Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2003 07:35:22 +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: vanagon sized/shape/style vehicles
In-Reply-To: <00f001c33a95$159e7470$2394aec7@D1DY3621>
Content-type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=iso-8859-1
>one type of bus i always kinda lusted after was a Mercedes
>MB-100.
>about the same size and shape as our vanagons, but with a front
>engine between the front seats.
>i think they've discontinued it in favor of their
>more-minivan-shaped vehicles. :(
The MB100 looks like a Hiace gone wrong. It's also FWD, and made in
Korea... I strongly suspect therefore that it is actually a Ssangyong
design (until recently Ssangyong was a manufacturer making
locally-designed large Musso 4WDs using Mercedes sixes & diesel 5s;
it was bought out by another manufacturer recently) and not a real
Mercedes..
>and i think the public misconception of no-nose = no protection
>continues,
Unfortunately! The Type 2 and Hiaces prove that forward-control vans
CAN be safe... to their occupants (not to the occup[ants of the other
car, though!... ie see the Caravelle vs Volvo crashtest).
>and you aren't likely to see any well-designed
>vehicles (like our vanagons) that use the interior space
>efficiently or effectively. the Honda is an attempt at it, but
>look at the intended audience: surfers, bikers, hikers ... not a
>soccer mom in the bunch! ;)
Fortunately the YH/LH-100-series Toyota Hiace is still going
gangbusters in production, though there is also a longnosed so-called
Hiace sold alongside it! I hope Toyota sees the light and continues
the cabover design. The Mitsubishi Delica (=Express, L300) is still
in production in Korea as the Hyundai H100. Kia has just released a
cabover Hiace clone also. Mazda is also still making its Bongo (also
sold with Ford Econovan badges).
Strictly speaking these Japanese vans are front-midengined, as the
engine is located inline & slightly behind the front axle line ie
within the wheelbase.
>but then, i wouldn't mind if the vanagons were a tad bigger.
Nah, it's plenty wide enough already. Want wider, get a Dummer... I
mean Hummer.
>anyway, i guess my point is, they ain't making no more no-nose
>vans ...
See above
>and the vans they are making aren't very good for what
>we want.
No, the long-nosed vans either are the same length as a VW with 1.5m
less cargobay length, or the entire vehicle is 1.5m longer...TOO
long!! Crap. I'll stick with rear-engined VWs and Hiaces (I just
bought 2 1986 LWB 10-seater dual-slider 2.4 diesel Hiaces, one being
an LH66 dual-range 4WD). The trend toward Eurovans is lamentable.
I believe the Hiace is sold in México. What's to stop people bringing
them into the US privately?
--
Andrew Grebneff
165 Evans St, Dunedin, New Zealand
64 (3) 473-8863
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
Fossil preparator
Seashell, Macintosh & VW/Toyota van nut
