Can you pull the zf box out while leaving the engine in ??

If yours is a Type 1 ZF, then I don't know because the rear mounting arrangement is different. If it is a Type 2, then yes...but be careful.
You will have to jack up the back of the engine to tilt the ZF upwards in the back. This means, after removing the rear ZF mounting hardware, you will need to loosen the motor mounts, then jack up the back of the engine. The problem is, the most practical place to jack it is by placing a wood block on the farthest back end of the oil pan. If you have an aftermarket aluminum pan, then it should handle the pressure. If you have the stock stamped steel pan, then you run the real risk of compressing the pan into the crank. It does not take much distortion to hit the crank and you are lifting a lot of weight. If you bend the pan, then you will need to buy a new removable crossmember and another mount (think it is a brake linkage mount), cut yours out, and then remove the pan for repair or replacement. Another alternative is to tack weld a large nut to the bottom of the pan and use a slide hammer to pull the pan back out. The trouble with this approach is, you are probably introducing some burnt carbon slag to the inside of the pan where the welds are.
If you have access to two cherry pickers, you could probably lift the back of the engine with one, and remove the ZF with the other. You'll have to remove the rear deck to do this...but it's not a bad idea anyway. It will give you a chance to inspect the welds on the lid hinges for cracks and distortion. This is a common problem and should be looked at.
Good luck!
Mooso

When I removed mine, I lifted the ZF and bell housing out as one unit.
I think you have to do this the first time because there is an unreachable bolt that you can leave out for subsequent removal of just the gearbox alone.
Maybe someone can clarify this because I am not certain about it.
Mooso

There are 2 bolts inside the bell housing that can't be accessed until the bell housing is removed. I elected to re-install them. I figured there must be a reason ZF designed it that way.

While your ZF is out, you may want to use allen head bolts in place of studs to attach the rear mounting ears. The next time you remove the ZF you can remove remove the mounting ears with the ZF in the car making removal easier.

Yes the zf comes out without the engine but it's tight.
The engine mounts need to be loosened and it's very close over the a/c condenser.
You may be able to use one of the new engine supports that are use to support front wheel drive/transverse mount engines. They stand on the fender lips and span from fender to fender. They have a little hoist mounted to them and should support the rear of the engine without the worry or hurting the oil pan.
You are going to have to work out the detail of how it stands in the fender lips. The angle is going to be very steep.
You can probably make your own out of some Home Depot steel bar or angle stock and find a little winch that will work.

quote:

There are 2 bolts inside the bell housing that can't be accessed until the bell housing is removed. I elected to re-install them. I figured there must be a reason ZF designed it that way.

I concur on this and didn't like the thought of nothing supporting the lower ZF to bellhousing, especially when its a bending moment between two supports (i.e. engine and ZF mounts). At the end of the day it's pretty simple to remove the ZF and bellhousing as a unit. The only additional work is removing the clutch slave and starter motor.

quote:

The engine mounts need to be loosened and it's very close over the a/c condenser.

Unbolt the condenser and swing it out of the way

Lucky for me my condenser at the back isn't connected as it is now all up the front !
Finally something in my favour !
Mind you when they did the front conversion, they still left it all up the back, just not connected !

Look at the bright side mate. You got two condensers and the rest of us just got one!

quote:

Originally posted by v8capri:
I want to pull the box so i can get it polished .
it looks like it just unbolts and slides out ??
Does the box lift up a bit ? do you unbolt the box and bell housing together ? any suggestions will be most welcome ! I will prob wire the bolts as well.

Pantera Place has you covered http://www.panteraplace.com/page10.htm

Mike

Yep, I am spolit !