Date: Fri, 3 Sep 2004 20:12:20 +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: Double cab for sale/engine longevity
In-Reply-To: <D347C8486FA1504EAAB2931B94F2A6B9B1ED0F@fileserver.plyforms.com>
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>I have to say congrats on your accomplishments. 112 mph is very impressive I
>enjoy going very fast also but the forces that are put on a vanagon at this
>speed are unknown or at least only known by the guy that was operating the
>wind tunnel the day the vanagon rolled in. I would say 112 mph in a vanagon
>is not only dangerous for you but for any child riding in a car on the same
>road as you.
These vans are easily capable of high speeds. Do you think that all
those SVX & Porsche-powered T3s in Germany are going slow? NO! Their
owners put these engines in for a reason. They RACE them on the
racetracks there, for chrissakes. Just because you are afraid to try
cornering in one doesn't mean anythin except that you are afraid to
try cornering in one (oh Yogi, where are you...).
I drive fast when I can afford the gas, when it's safe to do so (open
road) and when I believe cops are unlikely.
I am on the point of fitting Porsche 993 brakes & Whiteline swaybars
front & rear, as well as 18" wheels with high-performance tires to
make the van even safer. And I will fit a racing seat, which is
actually one of the most important (as well as overlooked) safety
features you can have in a car.
>So what do you do ?
>Broadcast to all adults to
>" avoid traveling on this and that road because there´s a man going 112 mph
>in a Vanagon there which might be hazardous to children " ;-)
Put a sign "GET OUTTA MY WAY" on the van...
>Why do people who get upset when anyone´s traveling fast always have to hide
>behind kids ?
Indeed. It's scaremongering and playing on people's irrational
emotions. Like those fools who have a "Baby on board" sign up in
their car's back window.
>It´s just as bad if you end up in the side of a bus full of old folks !!
>And the chance of hitting anyone with the Vanagon that´s able to do 112 mph
>on the speedometer is no bigger than when you travel at 130+ on a big bike
>or in any of the fast family cars.........
And far LESS than any US-made car!!
>someone stated that he had his vanagon up to 112 mph. To see what
>power is required to overcome drag at that speed have a look at this
>old posting by Martin Jagersand.
That was me.
>Last entry, 30m/s, -53.15 kW converts to 67.3 mph, 71.275 hp. I will
>leave it up to the reader to calculate power required at wheels to
>overcome drag at 112 mph (49.9 m/s). Leaving rolling resistance out, I
>think I recall that wind resistance is a square function of speed and
>power required is a cube function.
Every T3 with a reasaonably healthy engine has more power than that.
And they were sold with 112hp engines in Europe. I would hardly
expect a stock van, even a 112hp one, to do that speed, but mine had
a 3.8 V6 installed.
--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin
New Zealand
Fossil preparator
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut
