'96 heavy transmission leak

I just bought a '96 for $800, and I think it's a good deal, at least no major problems as some posted here. The trans does have a heavy leak, though, and it seems like a big job to take the whole thing out - more than 10 hours - so I tried some stop leak, but no success...Any suggestions?
Also, I read somewhere that the alignment has to be done on a special machine, and is very expensive - is this true?
Thanks

See my link: <http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=653101>;

My problem developed overnight...went from no leak to a pouring leak...I could actually see the trail of fluid coming down the street, up the driveway and into the garage. As stated in my thread, it turned out to be a $4 converter seal (some call it a front pump seal) but either way it involves pulling the tranny. Once I got my tranny out, I couldn't see the source of leak from the converter seal so I took the tranny and converter to a local shop to have them tested. Turns out that the guy at the tranny shop had seen more than 1 trans from this make of car leak through the case which led people to believe that it was the converter or seal and turned out to be worse. You don't state enough info in your thread as to where you think you're bleeding red but either way, it's gonna hurt pulling that heavy, oblong pig of over-engineered tranny out. But if you do, now's the time to replace the oil pan/case seal gasket because it's probably leaking too. Good luck my friend because you're gonna need it. Later.

Thanks, 3B - Funny, my brother-in-law is the one who told me about the car, which had belonged to a friend of his, and part of the deal was he said he would fix the transmission leak, which he thought was coming from the seal, except when he mentioned it, he said it was a "minor" leak. It's not pouring out yet, as you said, but it is pretty steady, so I guess I'll have to hold him to his promise...Wait'll he hears how minor of a job it turns out to be...LOL