Date:         Tue, 9 Dec 2003 11:18:51 -0500
Reply-To:     dr <dxrobertson@NETSCAPE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         dr <dxrobertson@NETSCAPE.NET>
Subject:      Re: Power of a 2.0L Air cooled vs 2.1L???
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

I owned a 73 bus westy, but wanted the room and design of the vanagon.  I purchased and still have an 82 air cooled.

The 73 bus had a rebuilt 1800cc with dual dellortos.  The power difference between the vanagon and bus is unfathomable.  The bus had very decent power and torque.  The gas mileage was reasonable at 16 to 18 mpg with the dual carbs and fully loaded.  You could just let the clutch out, and it would take off easily.  It did very well on mild offroading.  It could be comfortably driven on the freeway, although it was very effected by the wind.  Carbs were zero trouble- never touched them.

The air cooled vanagon is very underpowered in comparison.  As a previous post mentioned; you do have to downshift and use 3rd for even the slighest wind or hill.  The vanagon is a very heavy vehicle.  I miss the power of the bus, but am happy with the vanagon due to the interior design along with the simplicity of air cooled.   If you choose a bus of any year, make sure you sit inside and realize how much less room there is as compared to the vanagon.  That was our deciding factor.  good luck!




Ben huot <huotx@VIDEOTRON.CA> wrote:

>Thanks, that answer my question (with some P -pmail i received).
>I will stick to my dream Bus idea, a 76-79! (still looking!)
>
>80-83.5 are the only VW that i never droved, i drove everything else.
>They just go for cheap $ those days.
>
>I want the interior of a Vanagon but the look of a bay and power of at least
>a 2.1L, Answer = 77-79 with a good 2.0L and twin Dell or Weber, for me it's
>the ultimate westy. But more important, i think it's the most reliable
>westy, period.
>Aircooled simplicity and reliability, nice look of the bay, less weight than
>the vanagon, NO 15/25 years old FI to mess with when stuck in Guatemala, no
>Fi to worry about....
>
>Even if i have 2 complete and fully tested/rebuilt (picture to come)FI
>(77-78) in my garage i would prefer a good set of twin carbs, or even a
>single weber...
>


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