Date: Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:27:12 -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: question about a high roof vanagon
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original
thank you for the response Joe.....
I'm starting to learn about them.
I did see a comment about the 'anti-aerodynamic' rrear of the Adventurewagon
top on those theSamba forums.
I would like to correct that perception.
If you read the factory propaganda from Adventurewagon ........it states
that that pointy back end of the AW top moves the center of pressure
aftwards a bit, and gives it a slight 'arrow' affect.
That is true. ...............for sure. Also ............in vehicle
dymamics, for most type of vehicles......including boats, airplanes, trans
etc ........
'length' ...............'Length' by itself as two large advantges
............you add interior volume without increasing frontal area.
Frontal area of any vehicle is 'bad' .............the smaller the better, in
terms of the vehicle moving forward.
The other big adanatage .......this occurs many in boats ...........(
speaking about 'length' by itself ) ............'more wateline length' is
always an advantage on all boats, and especially sail boats. Two identical
boats .............but one with say 4 more feet of waterline length
..............the longer boat will always sail faster everthing else being
equal. So while it's not 'a water thing' ............I like that added
length back there in the AW roof ......
plus there's a cute little window back there that opens, has a screw, and is
under an overhang somewhat, so there's less tendency to leak in rain.
I thought AW's would feel like a lot to push through the air, and feel top
heavy.
they are neither of those.
They noticebly go through the air more smoothly at say 70 mph than a Westy.
A westy is 'noodling around' a tiny bit in the air at speed, compared to the
AW.
Another very significant feature and advantage of the AW top is
............quietness.
Even with most of the interior stripped out........the quietest vanagon I
have ever driven at speed. I think it's the double walled and insulated AW
top that accounts for that.
cornering-wise ..................they don't seem top heavy either. The
'only' penalty of any sort is that it's taller full time, and may not fit in
garages or low-ceiling parking garages. Otherthat than on slight
disadvantage .............the body and roof of the Adventurewagon are just
great !
The front upper storage compartment is like .................18 cubic feet
or something .........larger than many car trunks......
and that is just one small portion of the volume inside those fine vans.
anyway.........obviously , I dig 'em..........Adventurewagons ! ( but not
the interior layout ! ........that could use 'fixing' for sure
.....depending of course on ones preferences.............some AW owners
think the interior layout is just wonderful. )
Scott
www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "joe trussell" <vanagon85@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, July 13, 2009 10:20 AM
Subject: Re: question about a high roof vanagon
> Is it a Fiberine top? I've seen a couple of these around Denver:
>
> http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=338892&highlight=hightop
>
> Joe T.
>
> On Sun, Jul 12, 2009 at 9:22 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <
> scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
>
>> HI all,
>> this frined/client of mine is looking at a diesel vanagon to buy .....
>> it has a high top fiberglass top ...........that looks a lot like an
>> Adventurewagon, but it's not.
>> An AW has a pointy rear end to the roof for aero reasons ( workds darn
>> good
>> too )
>> but this one is all roundy at the rear of the high roof. It's fiberglass
>> I'm
>> pretty sure.
>>
>> so, A .......does anyone know what to call one of these ?
>> and B .....are they any good ? Would one make a good base for building a
>> project /turbo diesel vanagon ?
>> thanks.
>> scott
>>
| 
