SUCCESS!!!! I tried heating the front housing, cranksahft housing and backplate assembly in the oven at 350 then rapping the assembly against a 2 X 4. No luck. This boy was REALLY in there!

I then raised the oven temp to 450 and, while waiting for the oven to come up to temp, I kept ice cubes against the bearing. Once pre-heated, I placed the unit in the oven for five minutes then took it out and rapped it once more on the wood. That did it and one tap was all it took!

After cleaning out the front housing, I heated it in the 450 degree oven again for five minutes while the new bearings were kept on ice inside a plastic bag. The bearings literally fell into the housing without so much as a tap or a nudge. Once back to room temperature, they were as snug as could be. The engine is now reassembled and ready for many, many more hours of trouble-free operation.

Thanks Guys!!

Al