Getting closer...driveshafts have been disconnected. That was a major PITA. They use a cheezy 12 point INTERNAL bolt. A standard TORX socket works, but they're only 6-point and I stripped out half of the bolts and had to use a pair of Vice Grips to wrench them out, thoroughly mangling them in the process. (I've ordered a full set of 12 new ones, and located a 12-point "star" socket to install them)
Wednesday will be a long day of random disconnecting. I need to remove the A/C compressor and disconnect the alternator and starter. I need to remove various brackets down below that hold the power steering tubes, etc. There are still various bits of wiring harness clinging tenaciously to the block. The shift cables need to be removed. Clutch slave cylinder must come off. Then I need to do a little amateur carpentry and build a box to support the engine and transmission. I'll use my engine hoist to lower the whole thing onto the box, which itself will be sitting on a mover's dolly. Once it's all sitting on the ground my dad and I are going to rig up something to hold the front end of the Evil Beetle way up in the air so I can wheel the whole thing out of there. The engine hoist can lift the car up as high as I need (using the top of the strut towers as lifting points)...it's keeping it up there that's the problem since I need to move the hoist out of the way to roll the engine out. I may roto-hammer a pair of brackets into the garage floor and use them to anchor a pair of braces. Haven't quite finalized the details yet, but we'll figure it out. My dad actually wants to put casters on the bottom of the braces rather than anchoring them so they'll roll backward as the front of the car rises up. But personally I like the idea of having the braces anchored to the concrete slab.
Then there's still a lot of fabrication, etc, to do with the new engine. New G60 flywheel and 228mm VR6 clutch. Gulf coast filter kit. (Which I'll plumb with the engine removed. It'll be a lot easier that way.) Intercooler plumbing. (I'll mount the heat exchanger using exhaust manifold studs to hold the bracket, I think.)
Lots to do, but once the old engine is out I'll get to work on something FUN for a change. Putting together is always more fun than taking apart.
There's light at the end of the tunnel!
-mickey