Starter replacement with manual transmission

[1976gmc20]

I would have never believed it would be this hard

The slave cylinder for the clutch sticks right out under the starter and prevents it from being removed or inserted.

So you have to unbolt the slave cylinder studs, but the steel hydraulic line prevents the cylinder from being removed from the bell housing, unless you want to remove the fitting and then have to bleed the clutch hydraulics when you are all done.

Fortunately, the unbolted slave cylinder can be wiggled around just enough to get the starter in and out of the space between the oil pan, frame rail, front suspension, and front of the bell housing. But don't bolt the cylinder back into place until the starter is fully installed, because the head of one of the long bolts won't pass by the mounting flange of the slave cylinder.

Anyway, a "one hour job" takes five or six hours, and something or another from every toolbox that I own. I'm glad that I didn't try it in the street in front of the parts store