55.2-59 '59 4x4 Build

[PuzzleTruck]

My first post here. Backstory: I've been building and modifying cars for many years and saw this truck for sale locally and it's something I've always wanted to build. The PO of the seller disassembled the truck. The seller painted the frame and put the running gear under it, so what I bought was a giant puzzle in pieces. I didn't realize there was so much missing from the puzzle, but I will figure out how to make it all work.

My first dilemma is the location of the drivetrain. The only clue is the front drive shaft to the transfer case is a given length. I was told the drivetrain and running gear were from a '73 Blazer. I've done a ton of measuring to determine where the engine should sit and I think I know pretty close to where it needs to be, but I needed to locate the transfer case first to be sure.

The photos below show the clearance between the tail shaft and the rear cross member. I may have to notch the cross member to raise the T-case a bit. The floor will allow 2-3" more. What gets me is how low the whole thing sits below the frame. It looks like I'll need 4" spacers to mount the transmission cross member. Or maybe there's a different one that drops down? Someone must have run into this issue before, so I'm hoping they will see this and chime in. Thanks.

Toby