[Jerry Clayton]

If the dowels are long enough to support the trans before the splines reach the engage starting point--put trans in whatever gear is direct one to one ratio and use a drive shaft snout on the tailshaft to gently rotate the trans shaft for spline alignment---

If you take it all apart again---put machinest dye (blueing) on every part/surface that could possibly touch so you will have witness marks for the contact points---

And I would suggest shortening that snot hub some---------