I suspect the Vanagon's poor offroadability may be in part due to its short-travel coil-spring suspension, in addition to its extra mass. The old Series 1 (1949-1979) had l-o-n-g-travel torsionbar setup, and could keep good traction in loose going on irregular ground. My 57 would go up the steepest roughest track, and cruised over big rocks that would endanger any 4X4 offroader's dangly diffs. But I did get it stuck in very coarse flattened rounded beach gravel once... |
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