i have had problems with my box for a while so i decided to change it. now after some opinions on how should i.

a) pull motor and do it that way which i have done before.

b) replace while in situ and muck around that way which i have not done before.

but i really dont feel like removing my engine again so how hard is it really to do in the car.

the car is an nc fairlane I6 auto any opinions would be great thanks.

Its a prick of a job but Ive always done gearboxes with the motor in.
Just need an extra pair of hands that knows what they are doing and a decent jack , preferably with a transmission attachment.

You need some decent room under the car too. Ive done it a few times in a few vc commy's but not in a Ford.

ok so its motor in then how much will the engine mounts flex if i jack off the balancer to get the top bolts is there enough flex in them or not.

me and my mate recently done mine he doesnt know much but knows more then me and we figured it out its a piece of cake leave engine in hardest part is getting to a couple bolts

yeah thats my problem lol i spose a really long extension would be great for it how did you do it.

I've always done it with engine in, auto and manual box.

In no particular order:

Remove the intake piping from box to TB and the thermofans.
Remove the gear selector surround/stick/etc from interior.
Remove tailshaft.
Remove transmission fluid, cooling lines and unplug the electrical bits and pieces.
Remove starter motor.
Remove anything else attached to the transmission...except engine.

Once that's all done:

Cap the output shaft with something just in case more fluid drops out of it.
Remove the transmission support bracket. The weight of the transmission should cause the engine/transmission to tilt and give enough room for the top bolts.
Using 1/2" drive with plenty of extensions (I used 4 or 5), you can get to the top bolts with the wrench at the end of the transmission. This gives you a lot more room to use the wrench/T/breaker bar.

Word of advice, undo the top annoying bolts first and then move to the easier bolts. It will make life easier.

thanks mate that was sorta what i had in my head to do will see how we go. not too complicated but good to ask first, rather than say i done this now how can i fix it lol.

there is nothing wrong with trying to fix something, break it and then ask questions. Done that plenty of times!

Good luck with it...hope you don't get bruises and lacerations like I always do!

I have done heaps of them.
Assuming that this vehilce is auto...........

If you have a spare slip yoke or something that does the same job......Jack up the back of the car, and support it on stands at the diff tubes.
Undo the bolts for the tailshaft, and remove it.....if you have it high enough, no oil will come out. Then fit your plug/yoke to stop any oil coming out when you jack up the front.

If it has an engine fan, take the screws out for the shroud so it is loose, so that when the engine tilts, you wont break the fan or the shroud.

Now jack up the front of the car.

If it still has the standard CAT with primary exhaust pipe, remove it from the exhaust manifold to the start of the system......doing this lets the engine tilt more so as to gain easier access to the upper bellhousing bolts.
Take the lower bellhousing cover/inspection cover off, and undo the 4 torque converter bolts, and push the converter back as far as it will go.....this is an indication that the converter snub isn't stuck in the back of the crank..

Undo the tranny shifter at the selector shaft on the auto box.....no need to mess around with adjusting it later then.

Unplug the wiring at the firewall for the auto...should be a big round plug.

Undo the parkbrake cable so as to allow the removal of the tranny later.

Now remove the tranny mountings, and use a jack to let the tranny down.
Now you should be able to access the tranny cooler lines easily, and the bellhousing bolts ( 6 of them ).....using a long extention, universal, and a single hex socket.
Use the jack to support the tranny, and to get it out.

Now.....before fitting the other tranny, blow the cooler lines out with compressed air, and you'll need a big rag over the end, so you don't get covered in tranny oil.
Then spray a heap of Carby cleaner in the cooler line, and blow that through....do that a few times times until no more misty stuff comes out.

Apply anti-sieze compound to the converter snub.

Use thread locker on the converter bolts.....and the tailshaft bolts.

excellent am looking forward to bleeding all over my car lol. should be ok and i do have a spare yolk for the tranny, i never thought of blowing the lines clean but cant hurt i spose. will post the results soon after a weekend of blood and bears not much sweat its rather cold here atm.

all done shifts great now not hard at all to do really thanks for the replys and all the advice.