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Rear valance removal on my 1978 van.
It all started just before Christmas 2001 when the dynamo on the 1600 single port that lives in my van decided enough was enough and stopped working. At first I hoped it was just the regulator and bought a new one from Just Kampers at about 30 quid I think, but to my dissapointment, didn't fix the problem.
Fairly obviously I was going to have to drop the engine and replace the dynamno, either with a replacement unit or an alternator. I posted a few messages on the net and a great bloke from the volkszone forums called [captain spanky] sold me a dynamo, and alternator and various bits of tinwear for a very reasonable sum.
The problem was that I don't have a garage, and the drive at the house I rent isn't in very good condititon. Also, i'd be removing the engine on my own - tricky if the van is right up in the air on stands or ramps.
Now, on pre 1972 vans, the rear valance is removable, so taking the engine out is made much easier by the fact that once you've unbolted it and it's resting on the jack, you can just push the van out the way ... volkswagen in their infinite wisdom decided to make the rear valance a fixed item on 1973 and onwards models, making engine removal a pain.
My plan, then, was to 'convert' my van to a pre '73 style rear valance. I asked around on a few forums and no-one could give me any reasons why I shouldn't do it, so out came the hacksaw :
I measured approx 10cm in on each end and made a mark. I'd worked out that this would allow the engine to 'just' fit after it had been dropped onto the jack or a couple of bricks, and the 10cm left over was enough to screw some homemade brackets that would hold the valance back in place.
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Here's the other side chopped off (as you can see, i took the tinwear off first :) )
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rear view. (you can click the images to view bigger pics)
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>> Page Two
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