This is the best book for learning exactly how to PROPERLY rebuild your VW engine to original specs. It will also provide information to do some things even better! Shop manuals are great, but they assume you are already a professional mechanic and already know what you are doing, while Tom WIlson's book holds your hand, without talking to you like a 7yo.

Unlike the other two canonical manuals for air-cooled VWs (The official Bentley Shop Manual and the John Muir Compleat Idiot Guide), this one focuses on removing, rebuilding, and reinstalling the engine. It describes rebuilding procedures more clearly and in more detail, and feels more "current" than the other manuals. If you are contemplating a rebuild of your bug, bus, early vanagon, porsche 914, squareback or other air-cooled VW engine, this inexpensive manual will easily pay for itself by reducing the amount of time you spend puzzling over procedures and improving your chances for a successful, high-quality rebuild. The only complaint I have is that color pictures would be nice, but would undoubtedly raise the price If you are knowledgeable about engines but not VW's this book is for you. Tom Wilson solves the mystery of what part goes to what engine. Mr.Wilson even tells you how to identify the old 36hp engines no longer used. He tells where to find part numbers what parts to replace for street use and what to replace for hard high rpm use. Terms like crank whip,counter weight, and such are explained. While aimed primarly at the street Beetle owner a valuable addition to the shop library, specialy if you are starting with a pile of parts