completely without turning the vanagon upside down [this would make working
on cars so much easier, why don't they do this?]. I'm

Many years ago, a buddy of mine decided to rebuild the engine in his bug.
Try as we might, we could not get a good purchase on one of the top bolts
connecting the engine to the tranny (by this time I think it was kinda
rounded off, too).  I came up with the brilliant idea of turning the bug
over on its side.  We pulled out the back seat to rest the vehicle on, and
with the oil drained, four of us lifted the driver's side and set the bug
over.  Took five minutes to remove the bolt with the better access.  No
harm, no foul.

Karl Wolz