[MPaulHolmes]

Well, I drilled all the holes in the 2 plates, but I'm saving the holes that will attach the transmission for last. My plan, a la Lee Hart, is to set the motor up on end (I drilled a big hole in a big piece of wood, so the back post won't spin on the ground. It's hard to explain). The motor plate, spacers (12 of them), and 2nd plate will be assembled and attached to the motor very solidly. Then, I'll set the transmission on top, mating the 2 together. I'll start running the motor/transmission combo, tapping the trans a little here and there with my fancy rubber hammer until it makes the least amount of noise and vibration. That will be the center??? Sure why not! Good enough for government work...

Then I'll clamp it down and spray paint the holes onto the steel plate. Or should I just drill the holes through the transmission hole, hopefully not bumping the transmission hole walls too much. Hopefully the slop from re-attaching the transmission later will still basically be centered.

So, the only precision things that need to happen are:

1. spacers same length.
2. transmission holes good.

All the other stuff can be done pretty dang sloppily if you do it all in the right order. Here I am instructing everyone, and I don't even know if it will work. What a bozo!