[motorcritter]

The cracked cradle mount is just one of the mysteries of working on 40+ year old vehicles. To reiterate- swapping engines and transmissions is not impossible, unless you've got severe health/strength issues. Patience rules, and sometimes just sitting back and assessing the situation reveals the proper path. Real 'Zen and the Art of Truck Building' stuff, to me. Plus- everything gets put together the way you want it! The end result is much more satisfying than finding a nice one on EBay or Craigslist, a turn-key thing that someone built. The finished product one creates is like a signature on a painting. I retired from the bread-and-butter auto service work- but this sort of stuff inspires me- it's almost therapeutic. But with cursing and scuffed knuckles.