+1 you might as well do a full rotisserie restoration Jim

 

I'm leaning towards pulling the engine out and leaving the transmission in. I can get a good weld on the shock tower, find and fix any other structural problems, clean up the bay and clean up the engine.
One last question. Is it better to keep the engine in the dining room where we have a hardwood floor, or the formal living room where we have carpet. I'm thinking it will be easier to clean the carpet since I have a Hoover Steam Vac. I thought about using the kitchen but my wife didn't like it when I kept parts there last winter so I am going to be thoughful and use a different room.

 

Skill level 3 for 10.

R&R will not be a hard job for you, I have seen what you have accomplished on your can in a short time, you won't have any issues.

Before you rent the hoist, check at HF for a buy, probably can buy for the same $ as rental and then you could sell it... I think you can buy for about $100... sell for $50 maybe......... who knows?

It would be a good time to clean up the engine compartment and quell the MF mockage...

It will be easy enough to leave an auto trans in the car, and I say put the engine on the hardwood, stand it up on its end on the flexplate. That way you can kind of turn the engine while you clean it. The flex plate will dig in well on the wood.

 

HGC - I would put it next to my bed if I were you.

reboy - I also own one of the carb plates but I went ahead and bought the I bar with chains because I know someone who was pulling out an engine with one and the carb bolts snapped and the engine fell. After that I have not used one since lol.

 

Put it in the living room and put a piece of glass on top, new coffee table

 

The carb plate. I get the impression it is a heavy steel plate that I bolt onto the manifold after removing the carb. I lift the engine from that single point? Where would I get one of those? NPD maybe?
Sounds like a good time for a carb rebuild too. Never been done on this car. This engine also has one of those God awfull open breather systems with the tube that runs down under the car and bolts to the transmission. I hate that thing. I had to take it off to remove the valve covers and it was a real pain getting it back on.
Hood off
Remove carb and replace with plate
Export Braces off
Disconnect electrical
Disconnect fuel
Disconnect accelerator linkage
Disconnect cooling system (drain radiator?)
Unbolt exhaust manifolds
Remove stupid breather tube
Unbolt engine mounts
Disconnect from transmission
Explain to wife once again why this is fun (she still doesn't get it)

 

You can probably get that carb plate at any autoparts store, I believe i got mine at Pep Boys 2 or 3 years ago or so. Also, one tip I learned, If you only have the hook on your cherry picker, attach the carb plate to the hook first, then lower it onto the carb studs and fasten it. What I did recently was bolt down the plate all nice and tight, then I went to put the cherry picker on and I couldn't get the hook onto the plate because of the angle, an annoying simple setback.

Looks like you've got a complete list, I would just remove the radiator though, to get the engine off the transmission you need to lift the engine up until the motor mounts clear, support the tranny with a floor jack, then you will have to wiggle the engine out from the transmission to get the flexplate off the studs. If you had a manual you would have to yank it forward to slide the clutch off the input shaft. Removing the radiator just makes this easier, and you have to drain it anyway so its not that hard. Also, when wiggling the engine you won't hit the radiator and damage it.

I'm sure you'll figure everything you need to figure out as you do it, one of those "learn by doing" things