Date:         Fri, 12 May 2006 08:33:17 -0700
Reply-To:     John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: New design for the Westy
In-Reply-To:  <6da579340605120832y450dc9f7j707bbdeceb02f9d7@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

On 5/11/06, monte merrick <montemerrick@speakeasy.net> wrote:
>
> well what i like about the design isn't the functionality(ha!) of the
> many unfolding features - but the prod to VW to return to what a
> camper/bus is supposed to look like - i mean for crying out loud - put
> the driver back over the front wheels and maybe we wont have to stick
> with 25 year old cars.
> or so thinks me


I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately, I think the specter of front-impact
safety has pretty much doomed any future reappearance of the cab-over
passenger vehicle.  Nowadays the passengers have to be crammed cowering
behind an extended, crushable nosecone-- and as long as the space is there,
they might as well put the engine/tranny/front wheels there too. And with
the wheels out from under the seats, might as well knock an inch or so of
the ground clearance, as the 1.5 EXTRA FEET of wheelbase already gives it no
offroad capability whatsoever. Before you know it, they've re-invented the
contemporary ass-dragger minivan. ARGH!



-- 

John Bange
'90 Vanagon - "Geldsauger"


-- 
John Bange
'90 Vanagon - "Geldsauger"