Wow? That seems like quite a bit of tilt? It sounds like that is the problem?

I would take your current crossmember, and see if you can compare it to another one at say a junk yard... or some place local that may have a few?

Maybe, some how the previous owner installed it upside down? Or something really strange like that? But it wouldn't take much height change at the tail shaft to make a large change at the front of the engine...

Hope you get it figured out! Let us know what you find!

Brett - 67 Drop Top 455! (TH400)