You can do a lot on an Air Cooled 80-83 Vanagon with the engine in the van.
I've installed rod bearings, pistons, cylinders and heads with the engine in
the car.
Sure it's a bent in half back breaking job but it can be done if you don't
have the equipment or the desire to pull the engine.
Before you install head gaskets you need to look at your cylinder heads and
see if they are VW OEM or AMF heads.
The AMF heads don't use head gaskets.
The OEM VW heads do / did (confusing)  require heads gaskets but in recent
Tech release notes it mentions that they aren't absolutely required on the
OEM heads.
Start off by getting both the top and bottom of your engine and engine bay
as clean as possible. If you don't you'll regret ever starting the job.
http://www.engineceramics.com/vw/vwparts.htm

Stan Wilder
www.engineceramics.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jens Jakob Andersen" <jens.jakob.andersen@POST.DK>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, August 02, 2004 8:38 AM
Subject: Head gaskets on CU motor aircooled with engine in van?

Hi

Is it possible (easy?) to change head gaskets with the engine in the van? it
is a 2.0 aircooled - so if I can get the "tin" loose and exhaust off, I
might be in business.

So I thought, that while changing the pushrod-pipe seals, as well as valve
cover gaskets, how much more work is it to get at headgaskets -and is this
at all doable with the engine insitu in  the car?

Happy driving

JJ