well the only reason you need to take it out is to get to the bellhousing bolts and maybe fool with the shifter linkage...I seen no other reason to make it any bigger..and I did not want to go back past the cross member..being how the foor is welded to it.. I think that would take some strenth of the foor..and I need to add some strenth to the cross member there anyhow..because I need to modified the crossmember on the bottom side a little anyhow.