Got the transmission installed today. Boy that was not fun. The transmission jack's deck height is 10 inches off the floor and there is no way you can slide the trans under and into the tunnel area and then try to manhandle it onto the jack. Too darn heavy. So I put the car up onto the truck jack stands which are still not high enough. I ended up putting the trans on the jack and finagling it under the car by angling the base and dropping the bellhousing area and then moving it around between the right side brake rotor and the wheel well.
It then took four tries to get the transmission to bolt up to the engine. I thought I had the torque converter seated with two "clunks" but it turns out this one is supposed to clunk a third time to be fully seated into the front pump. (Things you learn when this is your first Ford project). Otherwise you get within 3/8" of bolting up and then no go. Very frustrating. But in the end I got it done by the time it was getting dark. I have a large railroad tie section holding up the rear of the trans till tomorrow when I can put in the crossmember and get it all into position, once and for all.
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