Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2003 19:16:04 -0700
Reply-To: Ben McCafferty <ben@VOLKSCAFE.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Ben McCafferty <ben@VOLKSCAFE.COM>
Subject: Re: [Syncro] Paging owners of syncro.org springs...info needed
In-Reply-To: <124.1e6624b6.2b7ef59e@aol.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
OK, BenT, fair enough. I felt the need to respond to your post to Chris
simply because it was sent at around the same time as my first statement to
the lists (they crossed in the mail, so to speak), and I wanted to address
your public statements to Chris as they pertained to me and my actions. I
have no problem with the concerns you and Tom stated, and have done my best
to address them and make clear what my intentions were and are.
Certainly Volks Cafe doesn't produce a website simply as a community
service, and I am not trying to say this is nothing more than that. I have
always been forthcoming about my role with Volks Cafe and will continue to
be so. I will be writing articles on subjects that don't directly produce
revenue, i.e. on products or methods that Volks Cafe does not sell. But the
hope is certainly that users of those articles will feel some good will
towards Volks Cafe (and use us when they have a need) because we are doing
more than just selling parts--we are trying to make maintenance and repair
of the Vanagon easier for those users. I went to work for Volks Cafe
because of my experience with them as a Vanagon owner--I was treated
ethically and with respect, which reflects my own core values. The day I
feel that Peter or the organization no longer considers these things to be
important, I will tender my resignation.
Take care,
bmc :)
Ben McCafferty
ben@volkscafe.com
Volks Cafe
1823 Soquel Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA 95062
831-426-1244
http://volkscafe.com
> From: BenTbtstr8@aol.com
> Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2003 20:45:02 EST
> To: ben@volkscafe.com, pokey@VANAGON.ORG, vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM,
> syncro@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [Syncro] Paging owners of syncro.org springs...info needed
>
> In a message dated 2/14/03 5:16:50 PM Pacific Standard Time,
> ben@volkscafe.com writes:
>
>> IIRC Ben doesn't own a Vanagon anymore. Do you BMC?<<
>
> --No, I am between Vanagons at the moment. But this isn't really relevant,
> is it? If I had a 2WD Vanagon, or a syncro with stock springs, I would be
> asking the same question.>>
>
> It is relevant if you read Chris Gronski's assertion that you were asking for
> YOUR own Syncro.
>
> << --Not desperate, just working and trying to complete an article. As soon
> as
> I saw the posts about espionage, I did send a message on what my intentions
> are/were. >>
>
> I was responding to Chris's post.
>
> << --You are correct, and I will be more direct in what I'm asking for and why
> in the future. I was in no way trying to infringe on someone's intellectual
> property. >>
>
> I answered onlist because there was a good chance that your posting would
> receive pmail responses. In the event your inquiry was less than forthcoming,
> the damage would have already been done.
>
> << --It will be very easy for me to write this article without including
> Steve's springs. >>
>
> I agree but there was no mention of any article in your posting.
>
> << Since the article is intended as a service to the Vanagon
> community, I was trying to include as many Vanagon owners as possible. >>
>
> Precisely why I responded on the list.
>
> <<... So maybe some people will be interested after all.>>
>
> Is that not the intent afterall? Service to community is in the name of
> promotion. While I do not have a problem with that, let's not make it sound
> like it is all for community service.
>
> <<.... You will notice that my question didn't ask for any of
> the information that would really tell me how the spring was
> built--thickness of steel, number of coils, spring rate, etc. I could build
> a lot of different springs with the information I asked for, and never
> duplicate Steve's great springs.>>
>
> Here's what you asked for:
>
> <--inside diameter
> <--outside diameter
> <--rubber bumper to its contact point on the a-arm, compressed (normal van
> < weight)
> <--rubber bumper to its contact point on the a-arm, uncompressed (van on a
> < jack, wheel hanging free)
> <--total spring length, compressed
> <--total spring length, uncompressed
> <--length of the rubber bumper"
>
> That sounds mighty specific. Besides it was not likely that buyers of the
> spring would necessarily know what the spring rates are. With the information
> you requested, one with the proper skill can make a fairly accurate estimate
> of the spring rate and the size of the steel. Simple math can get you the
> right figure for size for instance. Exterior minus interior is the size of
> the spring. Compressed and uncompressed measurements when computed with the
> weight of the vehicle in question can yield the spring rate.
>
> << --Not sure what you mean; I have never known you to use anything but this
> address since I've been on the lists? >>
>
> This is again in response to Chris Gronski's post.
>
> BenT
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