In all the times that I've had motors in and out of thirdgens, InI never really paid attention to what way the bolt that holds the clamshells together actually faces. I think I always just installed the bolt from front to back and put the nut on the back, but for those of you with motors that have never been out of the car, which way does the bolt go? Since the GTA is all cleaned up and I went to the trouble to powdercoat the bolts and clearcoat the nuts, I might as well put them in the right way.

 

On the passenger side of mine the nut was on the front-of-car side of motor mount. This is due to the oil cooler. The DS was reverse of passenger side. Motor was never out. This is for 89 GTA. Based on this I would guess that the oil cooler and tubes were on the motor when "married." Would be cool to see a pic of one at a factory.

 

the passenger side bolt goes in from the rear- it's kind of impossible to get that bolt in from the front with a mechanical fuel pump in the way..
the other one goes in from the front... every stock small block equipped car and truck that i've ever pulled a motor out of has been this way.. in fact, some applications had a nut held in a "cage" on the front side of the passenger side motor mount to make it that much easier to get that side together in a hurry..

 

Thanks for the info guys. On all of my swaps I've never had to deal with an oil cooler nor a mechanical fuel pump, so I hadn't thought to consider those kinds of things.