i have the day off tomorrow so i might as well get the motor-trans out of the old pantera. heads are off so i can pretty much see everything i need to get to. but i can't see any rear trans mount. is it just stuck into the hole in the inner transom assy and bolted down with front mounts? or is there a detail i am missing that is gonna surprise me?

The rear of the MercTrans is held in place by an expanding rubber donut on the tailstock. When you pull the drive, look in the bellows, you will see 6 or 8, 5/16th nuts. Loosen them (no need to remove, just loosen) this will take the pressure off and you will be able to pull the trans right out of the transom assy.

so the ring of bolts tightens the donut and squeezes it onto the tailstock? thanks. i knew it had to be more than just stuck in there a half inch or so...BTW it has been in there unused since 99. hasn't run this century. will that change anything with that donut?

Do not lose the nuts. They are a rounded nut to clear the outdrive yoke if you put regular nuts on the yoke will hit them. Don't ask how I know that.