[Roadsters] assorted engnine removal questions please

[Tim]

I am pulling the engine from my  70 2000 to do the clutch and have found 
or run into some issues. I need to do this as cheap as possible as this 
car's body and frame are shot: full of bondo and rust BIG TIME. I only 
replace the clutch as the engine seems strong and I want to keep it 
running as best I can in the Rusty Bondo Queen until I get a suitable 
donor body. Anyway....

First, the tranny cross member and mount:

One of the tranny mount bolts was spinning and requird me to get a 
wrench on to hold the top of the bolt so I could remove the nut. Is this 
mount now trashed and in need of being replaced? Or will I be ok here?

On the cross member: the three bolts on the passenger side were 1/2" 
head and an inch long. The driver's side bolts were 9/16" heads and and 
inch and a half long. Is this simply a result of the PO changing bolts? 
Or are these bolts like this for a reason?

Also, HOW THE H*LL do I get the speed cable off the tranny? No way I can 
get my hand (I wear a size 17 wedding ring so you can probably tell my 
hands are rather large) in there from the bottom. I migh be able to get 
my hand to it from above, but, that leads me to this:

Another "HOW THE H*LL" do I get the nut off the bottom of the shift 
lever? I can't get my hand in the hole to get to that nut either.

Almost ready to attach the hoist though. So very close!

Thanks

tim