HGC

I found a local shop which can do some welding I need to repair shock tower and a localized hole in a front rail. The rail is accessible. They think they can reach the tower OK but I was thinking how much easier it would be (and a better weld job?) if the engine were out. Honestly, it does not look that bad. Unbolt the exhaust and the engine mounts. Disconnect fuel and electrical. Undo the hoses. Not sure if the transmission should stay in or come out with the engine.
So, how hard is it? My other option is to remove the exhaust which would give more access to the tower. However, with the engine out I may be able to locate other problems to fix and I can redo the bay, which is not bad at all. It really does not need redoing.
The tower repair is where the tower joins the rail. The drain hole in that stupid tray area of the rail was apparently clogged and that caused about a one inch hole in the tower.

socalwrench

Wow, it really seems like you're undecided about this.

Removing the engine isn't hard on these older cars. It is easier to pull the transmission with it though. On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being an oil change, 10 being an engine rebuild)- Id say it's a 5.

KMatch

Disclaimer: I've got nearly 30 years in field experience behind me so do the math to convert to your personal ability. My I'm losing the use of my legs so when I got bored one day and decided to pull the 6 cylinder and trans out of my project, I asked my low experienced wife if she'd mind getting on the creeper for pulling the driveshaft and crossmember. With a little coaching to her, the engine and trans were on the ground in about an hour from the time I said, "Hey, why don't we pull the engine out?". The only molested (cut) parts were the trans cooler lines as mine is a ground up restoration. The rest is/will be sold from the fan blade to the rear lug nuts.

A V8, power steering, a/c and such will take longer, but these are just easy beasts to work on. If you want a taste of mechanical work, this is the place to start! Oh, leaving the engine and trans together does make things easier if you're equipped to do so. A trans output shaft plug/tool is a must. It slips in in place of the slip yoke.

Joe1967

With a 4 post lift, tranny pulled separately form the bottom, i had the one out of my 67 vert out in 1 hours 12 minutes.

Lying in the dirt, in the cold with hardly anything more than a pair of vise grips and a crane i got a 289 and a 3 spd out of my friend's 66 in just over 3 hours.

kalli

you need the right tools (obviosly a motor crane to pull it). if you have the right tools and a set of helping hands it's actually a nice job. some pull the trans with the engine, but I usually drop the transmission first as I work in a friends place who has a pit. I find it easier this way.
Some of the work is PITA: headers, the clutch equalizer bar. but altogether it's quite enjoyable
if you have it out you can clean up the engine bay as well as clean up the engine

Flash70

Okay when I removed my engine it took around an hour and this was my first removal. I was able to pull it with the headers on and the transmission at the same time. DEFINITELY get that plug for the tail of the transmission. I got so much tranny fluid everywhere. I was extremely pissed lol. Ended up shoving a rag in it but it came out fast. If you decide to pull it with the transmission 2 people is a must unless you want to bang up your engine compartment and engine and possibly radiator. Remove those stabilizer bars that go from the towers to the firewall so it can fit out good. Have 1 person push down on the transmission area slightly and keep it from swinging and then pump it out. I would not recommend a carb plate to pull it get one of those I bars that has the 4 chains. I set my engine on a wooden palette supported by random pieces of wood with rags to keep from scratching. Worked perfect.

If I can do it you definitely can lol. Oh and definitely clean out the engine compartment. You will be upset if you take it out and put it back in without doing that. It makes everything look so much nicer. And rub down the engine a bit with some degreaser, might need to repaint depending on what kind of paint or if its powder or what not.

HGC

Thanks. It's a 289 2 barrel, auto trans with power steering. I would have to get an engine hoist, although I might try to lease one since I will probably never have need for it again.
I was not planning on driving the car from roughly December to March anyway so downtime is not a problem. I'm also thinking it might be a good time to replace the 45 year old electrical wiring.

4reboy

I've pulled two engines now with my dad, my 351w and his big block, and it's not too difficult. Both times we pulled only the engine, not the tranny. With an auto you disconnect everything you mentioned, but then you have to remove the inspection plate on the tranny and spin the engine to undo all 4 bolts connecting the flexplate to the torque converter. Then you undo the bolts on the bellhousings and the engine should come right out.

I definitely recommend getting the lifter plate that bolts onto the carb hole on the intake, works great. However, if you pull the transmission as well you probably have to get the balancing bar thingy, but if you pull just the engine you can pull it straight out with the cherry picker attached directly to the plate.

Oh, you'll have to remove your hood as well.

Oxnard Montalvo

Because one thing always leads to another I'd let the shop see what they can do with the engine in place first. Otherwise, besides the wiring, hey...Why not build the engine while it's out. And at that point, hell, better do the tranny too.
Now we're talking big money for a little weld job...It's inevitable.

Jaded

My 70+ year old parents helped me pull mine when I cracked a shock tower years ago. Yes, it's easier to fix it with the engine out.

Go for it, it's not hard at all.