Date: Fri, 3 Apr 2009 12:38:00 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Vanagon
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="UTF-8"; reply-type=original
man............
where do I start ?
the vanagon is a whole clean sheet of paper compared to any 79 Bus and
earlier ( which relate DIRECTLY to the original VW Bus of 1952 or whenever
they started ........including things like trailing arm torsion bar front
suspension.......which is 30's or 40's technology ) .
A Vanagon is LIGHT YEARS ahead of any 79 or earlier Bus.
the ONLY advantage I can think of that early Buses have over vanagons is
better rear traction on slippery surfaces due to a higher percentage of the
vehicles total weight being on the rear wheels., compared to a vanagon. A
2WD vanagon has very near 50/50 weight distribution which isn't the greatest
for climbing snowey hills etc.
The vanagon is ........
much safer crash wise.
MUCH, MUCH easier to work on in every area - just look at the sweet engine
access compared to any old Bus.
Real heater/s ..........genuine coolant heated heater cores with a boost
van. No oil smell or chance of exhaust in the heated cockpit air.
Quieter
more power and performance.
WAY evolved suspension ...........
Vanagons have , coil springs all around, rack and pinion steering, front
anti-sway bar,. rear trailing arms ..........decently advanced suspension
for the era, very much so. In that department, Buses are antiques. Ever
have to get the Swing Link Bushings replaced and reamed on an old Bus ? Does
ANYONE even do that anymore ? Does anyone even know what that means ? A
totally ancient steering system. Pathetic even, compared to what the
vanagon has there........
a very sweet rack and pinion steering rack, and a small 'V' steering box
that you'd never even know is there.
I'd say the prime weakest area in any water-cooled vanagon is the cooling
system of course, miles of pipes, dozens of pieces and connections, and very
joke silly 'head gaskets' Big points off there for sure.
in additon, vanagons have more modern things like power steering, Air
conditioning as factory installed, not just some add-on. Some later ones
have central locking, cruise control ......in Europe, even ABS brakes on the
latest models. Never mind Syncro AWD !
and hey........electronic fuel injection is MILES ahead of carburetors, Not
even comparable, and not that hard to deal with once familiar with the
system.
I could mention 20 or 30 other ways vanagons are vastly superior to any old
Bus, 79 or earlier.
The first 3 years of gasoline vangon use the Type IV air-cooled VW engine
........
those have their own set of problems. Not a good think in my opinion, not
that I think very much of the waterboxer engine.
Or the plastic cooling system parts that just crumble, crack, or melt in
later vanagons.
But overall........a vanagon is an infinitely more refined and comfortable,
and modern-ish vehicle compared to any Old Bus.
Sorta like not comparable even. And I have owned a dozen old Buses, and
worked on countless ones. I don't touch them anymore though. Burnt out of
air-cooled.
VW's I could say. Been there, done that. But vanagons .........they are
STILL on the rising part of the curve of usefulness, an appropiate degree of
electronic-ness ( i.e. not TOO modern-crazy with computers and so complex
you can't deal with it even, and vanagon parts prices are very reasonable
mostly too ) .......
and overall extreme utility and flexibility. One of the top vehciles ever
made for a broud range of usefullness, and VW is stupid not to have a modern
version. .....or I should say, a modern version in our market.
Scott
www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tieitup" <tieitup@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, April 03, 2009 8:25 AM
Subject: Vanagon
> Why do you all love your vanagons so much over the air cooled busses. what
> is it, the possibility that maybe their more reliable?the body style or
> just
> possibly because you have one and love her dearly.
>
> adam
> 88 westy getting skinned this week for work
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