Date:         Fri, 17 Dec 2004 22:39:23 +1300
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: HELP My wife thiks the van is unsafe
In-Reply-To:  <BDE6E7AA.754B%docproteus@earthlink.net>
Content-type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=us-ascii

>Hey All,
>So now that I've got the van all fixed up and have put time and money into
>it, my wife is telling me that she is concerned that the van is unsafe for
>our kids to ride in it.  Now before I go on I should note that it's and 83
>diesel 1.6 and I have personally checked all seatbelts and seat tracks, etc.
>to assure her (and me) that it's safe.  She's mainly worried about tipping
>over.  Any thoughts on any studies on this so I can allay her fears?
>
>Dave

The T3 is NOT top-heavy. It has zero tendency to fall over, unless
asymmetrically loaded (as with camper cabinetry etc). It has a 50:50
front:rear mass-distribution and was designed with handling in mind
(unlike any other VW product of the time or since).

In Germany they fit powerful engines and race them on the Nurburgring
etc and go chasing BMWs on twisty backroads. What does that tell you?

Older VW vans don't fall over either... the T1 (Split) would spin if
provoked enough; the T2 (Bay) handled extremely well, and I used to
drive my 75 really hard on narrow twisties, to the point of the tires
barely hanging on at either end.

Find a large flat paved area with no obstacles and try, with wife
aboard, some extreme antics eg donuts and sharp maneuvers (if it's
not a camper!).

My kids can't wait for my 84 to be back on the road.

>  > Others on this list will advise swapping thw 14" rims for something
>>  larger and running low-profile tires... the important thing is to get
>>  the wallow out of the sidewalls.
>
>Yah dude, you HAVE to get those 24" Sprewells with the /10 series
>rubber.
>sudhir.

TEN-series? WAY too much sidewall flex.

>and the westy is big and strong, it's a truck, lots of steel. I am not
>afraid in it. But it has no airbag, abs, etc. and it's a old design.

Outside the US 3-channel ABS was an option. Recent South African ones
may well have airbags.
--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin
New Zealand
Fossil preparator
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut