Dropping the trans

[Sledge]

Tony and Jay:

I started the swap today and have run into a snag I think. I was able to disconnect the driveshaft and pull it aft okay, unbolted the trans, and started to pull the trans straight aft. My original plan was to pull the trans straight back until the input shaft cleared, then lower the front of the trans until it was clear, pull it forward to drop the rear of the trans, and reverse the process for the installation. I didn't quite get the input shaft clear before running out of room (my car, #168, has two welded-in cross members between the trans and the diff). I'm not getting jammed up against the drive shaft but it looks like I'm running into tunnel structure. So my next plan was to just let the engine/trans pivot down at the aft end (at the engine mounts) to go under the cross-members and then aft to get the input shaft all the way out. However, there is a little flange on the top of the forward crossmember, that extends about an inch forward of the crossmember, with two holes in it, that looks liek it could have been a mounting point for a different trans installation. It looks like it would be right in the way of the output shaft if I tried to let the engine/trans pivot down. Am I doing this incorrectly, or do I have to get that flange cut off? Also, if I let the engine/trans pivot tail low, do I have to unbolt the headers-to-side-pipe flange or just unbolt the sidepipes and let the whole assembley rotate down?

All tips appreciated!

Bill