Date:         Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:33:42 -0800
Reply-To:     sam mccarthy <sfcompost@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         sam mccarthy <sfcompost@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: The real story about the invention of the WBX?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Good point John.  You may be starting a whole new branch on this thread!
I
have heard in the past about the various engine designs the Japanese
have supposedly "stolen" like the chevy straight six, but not thought
about the origins of the Subaru flat motor.  At least with the American designs, even if co opted, the Japanese designs improve over whatever they have come from.
I recall from a book about the history of Harley Davidson that the Japanese bought rights to manufacture them over there, then later during WWII they were riding around various battlegrounds on Japanese Harley's!
Interesting stuff~!
Sam McCarthy

Date:    Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:02:55 -0600
From:    John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: The real story about the invention of the WBX?

Sourchasm aside, Sam, I wonder about the WBX/Suburu - Germany/Japan
connection.

Japan was part of the Axis during WW II, and the Japanese got much
technical assistance and a lot of info on building warplanes during that
period. Would it not be reasonable that they should get auto engine
technology as well. And the flat four was being used in the war effort,
so surely it migrated to Japan, where in the fullness of time the
Japanese have transmuted it into a very fine piece of modern machinery -
the Suburu flat
 four.- and now the flat six and most recently a flat
diesel all of which evidently can fit nicely into a Vanagon.

Regards,

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver

sam mccarthy wrote:
>
I am sure the reason VW  didn't  put gas inline-fours in the van was
that they did not want to upset the "amazing handling" of the Vanagon
by raising the center of gravity over that achieved using the flat
four. They compromised with the diesel due to its "slightly lower"
power output and, how to put it, "more relaxed cruising attitude".
> Who could blame them??
> Sam M
> --------------