You can get a service manual, as well as most of the parts you need, here at Pelican Parts!
http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/shopcart/9144/POR_9144_documt_pg1.htm
I use the Haynes manual most of the time. It is dirt cheap (<$20) and has about 85% of the material from the $300+ factory manuals. In fact, most of the text and pictures are lifted directly from the factory books.
Frankly, the Haynes isn't the best automotive manual in the world (I've seen much better ones for modern Hondas, for instance) but it doesn't get a lot better than that.
Other people like the Clymer manual (now reprinted as the Lash manual) but I prefer Haynes.
You remove the front bearing caps by using any methods you can, short of explosives. Usually some form of pry-bar is used. On my car, I am lucky enough to be able to grab the cap with my biggest pair of channel-lock pliers, then wiggle and wiggle them back and forth until the cap lets go. That method has not worked on too many 914s or 911s that I've tried it on--probably only a quarter of them--but if it does, it's a lot easier than trying to pry them off.
--DD