erm - good question. I have always removed it and also found it very helpful to have it removed, but whether it can be done without - I'm not sure.
Certainly things like removing gearbox rubbers are made much easier with the cover off.
Also with the cover off you get the opportunity to sit upright on the floor with your head under the dash when changing the clutch (much more comfortable than lying on the floor)
Ray. MMOC#47368. Forum moderator.
Jan 06: The Minor SII Africa adventure: http://www.minor-detour.com
Oct 06: back from Dresden with my Trabant 601 Kombi
Jan 07: back from a month thru North Africa (via Timbuktu) in a S3 Landy
June 07 - back from Zwickau Trabi Treffen
Aug 07 & Aug 08 - back from the Lands End to Orkney in 71 pickup
Sept 2010 - finally gave up breaking down in a SII Landy...
where to break down next?
2013... managed to seize my 1275 just by driving it round the block
well did not get time to do the clutch, but i took the gearbox cover off no problem and had a quick peep to see what was what.
looks a tricky job from underneath, hmmmm not quite sure yet. everything looks pretty tight to lower the engine rotate to the right, perhaps tommorrow.
but needs to be done