Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2011 13:06:47 -0800
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: Just like a Vanagon, but modern..
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="utf-8"; reply-type=response
re...
Toyota's first mini van sold in the US (1983?) was cool looking,
> it too was Vanagon like only smaller, and even came as a 4X4. Mitsubishi
> had a nice looking small van back in the 80's as well.
I've worked on both of those.
the original Toyota van we got here .....yes, about 83 ..
that look like a little loaf of bread ..
drives like a car, for a van.
and ..one of the worst cars to work on there is !
To replace say the distributor cap ....you tilt back the driver's seat with
part of the floor, then undo 19 or so screws to remove the passenger's front
seat and a huge piece of floor...and that part still has shifter cables
attached to it ........like what should be a 10 minute job is an hour
struggle.
The 2WD ones are known for extremely poor traction in slippery conditions.
the 4WD ones are real mechanical nightmares I hear.
And the 2WD ones 'just won't die.' Run forever . Just horrible to work
on.
the Mistsubishi van ..
relaible ....though very firm truck like ride.
Not bad overall.........smallish ..
vanagon is a way more sophisticated platform.
----- Original Message -----
From: "HotelWestfalia" <zolo@FOXINTERNET.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2011 10:33 AM
Subject: Re: Just like a Vanagon, but modern..
> Almost anything that was or is not threatening the US vehicle sales was
> allowed in with severe restrictions that did not apply to the locals. We
> did not get Vanagons with diesel turbo, or with carburetors either.
> The huge success of the HiAce was a serious threat to the local van
> manufacturing. The unions ruled them out. The local manufacturers
> treated
> the local market exactly as the drug dealers their own turf.
> Z
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "J Stewart" <fonman4277@COMCAST.NET>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2011 7:06 AM
> Subject: Re: Just like a Vanagon, but modern..
>
>
>> Still do, if you can call it that, the Sienna. More car like than van,
>> though. Toyota's first mini van sold in the US (1983?) was cool looking,
>> it too was Vanagon like only smaller, and even came as a 4X4. Mitsubishi
>> had a nice looking small van back in the 80's as well.
>>
>>
>>
>> Jeff Stewart
>>
>> Sorry, left off the link originally. Here it is:
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Hiace. According to this, the Toyota
>> Hiace came in a camper version. Of course, Toyota sold vans in this
>> country from long ago. Must be something other than emissions control
>> that
>> kept these from being marketed here.
>>
>>
>>
>> mcneely
>>
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