Removing the motor

Before I get too far along with the interior I will probably want to remove the motor.

All the pictures that I've seen of the motor being removed show a cherry picker going through the side doors to pull the motor.

Since there is no cross member under the engine or tranny is it possible to jack the van up some, put it on jack stands and drop the motor out the bottom instead?

Before I pull a motor I remove the carb, intake and heads to make it lighter and give more room to maneuver. In this case I also would pull the tranny also.

Any thoughts about problems dropping the motor down? Anyone with any experience either way, thoughts which would be better / easier?

Thanks...Keith

I have always pulled them through the barn doors, never had an issue.

I used the Right Front Door opening to remove and install the Engine W/Trans. in my Pick-Up.   Brian Bowie told me that tip years ago.

Keith,
What engine do you have? For a 273, the service manual says to raise the van on a hoist, disconnect everything and drain fluids, support the engine and transmission as a unit on a suitable jack stand, remove the engine support bolt, front engine mount lower stud nuts, the right engine support bracket from the body and left front motor mount from the engine, then lower the engine and transmission assembly. I have not removed an engine myself.
Richard

sweetvan wrote:Keith,
What engine do you have? For a 273, the service manual says to raise the van on a hoist, disconnect everything and drain fluids, support the engine and transmission as a unit on a suitable jack stand, remove the engine support bolt, front engine mount lower stud nuts, the right engine support bracket from the body and left front motor mount from the engine, then lower the engine and transmission assembly. I have not removed an engine myself.
Richard

It's a 318, hopefully over this winter it will become a stroked 340 (I have a block that needs to be checked out by a machine shop) to 372 cubes.

Thanks everyone for your input, I appreciate it.