OK, I’m headed for Vegas. What are the chances that tires can somehow go out of round coincidentally with a transmission swap? I would have never bet on it, however, the switch to Michilens cured the rotational thumping vibration and provide a significantly quieter ride. So quiet, that the engine vibration is now quite apparent. I suspect the engine vibration was masked by the magnitude of the rotational thumping vibration.
I’m calling this one solved and, after a lenghty test drive, starting a new new thread on engine vibration diagnosis……….