engine install

Anybody doing it from the top or in two pieces is really missing the boat.

My youngest brother puts his 440 in his Duster by himself and once did it
while I walked across the street to make a sandwich! When I came back,
expecting to help, it was bolted in tight (regular factory K-frame).

Brother Denny will put his Hemi in his Duster completely by himself alone
in his shop and doesn't even want anybody to help.

When you bring it up from the bottom, the headers and the motor mounts
are completely installed and tight. You don't even remove the hood. With
the powertrain out of the car the front of the body is ridiculously light and
easy to maneuver into position. The steering box and linkage, lower control
arms, brakes and spindles are attached to the K-frame along with the engine,
transmission, headers and transmission mount. The radiator and battery are
also out of the car. Not much left to lift ahead of the firewall except for a little
empty sheetmetal and a pair of headlights.

There is very little chance of ever damaging the paint in any way. I mean
that nothing whatsoever touches.

Hard to believe that anyone could drop the motor or motor/trans assembly
in from the top and install the motor mounts and headers without making a
few "contact marks" but maybe that doesn't matter to everybody.