Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2010 01:41:10 -0500
Reply-To: Donald Thomas <don_thomas@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Donald Thomas <don_thomas@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: Are Vanagons pretty?
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=response
Scott,
If 914s are Volkswagens why is P-O-R-S-C-H-E stamped on the crankshaft?
Regards, Don Thomas
----- Original Message -----
From: "Scott Daniel - Turbovans" <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, February 27, 2010 4:08 PM
Subject: Re: Are Vanagons pretty?
>I would not use the word 'pretty' to describe the shape.
>
> but ...the shape, and some nuances on it grows on me at least.
> I wake up where I can look out at least 10 vanagons.
>
> I particularly like the treatment around the rear air intake vents - very
> nicely integrated there.
> The crease down the side, the shape and shape of the windshield and front
> door side windows..
> like all of that.
>
> They beautifully maximized the interior volume while keeping the box shape
> to a certain size...
> and ....very nicely, the sides are not flat at all.
> the are curved top to bottom of course,
> but they are also curved front to rear if you look closely.
>
> the 'look' of the front - the grill with two eyes and the lower
> grill...........all very nice.
>
> what I find is that 'after many years' most well-known car/van body styles
> take on a certain 'right-ness'.
>
> For example...the classic 300SL Gullwing mercedes sports car,
> and the Jag XJ6 ....the original early ones ...and XKE...
> you could not change *one line* on those cars by even half an inch and
> make
> it better.
>
> Same for the Porsche 356.
> The 911...........I have always regarded that as 'an OK shape'.....rather
> practically shaped.
> 914's............now there is a controversial body style - many consider
> it
> either good looking, or ugly, not much in between.
> I had a Porsche 914-6 in my shope for about a year.
> The -6 is a 'real' Porche...........911 six cylder engine, 5 lug alloy
> wheels etc.
> ( the 914 IS a volkswagon .....Type IV air-cooled 4 cylinder engine, 4 lug
> wheels etc. ) ...
> the look very similar of course.
> And the earlier ones have nicer early stype bumpers, ...
> my point is ...
> the more I had that 914-6 around, the more I looked at it ...
> the more I got it ........what a great shape it is.
> I think the 'sail' pannel on the side is awkward .......just doesn't fit
> with the rest of the shape of the car.
> Where it's really nice ......just looking purely at shape from an
> art/design
> point of view ...is there rear ...
> the rear fenders that are subtly bulgey, the rear deck is nice. The flat
> small rear window is nice.
> And the slenger-top front fenders are slick too.
>
> so give all that ...
> how a shape grows on you ....
> yes, vanagons are very , very nice.
> There's more emphasis on practical shape than there is on making it 'good
> looking '..............but still, not bad.
>
> and .........like old photo's .....
> you know, a picture of whatever, a picknik table and a campsite can be so
> mundane for a long time.
> But see that same picture 25 years later - it takes on a lot more value.
>
> same on car shape and design ....give it 20 years or more, and certain
> ones
> start looking really, really 'right.'
>
> and ....I will close with this question .....
> purely subjective of course .....and many cadidates ....but there is 'One'
> Amercian car shape/design that is very, very 'right'.
> What car is it ?
> 60's is one hint.
>
> oh ....it's a lot like this ...around Y2K there was online voting for car
> of
> the Century. Many were suggested, VW Bug, Citroen 2CV, Model T Ford etc.
> etc. etc. Cobra even ( and There, is another shape/design that is
> flowless
> and 'perfect' with the passage of time )
> I thought and though about what car might be the Car of the Century.
> I'm thinking it has to be very well known, should be good looking, should
> have great performacne, even racing history , and probably many of them
> made.
> I finally figured out what car that would be...
> and by golly, the one I finally came up with was the car voted as Car of
> the Century.
> Car to guess or say what it is ?
>
> Scott
> missing having a 'real' saltwater sailboat.
> Ex-Sausalito-ite.
> www.turbovans.com
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mark Hineline" <hineline@HELIX.UCSD.EDU>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Saturday, February 27, 2010 12:23 PM
> Subject: Are Vanagons pretty?
>
>
>> Who thinks their Vanagon is pretty? I have a decidedly positive
>> reaction whenever I see a Vanagon, and I really like the way the sheet
>> metal goes together on the nose, but objectively I can't say it's
>> pretty (the way a 911 is pretty).
>>
>> So?
>>
>> Mark
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