Engine Install Problem!

And don't forget to hold your tongue just right. Sometimes getting that stupid shaft to slide in can be the biggest pain in the butt. I fought with one until I thought I was gonna pull my hair out. (When I had hair.) I would have sworn that there was no way that the parts would ever phyically fit together. I had a buddy come help, and we eventually got it together.

It is for sure a crank that is correctly drilled for a manual transmission, right?

The others all have good advice. Make sure you use an allignment tool, and do everything you can to make lining the two up as easy as possible. Bolt the bellhousing to the engine, and then try sliding the bellhousing and transmission together. The more hands and eyes you have available to help line it up and wiggle it, the better.