Help! Misaligned metal waste pipe for tub, what to do?

Hi,
I am in the middle of replacing my old cast iron tub an low and behold the existing drain assembly pipe is immobile. At least it looks that way to me. The horizontal alignment is good its just about an inch to low to connect to the tub. I really need some ideas of what to do to replace the t that connects the overflow and waste line. I think I've spent as much time as I can just staring at it in silence...

It looks like you have a lead trap under the floor. You should open up the floor and replace the trap and reposition it.

Thanks for the quick response! Thats what I was afraid of. Hypothetically speaking, if opening up the floor wasn't an option now what would be, in your opinion, a safe alternative. Even if I put the new tub in I'll still have the same access to the old trap for future adventures.

After the tub is in you wouldn't be able to replace the trap without removing the tub.

Hey John,
I say I'll have access only based on, when I was inspecting things I dug down in the sand area to see where the waste pipe was going and it seems that its going away from the tub. Is that usual?

Dig a little more sand out, maybe break a little concrete out, and replace the trap now. It won't be any easier in the future, and you will be done with it for good.

Deep down I knew that was the real answer I just wasn't ready to face the cold hard facts! Thanks for the response!