Spent 2 days one time removing top half of a 'rope' seal from wife's 55 T Bird 292. This after pan and main cap removed. Was sweating that may have to pull crank, until coming up with a scheme to get it out. Hopefully will never see one of those critters again.

Replaced with neoprene,,,would take 45 seconds on that if there was a next time. Does not leak

Neoprene too on my Mopar takes just seconds, cannot speak to a rope seal on it.