Date:         Tue, 31 Jul 2007 16:36:37 -0600
Reply-To:     Tom Buese <tombuese@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tom Buese <tombuese@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: 60 years ago this week
Comments: To: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
In-Reply-To:  <f05100300c2d562cd74f3@[203.167.171.232]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed

>

Ole ben came up w/ the concept, & everything evolved from that! The
fact that the 1st attempt on a bug frame failed is not his fault-it
was the fault of some marketing guy or exec. who tried to implement
the concept w/o the engineering knowledge to translate ben's idea
into reality, or not!

Tom B.-kinda like Bill Gates developing the pc platform?(as opposed
to Steve Jobs)
Flame suit on
> I just can't understand why people believe Pons was the inventor of
> the Type 2. A box with a Beetle floorpan ain't a Type 2. An indirect
> predecessor, perhaps, but no more than that.
>
> The first Type 2 was built in 1949... every panel was handmade (oh,
> baby, where is it now??). It LOOKED just like a Barndoor, which is
> basically what it was. This vehicle was not designed or styled by
> Pons. I don't think it used a Beetle chassis either... too narrow,
> with no crossmembers. It was indeed not strong enough, and was
> redesigned for production.
>
> And whoever styled it was a genius. How to make something shaped like
> a box (or loaf of bread) look NICE, well, whoever he was, he
> succeeded.
> --
> Andrew Grebneff
> Dunedin
> New Zealand
> Fossil preparator
> <andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
> Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut