Time for some updates.
PA finally got my vavlebody sent back and the trans went back together. While I had the trans out of the car I decided to go through the entire thing make sure nothing else was wrong. I thought I had a little too much clutch wear and was seeing too much debris in the oil. I was right, the trans shop that put this together 10 years ago but 6 clutches in the front drum. That would have been okay if there were thinner steels, but they didnt think that far ahead. So the clutches were always slightly engaged and excess wear and thrust load were the results.
I also bought a STEFS fabricated pan to help with cooling, it holds one extra quart. But the pan didnt fit over the valvebody, UGGH. So I filed down all the inside welds and woohoo success. They had welded boths sides so I didnt break any seals.
I had also decided to change everything I could to make pulling the engine and trans easier. I installed rivenuts and studs everywhere I could. Just to make life easier.
The pan is one example.
The bellhousing will get studs as well.
I am still waiting for some info from some guys I talked with at SEMA. If their parts will work on my car I will be installing before the engine goes back in. I wont say anything else until I have made the purchase. Except that this is my current hold up.
I reassembled the motor
I also added a bulkhead fitting to the engine oil pan to monitor engine oil temps. Currently it has a plug until I decide the the gauge I want.