Date:         Thu, 26 Jun 2003 09:42:31 +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:  <20030625185544.8DFAD1C774@email.iwon.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

>   I've always thought small, older Mitsubish vans look like
>shortened Vanagons.  The only place i've seen a lot of them is on
>the west coast.

>OK, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks those Mitsubishi vans
>look kinda cool. Sure, the only *other* people who agree with me
>also think Vanagon's are kinda cool...

>friend of mine had the mitsu van, called it "the toaster".  Bought it on the
>west coast.  Brought it back to Wisconsin.  He gave up on it.  Know why?
>The head gasket blew out AGAIN.
>He had it on e-bay, unsuccesful.  I did notice that there was another cheap
>e-bay mitsu van--also bad head gasket.  No problem, also up for auction was
>a head gasket rebuild kit--about 65 pieces...thats why my friend ditched it.
>oh, by the way, he had the mitsu because he couldn't get a resonable/newer
>vanagon where he was(San Diego).

These Delica vans are very popular here in NZ. Many are dual-range
4WD (all 4WDs are SWB), some are diesels (NEVER touch a Mitsi
diesel... they are well-known as grenades) & turbodiesels (nukes?).
The old boxy model was replaced by the current version in 1988/89
(see image attached; that sent to list will have been stripped),
which is still in production by Hyundai in Korea (no 4WD version,
though). It has been replaced in Japan by the Delica Space Gear, a
wierd-looking front-engined van which has all the space-inefficiency
of this layout.

The gas engines (Astron & Cyclone series, 1.6, 2.0, 2.6) of the
series 1 & 2 Delica are reliable enough, and they do NOT have a
gasket problem. US-market ones may, but that will be a local quirk
due to local tune. The injected 2.6s go well and top 160kmh easily
enough in a 4WD version; by comparison, a carbureted 2.4 Hiace RWD
LWB cannot keep up (though the hiace is an infinitely better vehicle).
--
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