I've done some 4th gen swaps out the bottom. Can the 3rd gen be done the same way? The threads I searched all went out the top seems like.
What have you done?

 

It can be done out the bottom, that's how they are built. I've always done them from the top on 3rd gens.

 

I'm pulling the car apart for paint anyway, so I thought it might be easier to roll the engine harness in on the motor like a 4th gen. And just leave the engine whole to lower it.

 

I should add this is a 305/T5 and both are coming out.

 

I pulled my 305/t5 combo out of the top one of those load equlizers helped a lot I had the car on jack stands with a harbor freight 1 ton engine puller and I had to drop the car a bit for clearance.

 

pulled the original engine out of my trans am a couple months ago from the top, super super easy, would never even consider doing it from the bottom in these cars.

 

Is that all you were doing tho....is pulling the engine out, nothing else?

 

no the 700r4 came with it, didn't need a leveler plate or anything.

 

ok, well, I went against the grain and took it out the bottom.
Left all the front accessories, suspension, sway, steering, exhaust up to the cat attached. Removed the wheels and sat it on a dolly I had built before. Sat the trans on a jack and rolled it all out.
I thought the eng harness would unplug somewhere like on a 4th gen, but it doesn't. It continues on around to the front picking up everything under the hood.