Date: Sat, 5 Feb 2011 12:25:02 -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: Keeping vanagos secret and alive , was Canadian Mix (mea culpa,
sort of)
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="utf-8"; reply-type=original
yeah, it's a no brainer.
Conventional anti-frz isn't that expensive ..
no reason not to just put in 50-50 really.
I don't like to cheap out on things.
doesn't pay in the long run as they say.
re 'poor people'..
I have long noticed this factor ..
cheap cars ...
like say a Mazda GLC of years ago ..
cheap people often buy cars like that are cheap new ..
and that's how they care for them ..
they don't ! ..lol.
I've seen that in diesel vanagons some..and for sure in diesel rabbbits.
Nowadays though ...we see their value and take much better care of them ..
and even often upgrade them significantly ..
so not as prevelant these days in the case of diesel vanagons.
and.................
Vanagons have transcended into a whole other catagory ..they have gone from
'how many original miles ? " ..
to what major repairs and upgrades have been done?' ..
they're like aircraft now ....as long as the basic body/chassis is kept from
serious corrosion and rust and damge..they are rebuildable, and upgradable,
( and irreplaceble ) 'forever'.
just silly that for such a world class vehicle ..
someone has not come along and 'done it right' again ..
whether making fresh vanagon bodies .. ( you can buy, or could, whole brand
new MGB bodies for example )
or doing up a whole similar vehicle 'modern' .
though I just know ...
I am SURE ...that given modern requirements and standards it would be
impossible for any modern manufacturer to make a 'new vanagon' and have it
be as pracical,
as simple and robust, and 'repair-able yourself' as our babies are.
if we're not careful the gummint will discover how much fun we're having
with these fine vehicles...
and they think that's 'bad for the economy' or some such boloney ..
..
" Hey ..
we can't let them near hippies have that much fun with those old vans !!
...we have to find some way to outlaw them. '
That's how good Vanagons are.
They're so great that if the nasty powers that be find out ..
they'll try to suppress them ..
so just act, publically ..like they're old junkers and they'll all be off
the road pretty soon anyway ..
and they won't be the wiser, and we'll just keep makin' 'em even more and
more world class vehicles than they already are. No end in sight really.
Just keep it in the family.
You know..
really ...Vanagons and all their variations could really be on a contender
list for 'car of the century."
( ..the century that ended 11 yrs ago ....the Car of the Century turned out
to be the Porshce 911 ..and when you think about it ..
and consider many factors, and that makes sense. And the T3 Vanagon could
be right behind it.
it's another subjuct..
but consider how well known Vanagons are, how many were made, how many, many
variations there are of vanagons ...what performance is possible..how very
many different engines will fit, how they can handle 250 hp if you develop
the rest of it to match ....AWD capability ..great ground cleaance..fine
camping vehicles ..
etc. etc. etc. there ain't nothin' quite like them, including the huge
world-wide freindly family that goes with T3 Vanagons ! ..a true winner
through and through. )
And no end in sight either. oh ..good looks are a factor for any serious
contender for iconic status ..
They sure grow on me looks wise...in the details...like the clever
integration of the rear upper air intakes.
Something about the rear shape of a Westy roof ...
they are so classic and iconic now....like say a Jag XKE's shape, ..that
you could not change a line on a vanagon and make it look more right.
Scott
www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: <mcneely4@cox.net>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>; "Scott Daniel - Turbovans"
<scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sent: Saturday, February 05, 2011 11:43 AM
Subject: Re: [VANAGON] Canadian Mix (mea culpa, sort of)
> ---- Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM> wrote:
> From Scott:
>
>> oh ... at a discount auto parts store you can get a handle little tester
>> hydrometer thing ..
>> for under 3 bucks..
>> tells your a-frz concentration in just seconds. It's silly not to have
>> one, they're so handy an inexpensive.
>
> Used to see folks use those a lot, when I was a kid growing up in Texas.
> Back then, lots of folks did not use antifreeze except for winter, and
> they added just enough to get the freezing temp down to what they thought
> would be sufficient to "get by." So, when we got a norther like the one
> this week, they'd be checking and adding more. Since the year round use
> of coolant, that has been less prevalent, but you're right, the little
> cheapos from the Autozone and what not work and one can check if
> concerned. Like you, I just run 50%, and have for almost ever, taught at
> a young age by my father. Whenever I asked him about my neighbors and
> acquaintances talking about having to add antifreeze, or even in some
> cases, drain the block when it turned cold, he'd just say, "Poor people
> have poor ways."
>
> mcneely
