An easy single operator way of doing this is as follows. First, place a small bolt through the dowel hole at the top of the gearbox casing, then load the gearbox into the tunnel. Once the mounts are in nearly the right position, use your engine hoist (or a skipping rope, whatever) to suspend the front of the gearbox by your bolt through the dowel hole.

From inside the car, it is easy to slide the gearbox forward just enough to pick up the tailshaft nose and start it in the back of the gearbox. Because the box is largely supported from the front it is easy to slide it back fully onto the tailshaft. Once this has been done it is easy to wriggle the thing back and forth to very easily fit the mounting bolts through the sides of the tunnel. Dont tighten these bolts until the bottom bolts have also been fitted (I do this when the starter motor and slave cylinder are being refitted).

Lastly, it is easier to refill the gearbox through the top before refitting the gearlever.

Owen Crombie