And after the several month hiatus of removing the transmission and reinstalling a new slave cylinder and bleeding the system again she lives! Finally at the end of April after a long time spent in the garage and in many pieces the plucky beetle rides again! The first start was absolutely a butt clenching moment of terror where I was wondering if it would explode or catch fire or do nothing at all and I'd be left in the garage curled up in the fetal position rocking back and forth whimpering.