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Way I and my buddies always did it it, but without the transmission attached. I just haven't done it on a 4x4 pickup yet, just cars. Taking the hood off would prevent accidently damaging it with hoist boom where as on those cars, one knew up front that the hood had to come off.
I am imagining that picture with no transmission and no heads, no intake, no filter, no manifolds ... and a shorter link between the hook and lifter valley region. I likely would still pull the hood first after the recent paint costs I'm gonna incur.
If you have a leveler and if you leave the trans in the truck, it is not bad with the front clip on. Here are some other nice things to have handy.
4wd 4" lift and 35's. I normally use a old saddle pad to lay over the core support. But I was not doing any heavy wrenching that day. Old living room coffer table from the thrift store. And or pallets are free....
Cut and screw together, and you can ever custom stack to the best height for you.
Don't have that "Topside Creeper" but I know who has two ... plus a leveler. I do have that same shop crane with extra off pavement wheels and a cable pulleys along right side to guide my winch that fastens on (worm drive, adaprted to also use a 20v cordless 1/2" drill with 3/4" socket if hand handle is removed ... makes for faster unwinding or winding in, drill lifted a JD mower easily 'nuff). Yeah, I'd leave trans in truck.
You guys are funny. This truck was junked after the engine and tranny were pulled. You make it sound like it was done to make it easier to pull and then put it back in.
So you are saying the eng and trans were already removed THEN someone cut the core support/grill shell and inserts? Looks like a JY worker move to get the radiator out FAST. I just though that the statement tbear said earlier matched the picture.
No, I'm saying it was chopped up to get the engine/tranny out quick and then the wrecker took the truck and it was crushed rather than the engine going back in and the truck driving off, which is what this thread's OP is wanting to do. I was the owner of this hacked up truck before it was crushed.
As for cutting the core support, I've seen someone (on FSB) do that to his 78 Bronco to ease removal and installation of his engine. Here's a link to his build thread and the first post that shows how me modified it. You'll notice a familiar picture below it as well. Everyone has their own way I guess.
No, I'm saying it was chopped up to get the engine/tranny out quick and then the wrecker took the truck and it was crushed rather than the engine going back in and the truck driving off, which is what this thread's OP is wanting to do. I was the owner of this hacked up truck before it was crushed.
As for cutting the core support, I've seen someone (on FSB) do that to his 78 Bronco to ease removal and installation of his engine. Here's a link to his build thread and the first post that shows how me modified it. You'll notice a familiar picture below it as well. Everyone has their own way I guess.
Oh, it was just a passing idea on my part, I cringed slightly at thinking of cutting my grill shell ... but if going this way, would likely remove the shell ... but if done with precision, if the cuts were only made part way through first and "bridging" added and lineed up accurate holes drilled before the final piece of cuts made so the top of the radiator support went back only one way and with no wiggle room, it would work.
If I were to follow through on the idea of removing the top end of the engine and doing a short block swap and reinstalling top end, I don't think hood or core support woul prevent it ... but I have not measured yet. At this stage, I'm just "exploring" ideas that occurred. Pull heads and reduced to just a short block, 351M or 400 is greatly reduced in bulk.
Well if you are going to do the eng disassembly one piece at a time, that is alot of leaning over a fender/core support. Have fun, at least you can leave the hood on and still use the cherry picker to take the stock boat anchor weight intake off and then the heads.
Intake is aluminum, but heads are iron still. I'm not set on anything yet, just thinking down the road. It might happen in one big chunk yet, doing assembly work between removal / re-install. I doubt I'll tackle it in summer. Biggest down side to the core support mod idea is AC evac, but I'll need to do that sometime anyway to update to R134.
I’ve never seen a cherry picker complain about these weight savings you keep bringing up. Pretty insignificant, you’ve still got the bulk of the engine in there. You’re gaining a little room, and taking out more bolts than the clip. If it sounds better go for it.
Good bet after much thought, is I pull the hood only with help of friend, then I remove peripherals, radiator, move AC aside, ... then pull engine block with heads still in place as a unit, leaving valley pan in place. I'm pretty sure I'm gonna try to get it done here this fall, I need to replace the right exhaust manifold anyway and tire of hearing it. I have a few sheets of good thick plywood, will make a decent surface for my hoist if needed.
I did the hood and engine on my dads truck by myself while they were vacationing for a week. Never scratched anything but I would have defiantly used a helper for the hood. Do my best work alone without distraction. If your worried about alignment use some masking tape at hinge edges for a line. Remove front hinge to hood bolts first on hood, it will be supported by the rears. Then you only have 2 bolts to remove and off. When I did cab change on my old red I removed front clip, way easier.
Oh, I think I already drilled some 1/4" "line up holes" (through hinges into hood frame) long long ago, I maybe scribed it too. But yeah, I would have a helper moving the hood for sure. Use a matress from the dumpsters down the road to stand it up on maybe.
Thank you ... but really, a hood ain't so bad if you cut a custom prop rod of 2x2 or a hoe handle for temporary support, just in case. I threaded headless bolts into the front two bolt locations on a hood propped up (keeps hood from sliding into cowl or glass maybe) while I removed the rear two bolts, then my Wife (or GF) helped but that was a lighter hood on a Chevelle (orGTO). Actualy, might work to do all that, then lay the old matress crossways over the engine and fender tops, then remove the prop stick and ease the hood down onto the matress, then let her help move it. At 68, term "work smart" makes more sense than it did at 28.
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Use a matress from the dumpsters down the road to stand it up on maybe. 
