Is there a secert to re-installing a manual trans with O/D in a 242?

Having done this once, I had two really strong friends under there with me.

You must have the engine valve cover against a piece of 3/4 ply against the firewall, after making sure no wires are in there, to get the rear of the engine as low as possible.

Make sure the clutch and pressure plate are aligned properly. Requires an alignment tool. The parts store should have one.

The front of the car should be on jack stands under the jack points as high as you can get it. You mignt have to "walk" the car up high by jacking one side, place jack stand, then other side with stand at higher setting, then back to first side to lift that again, etc until level. Don't forget to "walk" it down again.

I had one car slip of a jack stand because the car was leaning so far to one side that the jack stand just tipped over from the stress. No damage, except to my ego as tires were still on.

Then it is a matter of the trans up and into the pilot bearing, with a slight rotation to the right just at the last to help the splines align into the clutch, then rotation to correct alignment.

I was aligned with my head under the rear of the engine and had the trans above my chest with help from one friend to the right side supporting some of the weight. The other friend was out to the left with his head about my knees to keep the output end aligned left to right and up and down.

Lotsa grunting and communication got it in in about 5 minutes.

Next time I'm gonna rent a trans jack.

Duane

Thanks Duane.I tried your method but didn't have the enough muscle to get it to go. So I tried a little diffrent metod.I put the pressure plat and clutch on the input shaft of the transmission, this gave me more space to get the shaft into the thurst bearing, then jacked it up. I tied rope to the tail end to keep the transmission level, when it lined up I pushed it togeather. I then bolted the pressure plat, thourgh the clutch fork hole to the fly wheel. I am not done yet so I am not entirely sure this is going to work. Thanks again.

Whoa!!! Stop!!!! Wrongo!!!

Pressure plate is bolted to flywheel with clutch plate between.

Putting the clutch and pressure plate on the trans input shaft will get you plenty of noise and a no go anywhere situation with an end result of damage to clutch, pressure plate, flywheel and everything else not bolted together when you start the car.

Remember when you took it apart you had to unbolt the pressure plate front the flywheel??

Duane