Date:         Thu, 12 Sep 2002 10:12:22 -0500
Reply-To:     Chris Mills <scmills@TNTECH.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Chris Mills <scmills@TNTECH.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Comments on Splittie
Comments: To: Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <20020911.205629.948.14.wilden1@juno.com>
Content-type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=us-ascii

>Engine runs great ........... must have a Porsche engine.

That's 'cause the engine is always well blown out - it gets an Italian
tuneup everywhere it goes...

5K rpms at 50 mph, but of course that's the only way you can get the full
47 HP out of it.

I understand the European taxes based on HP and the high cost of fuel
($4.75 a gallon when I lived in Italy) but why or why or why did VW think
these little teeny-tiny engines were enough to push around a whole van?

I understand that (at least in Italy) that all these VW's were perfectly
fine in city traffic b/c you didn't need much power to run down a
cobblestone street at 25 mph, and the suspension had to be durable b/c of
the Italian option to use the sidewalks as an alternate route around
traffic (Hey! I've done this!!!).

That said - why did VW think that 67 HP was enough for my '78 Westy? I
guess it was enough for 55 mph on flat ground. These days I never run 55
mph (always 70 mph to keep from getting run over on the interstate) and the
ground is seldom flat for long (TN).

Looking forward to 110 HP from that flat six out back...


Ciao!

Chris Mills
Cookeville, Tennessee
ICQ# 5944649