Just parted my first one.

That's the drive pulley on the top of the trans AJ.

Wait now Im really confused...

Is that its actual mounting position? If it is, then it has to be a vertical shaft engine. Unless the Commando 8 had some sort of crazy pulley setup which would be absolutely ridiculous.

I think I'm just gonna let this one go and move on to something else..

This was a Vertical shaft engine. The engine mounting plate is a big piece of cast iron under the ball hitch mount in the lower right of the pic. The transmission is sitting exactly like it would in the tractor, you can see it the front of the trans the shifter coming out + up. The 2 metal plates laying on the floor to the left of the trans under the center tower are the rear end mounts. The step and top plate assy sitting on the forks is basically the only frame, everything bolts to it. These weren't like the regular Horses for sure.