miyagi
Should I have to remove the box to repair the speedometer drive gear I'll would much prefer not having to remove the whole motor and gearbox assembly.
Obviously the advantage of doing it that way is that you don't need to disconnect the wiring loom, coolant, and A/C pipes. A PITA to put all that back, especially re-bleeding the system etc.
But to remove the trans with the engine still in the car if you want to do the work yourself you will need to read up on it since it can be a tricky job, depending on what facilities you have.
Things to consider:
First how to safely support the car, then after removing the rear X member suspension and drive shafts, you'll need to work out how to
safely support the engine on the passenger side, since you will only have one engine mount left on the driver's side.
IMO a block of wood under the sump on a trolley jack is a risky operation; if it slips - disaster, although I'm sure people have used it. I solved this problem by fabricating a bar across the strut towers so I could securely support the engine from above.
The whole assembly will also need to be lowered slightly on the passenger side so the trans. will clear the chassis to get it out, and transmissions are heavy suckers so you'll need something to raise/lower it unless you have been spending a lot of time at the gym.
I had the use of a car hoist for this job as well as an engine crane, and trolley jack.
Even so it was still a tricky operation, but quite feasible.