Date:         Sun, 7 May 2000 19:33:33 -0400
Reply-To:     Tom and Dana Cates <dcates1@HOME.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tom and Dana Cates <dcates1@HOME.COM>
Subject:      Re: Instant horsepower (Pinwheel)
Comments: To: tallsound@MY-DEJA.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

In addition to my pinwheel, and after careful consideration I have planned
the following additional Bolt On 'instant horsepower' enhancements to the
lusus naturae:

Oar Locks on the driver and passenger window sills. My calculations indicate
that with the willing(not likely) help of my wife manning the passenger side
oar I can expect an additional 30 ft lbs of propelling force to be
available.

Proof: 100ftlbs*2ft/10ft=20ftlbs  Driver side.
           50ftlbs*2ft/10ft=10ftlbs   Passenger side.

Additionally these oars can be used in a threatening manner towards
unfriendly traffic.

I suspect that this idea may not work; not so much because of the force
imbalance that might cause my van to skew side to side and eventually
overturn, I just think that my wife would probably make herself unavailable.

So I have a 'PLAN 2B':

I will perform the Golf alternator upgrade. Then I will attach a big
electromagnet with a Bay spare tire carrier to the front of the Vanagon, and
power it up with my 90 amps. The thing is I don't remember how to calculate
much of anything, least of all how many pounds of force I can generate with
90 amps at 12vdc.

Tom Cates
83 Aircooled Westfalia, 'Hammurabi'