Date:         Mon, 1 Mar 2010 10:36:35 +1300
Reply-To:     Andrew Grebneff <goose1047@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Andrew Grebneff <goose1047@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Are Vanagons pretty?
In-Reply-To:  <D4ECBBEE-76BB-45C2-9DAB-39FF1FDE6203@helix.ucsd.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

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?
>

No, not pretty. They CAN be very handsome vans in the right colors (blues,
reds, silver, gunmetal), lowered, with big alloys (see the big German T3
meets)... and downright frumpy in others (browns & beige). Too
masculine-looking for prettiness.

The low taillights look odd to someone who normally sees only higher ones eg
Japanese vans. The narrow "Hitler's mustache" of the German waterbottles
looks silly... the South Africans have the right idea with their full-width
lower grill, even though 2/3 of it covers sheet metal. Aircooleds look
peculiar with a big expanse of metal below the forward-thrust grill; of
course a SA lower grill could be fitted to  improve appearances.

Single round headlights also look odd, giving the van an innocent wide-eyed
appearance. The rectangular lights look far better, as does the South
African Microbus' dual-round-light setup.

Not like the Split, which was pretty in any color or condition. But far more
attractive than the Bay, which was always a bit homely... possibly because
it was just a new cab tacked onto a Split body.


--
Regards
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin
New Zealand
Fossil preparator
Mollusc, Toyota & VW van fan