I am going to be installing my 355 with le heads in a week or so; I just want to get a good idea as to what will be the smoothest way to do it. I do not have the heads on the motor yet and the trans is in the car now. So the options I see are: 1. install the short block and bolt the trans up without the heads on then install the heads in the car. 2. Put the heads onto the short block before putting it into the car then drop the long block into the car and fight to get the a4 trans bolted to the block. 3. Pull the trans and bolt it to the long-block outside of the car and drop both of them into the car together from the top.

 

Are going in from the top?

 

Every thing will be going in from the top; I don't want to pull the k member.

 

I too was stubborn when I pulled my engine. Out the top.

I put everything back in through the bottom. Trans bolted to the block, heads on, headers on, wiring harness hooked up.

It's simple to go through the bottom.

IIRC (it's been a few years), 4 bolts on the k-member, 6 bolts on the shock tower, undo the brake lines, unhook the wiring harness from the computer. Basically.

 

If you put the short block in it will be easier to bolt up to the transmission, but if you're using studs instead of bolts I don't think you can put the heads on. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

There really isn't a best way. What is easiest for me, may not be the easiest for you.
With that being said, I will be doing this very same thing here soon and I will be putting mine back in through the top with the heads on the engine. The transmission bolts arent really that hard to get to with the intake off. I will then put the intake and everything else back on once the engine is back in.
If I'm not mistaken, mystery bird is correct. I don't think you can get the passenger head on with studs if the AC box is still intact.

 

Yes I know with studs you will not get the passenger side head on. I have decided to just pull the trans, clean it up, install the new stall, and change all of the outer seals along with the trans pan seal. I plan on bolting the trans up to the motor and dropping it all in together; will it hurt the trans to hang it from the motor at near a 90 degree angle with no fluid in it?

 

No it wont hurt anything. Just be careful, and try not to put the chain in a bind.

 

Sound good I am going to jack the car way up and lay under the car to guide the trans in while my uncle lowers the motor in; should be fun.