install motor & trans together ????

I find it much easier to install them together.

I have done it without an engine leveler, but it makes it easier if you have one. Got my leveler from Harbor freight.

I put them in together. I raise the REAR of the car as high as possible, with the front wheels on the floor. Get the motor/trans, headers, etc in and on the mounts. Then unhook/remove the engine hoist and raise the front of car on jackstands to hook up everything else. The engine leveler is VERY handy.

Most of the time, I do them together; easier to look everything over and deal with the flex plate/converter/clutch. I use a leveler but have done it the hard way when I had someone around to help. I cover the aprons, rad support & firewall with moving blankets, wrap a towel around the tailshaft, put a floorjack under the car where the trans is headed, and get the rear axle up on jack stands to improve the angle. I lay the headers against the blankets covering the aprons and bungee them up.

Sounds like I'll have a go at it with them together. I do have a leveler. Certainly will make the alignment and bolt-up of the trans to the motor much easier.

Raising the rear end seems like a good trick, offering a better angle.

Thanks guys.

I've done it both ways On my Duster I always put the motor in first with the car raised up on jackstands and then installed the tranny from the bottom. I didn't want to scratch up the firewall and that motor was set way back from stock location, it had a stock firewall also lots of wys to skin the kitty

I agree, you can do them together if you have a helper or two, but if working alone I prefer engine first, then trans.

an interesting way to do it from underneath...
page 28 of this thread:

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=111128&page=28

about a third of the way down the page the pics start

I started doing all of mine from underneath. If I never have to do one over the fenders again it will be too soon. Its really much easier than it sounds. Best thing is you can assemble EVERYTHING on the K frame and then roll it right under and lower the car down. Install t-bars, steering column, upper ball joints, and most of the underneath work is finished.

I have a dolly that was made to roll engines around on. I guess its about 18x18 or so. It has slide rails that line up with the bolts on the bottom of the oil pan rail. The oil pan is about 6" off the floor when on the dolly. Once the long-block is completed I can attach the k frame with the steering box, the idler arm and drag link. I bolt up the trans and converter along with the trans mount. Bolt on the starter and headers,followed by all of the kickdown linkage, starter lead and trany lines. I use the engine crane with a pipe under the front frame rails between the bumper brackets to lift the front end. Rear wheels are on the ground. You can roll the whole assembly in from the side only lifting the car high enough to clear the distributor under where the upper control arm bolts on. Lower the car slowly and the trans mount gets the four bolts installed. Lower it down further and install the 4 k frame bolts. Slide the LCA's with the strut rods in and hook up the torsion bars. UCA's are already on car with spindles and rotors attached. You don't have to re-bleed the brakes this way. Bolt the front shocks up and install the steering column and linkages or shift cables. Pop in the driveshaft and your all but done underneath. Worked great on my 70 Satellite with a 383-727. I hope it works equally as well in a couple weeks with a 340-727 in the 69 Dart.