Date:         Fri, 26 Jan 2007 19:56:19 -0600
Reply-To:     Chuck Mathis <cmathis@HOUSTON.RR.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Chuck Mathis <cmathis@HOUSTON.RR.COM>
Subject:      Re: snow driving vanagon vs baywindow
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

Jason,

I've had three flavors of VW vans - a '67 Deluxe, a '70 and an '85
Wolfsburg.  Of the three, the '67 rates as one the best snow vehicles
I've ever driven (along with a diesel Rabbit).  The majority of the
heavy stuff was in the back - gas tank, battery, spare tire, engine and
tranny.  Coupled with those reduction gears on the splits that provided
very low gearing and a bit of extra ground clearance that thing was
incredible (relatively speaking) in the snow.  Had to bundle up real
well though cause there was no heat.  The '70 bay had a similar weight
distribution but lacked the reduction gears.  Doesn't make much
difference under 'normal' snowy conditions but I did manage to get
stuck once when an axle shaft got caught on top of a small tree stump
when I had the not so bright idea to go shoot some photographs in a
fairly remote part of central Tennessee with about eight inches of snow
on the ground.  The heat situation was not any better than the split.
With the Vanagon the gas tank, battery and spare tire (mine and the
vans) are up front so the weight distribution is a little more even and
way less tail heavy than the splits or bays.  I haven't tried any off
roading in the snow with the Wolfsburg but I have driven it through
eight or so inches of snow up and down the hills on the west side of
Cincinnati with regular 205/70 x 14 Michelin MXTs without any problems
- but that's nothing like what you're dealing with in Montana.  The
Syncro was built for that kind of stuff and the Vanagon Westfalias are
probably the pinnacle of the Westys.  If it were me I'd run the Syncro
all over hell and back and not worry about wrecking it.  At least
you'll have heat while you are doing it.

Chuck
'85 Wolfsburg Westy - 'Roland the Road Buffalo'

> Date:    Fri, 26 Jan 2007 16:28:47 -0500
> From:    Jason Willenbrock <pooncerelli@HOTMAIL.COM>
> Subject: snow driving vanagon vs baywindow
>
> Hey all,
> I am wondering how well bay window busses drive in the snow compared
> to 2wd
> vanagons.  I had a 2wd vanagon that was so so at best in the snow.
> With
> studded tires it was better obviously.  I now have a syncro westy that
> is of
> course superior.  I am contimplating selling my syncro and down
> grading to a
> bay window camper since i rarely use my syncro, i put maybe 5000 miles
> a
> year on it, and because it is so nice, i rarely take it off roading
> out of
> fear of wrecking it.  Here in Montana snow and mud will alway be a
> factor so
> how well do bay's handle? I have heard that they do better then
> vanagons due
> to the slim tires and weight.  Is this true?  hopefully someone ut
> there has
> had both and can give good input to my question here.
> TIA
> jason
> 87 syncro westy
>