Transmission installation in a VW beetle

The transmission presently installed in my 1960 beetle is less than perfect and howls like crazy at highway speeds. The gears crunched between shifting and the throw bearing made moaning sounds when the clutch was depressed. Luckily I found this gent in Michigan US who had been rebuilding transmissions for a living for 40 years before retiring and now works from home. He has a cache of NOS parts to build a transmission from scratch. The best part is that he builds a transmission as per the customers specs..from mild to wild. I don't do any crazy driving but I still opted for a new 3.88 ring and pinion, new pinion bearings, new syncro rings, welded and honed 3rd and 4th gear, new axles and tubes with new axle bearings and a new throw-out bearing. All the parts mentioned above are new old stock genuine VW parts made in Germany as the Good Lord wanted them to be, all fitted in a new later model transmission IRS case converted to swing axle.

I am including pictures here but caution you to refrain from drooling on the keyboard please.I realize its pure p*rn for those looking for a half decent transmission to install in their VW's.

I brought the transmission when it was done but the local VW mechanic wants $600 plus tax to install it in the car! Now I have seen it all done and there are tons of videos on Youtube but it still gives me the shivers when I think of the job ahead. However I am not going to pay anyone $600 plus 13% tax (and that too is a ball park figure given the approx. hours it would take..the final figure could well be a lot higher)

I have the car on stands in the garage and have started with removing the wires. Even though there are not a whole lot of them but I am not taking any chances and have labeled them to remind me of their location when its time to put everything back together. (hopefully in a few weeks time.) I'll take pictures where ever possible and share with you the progress in the days / weeks ahead.

Please wish me luck. I have a feeling i'll need lots of it.