After getting everything cleaned up after the engine removal fiasco, it was time to get the newly-rebuilt engine and new transmission isntalled. I mounted the new(er) transmission onto the block and hoisted it into position. I have to say, this was probably the smoothest evolution to date in the assembly of this car. No sooner had that thought crossed my mind than I noticed that the transmission shifter turret did not line up with the hole in the transmission tunnel.
You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding.
Turns out that at some point, Mazda decided that the shifter was too far away from the driver (and to be fair, this was a concern when we were building the car). While the overall length from input shaft to output shaft was identical to the stock transmission, the turret was set about 6" further back. To make this transmission work, we'd have to enlarge the whole in the transmission tunnel, and patch part of the original hole with sheet metal.
We decided instead to keep the original transmission, and should be need to use the spare in the future, we'll worry about butchering the floor of the car then.
So what had been a painless engine/transmission installation had to be reversed, and I removed the transmission and isntalled the original, then repeated the whole isntallation again. Luckily, it doesn't take long and is not particularly very difficult.
Our little race car now has a powerplant again.
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