If I remember right it was the tranny attached that made it more cost effective. The crate motors were cheaper but then you had to buy a tranny and all the associated components. It may be different now? I gotta tell ya, reading this thread is evoking a whole bunch of memories. Some good, some bad! Hah! Please note @72duster72 going back and finding my build thread this morning really highlights the fact that there is a whole bunch of far more elegant and frankly professional swap threads than mine. I did mine myself in my own shop on a very limited budget. As a result my design criteria was often times dictated by what kind of material I had laying around the barn. Typically there was a better solution but I did not have the cash for it so went with what I had! I strongly suggest reading a bunch of the swap threads before you start, it will save you gobs of sweat and tears. There is a bunch of super smart handy guys here on FABO. I am just a knuckle dragging farmer!