I built a junky 350 to throw into my 91 Camaro, 5 speed. It currently has the 305 TBI. My thoughts were to disconnect the bell housing and pull the motor alone. It appears that that might not be possible given the clearances. I can't even get my hand up in there.

I'm dumb these days and am drawing a blank. Can I disconnect the transmission from the bellhousing without removing the torque arm, driveshaft, etc and pull the engine + bellhousing? Is there an easier way? I'm not dropping the sub frame.

 

This is the problem, right here. You're stuck on doing the first thing that comes to mind without even LOOKING AT the task at hand.

Take the top 3 BH bolts out from above. Break em loose with a long offset box-end wrench; finish em up with the shortest wrench you can find. Piece o cake. Easier than the bottom ones in fact.

Yes it is "possible" - BARELY - to pull the motor and BH while leaving the transmission in place. Problem with that is, the clutch gear sticks out of the front of the transmission by a good 6", meaning you have to move the engine AT LEAST that far forward before it will clear the transmission. MAJOR PITA. It only has to move forward about 2" or so for the clutch gear to clear the clutch, if you leave the BH in place, which the chassis accommodates with less of a fight.

No need to drop the subframe.

 

I've never tried to pull the engine while leaving the 5 speed in place, but I have pulled the trans and left the bellhousing on the engine. The original bolt for the trans to bellhousing were hex headed with a torx in the center. I use a torx bit to install or pull them more easily due to clearance.

 

Yeah, I can't get any of the bolts on the bell housing to move, even doubling up wrenches and I'm not a weak dude. I just dropped the trans crossmember. I'm planning on wiggling the engine/tranny around until I can get them with an impact. Seems like detaching the bellhousing is the better option considering what you've said.

 

This.

The trans-bell olts IIRC are T45 / 15mm and M12 thread x 40mm but don't quote me.

The 4 trans-bell bolts are best loosened by a socket, then spun out by a torx bit socket.

A 24" extension and wobble socket work to get bellhousing-engine bolts. I have never felt inspired to use a wrench there.

 

Yup: some of the trans-to-BH bolts are kinda behind features of the case casting, and a socket won't go on them. And you're right about accessing those from above; I can't imagine doing that. Very different from the BH-to-block ones, the top 3 of which are very easy to get from above. MUCH easier than laying on your back with 3 feet of extension and a wobble. If you've never tried it I'm not surprised you haven't felt the motivation; butt once you do, you'll never go back to doing it the hard way.

Butt since you don't have to separate the trans from the BH to get the motor out, those don't really matter. All you'll be concerned with is the BH-to-block bolts, which are 3/8"-16 w 9/16" head.