Weber Windows....

[skeeter!]

I use Kadrons in mine, and I've just gotten in the habit of removing the carbs when I change the plugs. Generally, it's a good reminder to examine the carbs off the motor anyway, and there's not much to do (discon fuel line and linkage, and then two bolts)...

[John P]

Here's some hinged ones I made for my 65'.
They work like a charm.

That's the coolest version I've seen so far, and if I was to going to do it, I'd replicate it.

But I can't convince myself to cut a car. So I suffer, with 48 IDAs on short DDS manifolds with all stock doghouse tin AND firewall padding. You can barely fit a feeler gauge around my carbs. I just replaced my plugs after 6K miles, which means removing the carbs with the manifolds. The right side carb is easy - I'm blessed with long, skinny fingers - but the #3 manifold bolt is a bitch. A good recipe is 10 mm nuts, 1/4 inch drive with extensions and elbows, combined with a scrapped left forearm and enough swearing to make the neighbours call an exorcist.

Or something like that.

J

[skeeter!]

Yeah, I won't mention the wacky socket/extension/wobbly combo I use to get that #3 bolt off.. no swearing, but plenty of latex gloves on hand...

[neil68]

I didn't want to cut my low-mileage, original Beetle, so I just left off the front breast plate.  I don't drive in the mud or snow anymore, so no issues...but it can be re-installed, if need be.  With that tin removed, it's simply a matter of pulling the valve cover vent hose and reaching through from the front.  I have IDA's and large Geers stacks...

[John P]

I didn't want to cut my low-mileage, original Beetle, so I just left off the front breast plate.  I don't drive in the mud or snow anymore, so no issues...but it can be re-installed, if need be.  With that tin removed, it's simply a matter of pulling the valve cover vent hose and reaching through from the front.  I have IDA's and large Geers stacks...

THAT's creative. I'd be worried, however, about the tranny heat getting into the fan raising head and oil cooler temps during extended street use. Have you experienced that?

[neil68]

THAT's creative. I'd be worried, however, about the tranny heat getting into the fan raising head and oil cooler temps during extended street use. Have you experienced that?

I don't spend much time in traffic jams, so I'm fortunate in that respect... almost always have air flowing under the Beetle.  Also, have some JSC deck-lid stand offs, to let in cool air and clear the IDA stacks.  Temps have been good, but again I'm mostly at 3,300 ft and sometimes at 2,200 ft elevation.

[superdrag]

Another reason I love race cars!  I just did plugs on my street car and it was a pain, with a lot of swearing and nicked knuckles, but it's just not worth the time and effort for me to hack windows in.  I kind of feel like if the car is in a good state of tune, you shouldn't have to do plugs very often.  I went 3 years on these plugs and they still looked great.  Maybe I will go 4 years on these ones...................

[Clinton DdK]

Pulled plugs and did a compression check last night and was glad I had put weber windows in 10 years ago and that I am flexable. I put them in when I was running IDFs but didn't need them when I was running my IDAs but now that I am running EFI I need them again. Mine are not as fancy as some of the ones pictured here but get the job done. I do have bolt on covers for them that I made out of the section of roof I had cut out when I graphed in the rag top.