[Spridgets] Pull the tranny or not? Opinions wanted

[Frank]

I have done it both ways many times.
I know I will NEVER pull out a 5 speed with the engine.
There are pros and cons each way.
Lining up the input shaft/clutch is about the toughest part of replacing 
the engine only.
It's about as bad as lining up the drive shaft if you are putting the 
whole thing back.
You can leave the slave attached and will not have to bleed it, that is 
a big plus, but I have also pulled trannys and kept the slave attached 
to the pipe and never had to bleed it.
We damaged the new rear tranny seal on the Holy Sprite by installing the 
drive shaft, I had to replace it as it had a chuck knicked out of it.
That was the first time I saw that, modern rubber? I don't know but the 
seal was new and leaked from day one, it had a chuck out of it I assume 
from when the d/shaft went in.
It is much easier to pull just the engine on a square body. And if you 
want pull the tranny afterwards, it fits out the hole a little better. 
The tranny is light enough to just unbolt, grab and pull out by hand as 
you stand in the engine bay.

-- 
Frank Clarici
Toms River, NJ
My own Fleet of Sprites