Date:         Mon, 12 Jul 2004 17:37:45 -0400
Reply-To:     Tim Demarest <tim.demarest@POBOX.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tim Demarest <tim.demarest@POBOX.COM>
Subject:      Re: Lightening the load
Comments: To: Jeffrey Schwaia <jeff@VANAGONPARTS.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <JHEHKLEAKBLMKEJMBNOOMEFPDFAA.jeff@vanagonparts.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed

         I agree... the cabinets are surprisingly light.I was wondering how
much weight could be saved if they were made of fiberglass instead...
Probably not enough to be worth it, but I was hoping someone who has
actually worked with a lot of fiberglass could confirm/deny that.


At 01:58 PM 7/12/2004 -0700, Jeffrey Schwaia wrote:
>I'm confused (again).  Just last week I removed all the cabinets out of an
>'82 Westy.  They are not heavy.  As a matter of fact, I would describe them
>as light.
>
>As for the poptop... I helped a customer load one onto his SUV about an hour
>ago, this is just a WAG, but I doubt it weighed more than 100lbs.
>
>Seems to me, the heavy components in a Westy are the bed frame and the
>appliances.
>
>Cheers,
>
>Jeff
>www.vanagonparts.com
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
>Of Chris S.
>Sent: Monday, July 12, 2004 12:10 PM
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: Lightening the load
>
>
>By far the best solution for Westfalia owners would be
>honeycomb-and-panel-aluminium sandwich material for the
>cabinets.  Combine that with a carbon fiber and kevlar composite
>pop-top and we've got ourselves a very expensive winner.
>
>As an enthusiast bicyclist I always wonder about the folks
>who'll spend hundreds of dollars to reduce the weight of their
>bike by one or two pounds while the spare tire around their
>waist is not getting any smaller. :-)
>
>
>
>
>=====
>Chris S.'85 Westy Camel -> http://www.knology.net/~vw/vws/camel/ '84 Westy
>Hershey -> http://www.knology.net/~vwghost/hershey/ '01 NB TDI ->
>http://www.knology.net/~vw/Beetle.jpg