im getting the sh!ts getting this motor in and out, around that damn apron, whats involved in making the thing removable, just drill out the spot welds? does anybody have pics of this process? or advice?..

Check out DasDubber's 'members rides' post.

Has all the details in that m8.

cheers

green i told u some1 has done it b4. shouldnt u be working now?

The aug 2004 vw trends has a good article on this, pretty easy to do if u get the right spotweld removal drill bit.

Chris

I did this mod a few years ago and recommend it to everyone
If I can do it, anyone can,,, It Just makes taking the engine out Soooo EASY.... even with the rear wheels sitting on the ground... its that easy... no damaging or scratching engine parts.... No cussing... Engine straight out.... and straight back in.... its that simple....
I just used a standard 8 or 10mm Drill... The spot welds all drilled off easily and I didn't drill any holes in the body work underneath...
One of the locals has two rear valances, one with cutouts for the two pea shooters and one without cutouts for extractors
The fiberglass rear valances are available from John Sherman in QLD.... they are copied from the Late model rear valance which has a bulge in it [for the catalytic converter?] and they don't get as hot because they are further away from the muffler..... they are NOT flimsy but made from thickfibreglass.... I don't know whether John makes the flat early style valance [rear apron]....
This is the BEST mod You can do to Your Beetle.... no more jacking the car up in the air etc.... to drop an engine....
In fact You don't need to jack the car up at all.....

Lee

The John Sherman rear valance comes without any bolt holes in it so You just fit it to Your car and drill the holes....

it fits really well.... You will need to bolt the latch off the old valance so You can lock the engine lid but thats no big problem either.... I have fitted the mexican engine lid seal, that fits to the engine lid lip.... very simple... I bought mine from Vintage Vee Dub supplies and its not expensive.. I also did My Bonnet too and removed the troublesome rubber clamp strips that tend to rust over time.....

Lee

couldnt you just drill the welds out neatly, and replce the welds with bolts? instead of buying another apron?

The original metal apron is a different shape and has been made to be welded on....
I suppose nothing is impossible....
but the fibreglass aprons made by John Sherman aren't expensive...
My Son had a NOS standard rear apron a few months ago & I thought the same thing, but it would have to be modified to be able to be bolted on.... if You seen one You would understand... where the fibreglass ones are bolted on.... there is no sheet metal in that position as they are welded at the top Not on the sides where the bolts go....
One of the locals here has made a metal valance- apron out of heavy steel... for some unknown reason He welded it on!!
He is a fitter-machinist so maybe dropping an engine is easy for him!!! Madness I say....
removeable is the way to go....
Damien, the fibreglass piece is roughly speaking a flat piece of fibreglass with a short right angle piece at each end.... these short pieces slide in between the mudguard and body and are bolted on... with one bolt or 10 bolts!! whatever.... the original metal piece is a complicated piece of metal made up of more than 2 pieces of metal... Hard to explain unless You have seen them...
cheers
Lee

bump and grind, its off, it was easier then i thought.. soooo much easier to get around back there now!..

did not damage it, just the rims on the apron look like swiss cheese.. looks like ill need a repro one, thanks for the leads, ill start hunting...

i heard u doing this last night was going 2 drop in 2 confirm my suspicion but my dogs wouldnt of appreciated it i think, next time i come around i wanna avalook but

np, anytime..

u looked @ the cd i gave u yet? i might come round when i take em 4 a walk 2nite looks like rain atmo but

Cool mod.

68 auto ive just seen greens car and it can be bolted on with a bit of beating drilling and slight welding

Where do we buy the fibreglass unit? Im seriously considering this mod myself.

The rear Valance is a copy of the last ones made...
that is it has a bulge where the muffler goes.
I think this was for the Catalytic converter Muffler..
so, there is plenty of room for the muffler and it won't get hot like the metal ones....
It comes without the 2 cutouts for the muffler, so if You run extractor exhausts, it doesn't look funny with two cut outs not being used... or just cut them out if needed...

But taking the engine out with the car sitting on the ground is so easy... and is very safe... You can do it yourself...

John trades as Volks COnversions and is in Labrador on the gold coast QLD..
07 5537 7770 He also makes conversion kits to fit 130 different engines into a VW... plus disc brake kits..

Lee