Date:         Fri, 4 Feb 2011 12:40:17 +0000
Reply-To:     J Stewart <fonman4277@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         J Stewart <fonman4277@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: DPO caused damage on Vanagons
Comments: To: BenT Syncro <syncro@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <1F02FC3F-BBAF-4DD6-B4C2-7EA6471C7DE5@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Your story reminded me of a friend who once worked at an RV dealer. One day two brand new 5th wheel trailers were delivered. His boss told him to move them, and warned him not to put a scratch on either of them. You may have guessed by now, he backed one of them into the other one. That was the last day he worked there... Jeff



Jeff Stewart


----- "BenT Syncro" <syncro@GMAIL.COM> wrote:


It seems we are sometimes our worst enemy. Last year, I decided to move a car trailer by hand to attach it to my 88 2wd Doka. I figured the channel steel bumpers would not just handle the weight of an empty trailer but could handle moderate collisions such as the trailer sliding forward. What I did not plan on was the empty trailer porpoising upwards and missing the bumper altogether. I did have enough mass to stop the tongue from making contact with was formerly the most pristine Doka engine door I have ever owned. It's minor. It's a ding. And it fit the ball mount of the trailer. Its done and nothing short of replacement of metal work will fix it.

Fast forward to tonight. I had my Vanagon with the turbo Subie sitting behind the 88 Doka. Thought I would try to avoid getting my license plate tags from getting stolen. Some low life just stole by 2011 sticker from my LT35. Luckily I was putting a 2012 sticker on. Anyway, back to the Subie van. It's got an auto trans so I decided the best way to get really close is to drive it from outside the van and scoot it up really close by gently pulling up on the parking brake lever. Well it's cold outside. Subie raises it's RPM to compensate. Just then the van got up too close, too fast. By the time I was able to pull up the lever, the tow ball in the Doka had made a perfect impression on my license plate.

It's almost as if providence had intended these two vehicles to marry one another. Trailer tongue dent on one. Towball dent on the other.

My goodness. I'm a Dreaded Previous Owner to be!

Happy Lunar New Year, one and all. I understand from my Asian friends that I will be cursed to repeat today's events for the rest of the Year of the Rabbit. Hey, isn't that a VW?


BenT