Date:         Fri, 21 Feb 2003 13:24:46 EST
Reply-To:     Oxroad@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jeff Oxroad <Oxroad@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: SA dash? was:Re: Custom Instrument Pod
Comments: To: andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

In a message dated 2/21/2003 1:19:38 AM Pacific Standard Time,
andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ writes:

<< I have examined photos, and despite what I've HEARD, I cannot see
 that the windows are any bigger than on German T3s. They come no
 closer to the gutter or waistline crease. The windshield dips no
 further either.
  >>

I suppose it depends on what year SA bus. The photos I have of a 97 or 98 bus
show the waistline appears to be in the same place as say a 91 Vanagon. But
the ridge in the body above the waistline which amounts to say a 1" shelf on
the 91 has been done away with by 97. On the 91 Vanagon this "shelf" runs the
length of the bus from the front vent wing window to the far rear side
window. On the SA 97 bus this "shelf" starts again at the front wing window
but takes a bend at the rear of the front door roll down window and heads up
vertically to the roof line of the door where it fades into the body.  This
leaves no "shelf" under the two side rear windows and acommodates the
slightly lower bottom edge of the window maybe offering another inch or so of
glass from top to bottom. It also smooths out the body line in that there is
not the long "rectangular" ridge that is created by the metal between the 1"
"shelf" and the waistline indent.


In the photos I have of a direct side view you can definately see the the two
side rear windows (the one in the slider and then the one behind that) have a
lower bottom edge than the bottom edge of the roll down window in the front
doors.

It seems the windshield and the back hatch window are the same as the 91
Vanagon, although there certainly could be a difference.

I'd still love to see a photo of the dash, although I have just re examined
the small photo of the dah I referenced in the last e-mail and see it may not
be a "Vanagon" dash in the SA brochure. the dash in a tiny photo is free
standing on a table outside of any vehicle sitting in the desert sun. So it
might just be a dash from some VW showing off how well VW products stand the
high heat of the desert.

I'll work on scanning the brochure I have, although that will take a while as
I have to get to a scanner.

Best
Jeff