. It was a none starter. If the engine only weighed a couple of pounds so you could work it around to kind of corkscrew it in there, then maybe. As it was, the headers had to come off and get installed as the engine went in.
With the engine finally in place...I remembered that in the rush to get done and return the borrowed engine lift before nightfall, that I forgot to bolt up the torque converter! Looks like I'll have a little under car work after all. Other than that and the header issue, it was an easy install. It took a little guidance underneath to stab the drive line back into the transmission, but other than that, it was an easy bolt in.
