Date:         Wed, 21 Mar 2001 01:04:22 +1200
Reply-To:     Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject:      Re: Stud vs bolt / Merits of Macho Bumpers
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

 If the driver is driving the bus in a manner that it's not
>capable, eventually it's gonna get bent. Most folks don't drive their busses
>that way mostly because they aren't capable of being a sports car (though
>similar, my stock '85 westy isn't a 911). {That brings on a whole different
>chapter: put in a bigger engine but not upgrading the brakes or suspension?
>That's just asking for trouble...}

VW vans (nonswingaxle, anyway) all handle very well. They can really be
thrown around on twisty roads. If you are nervous of trying, fine, but you
are the one losing out on fun driving. When I hop in mine for a backroad
run I know I'm going to have fun and leave a few jaws dangling.

In Germany Vanagons (hotted-up ones, I guess) are well-known for hunting
BMWs & Mercedes on back roads. A van is technically a car, and ours are
good-enough handlers to be called genuinely sporty (most "sporty" cars
don't handle worth a dried fig).

Of course the brakes are not the best. Which is why I'm putting Bilstains
or Konis on and saving for Porsche 993 brakes and conversion kit. I doubt
there's a swaybar kit made for Vanagons which will improve the handling of
a nonUS-market vehicle, though a European listee might be able to
confirm/correct that.


Andrew Grebneff
165 Evans St, Dunedin, New Zealand
fax 64 (3) 479-7527
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
VW van (something for every man), Toyota diesel & seashell nut
Macintosh 7500/200/64, 6116/60/24, LCIII, LC, Classic, Plus
Even though Mac Users may be only 10% of the market,
             always remember that we are the TOP 10%