weeee modification

So a couple weekends ago while i was on spring break i tossed my new power-train between the rails on my 73. I kind of thought about it before i did it but i had to get the motor off the floor and discovered that my old crossmember and skid wont fit anymore because of the d300 is clocked that much farther then a d20. for reference it is a 258 out of a 78 or 79 (i forget i looked up the build code a while ago...) with a t176 and d300. I know my cross member should work because the jeep i pulled the stuff from was a 73 as well and it was using the stock crossmember but without a skid. so i figure at worse i have to drill new holes to compensate for the extra length but it should otherwise work. My question is directed at a clocking ring. I don't want to run with out a skid because alot of our trails are stumpy and rocky and i don't feel like modifying my skid. So how do we feel about a clocking ring 3/8" between the 176 and the 300? most people tell me there's no reason it shouldn't work... The one i would get is the great lakes one? its advertised on pirate and is 61 bucks shipped. I figure the sealing problem can be fixed with permatex. I am not worried about the shifter, i intend to twin stick it. My other concern is wiring the motor back up. i labeled every wire end when it came out and took the essentials of the harness in the jeep out and labeled them as well. Any surprises? I know 0 about the later ignition systems all i know is it ran when it came out. I am in school for electrical engineering technology so i feel like i can over come it, but still.... I just really need to know if i should get the ring coming so i have it when i am home or not.

ps any body have issues making quick tube fenders with the harbor freight style cheapo benders? i have a bunch of 1" and another size that is smaller black iron pipe at my disposal, but i know they p4x4 crowd would never approve of such a thing

 

bump. anybody? Someone here has had to have clocked a 300 before...

 

oh remembered my other question the rear yoke on the 300 had some of the threaded holes for the ujoint straps striped out. Is it acceptable to just drill out those holes big enough to take the u bolt style instead?

 

Can't you thread a longer bolt thru and nut the back side?

 

I would send a longer bolt through the hole, thats the way this case was bolted when i got it but it seemed like a backdoor solution. I like the idea of having everything match, and i prefer the u bolts. Just didn't know if somebody knew if the center to center distance was the same between a 300 yolk and a d20 yoke. but i have to take the case down to do the clocking anyway, i just wish i had the foresight to have done it while it was sitting on the floor instead of in the jeep.... right now the tranny is being held up with a ratchet strap.....